Health System Specialist

Health System Specialist

Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

Location(s): Salt Lake City, Utah

Salary Range: $74678 - $116362 Per Year

Job Summary: This position is in the Office of Quality, Safety, Value & High Reliability at the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System (VASLCHCS) in Salt Lake City, Utah. The duties and responsibilities assigned to this position are prohibited from being performed below the executive team organizational level within a service line because of the facility wide impact the duties and responsibilities performed have on the functioning of the health care delivery system as a whole

Major Duties:

• The primary purpose of these positions are to implement Performance Improvement programs independently but linked within the Health Care System level. These positions are responsible for delivering Performance Improvement techniques to a broad array of programs and services throughout the Medical Center, including Lean, Six Sigma, Coaching, Program and/or Project Management, and Training. Some duties associated with this position include, but are not limited to the following: Advising leadership in the formulation of planning complex facility wide Strategic Plans and facility wide projects in the execution phase of supporting of Strategic Planning. Participates in and facilitates transformative quality, safety, effectiveness, and efficiency improvement efforts. Acts as performance improvement leads for healthcare, operational and performance improvements impacting patient care delivery systems and functions throughout the medical center. Facilitates, coaches, and trains audiences at all levels of the organizations throughout the lifecycle of a performance improvement plans and/or projects. Pulls, isolates and manipulates data to identify root causes of a performance issue. Develops statistical models to measure success of performance improvement actions. Converts data into numerous formats using advanced statistical models including statistical process control charts, histograms, paretto charts, and many more. Leads a team of subject matter experts, front line staff and leadership through a rigorous and defined project management process utilizing multiple tools from Lean Six Sigma, Lean VATAMCCS and other performance improvement disciplines to further define the current state of the process. Identifies various solutions approaches and when necessary, further leads them through prioritizing exercises with tools like affinity diagrams, PICK Charts and multi-voting. Creates designs of experiments that align to project goals and team developed solutions. The designs of experiments are hypotheses which are monitored through data for effectiveness or failure. Designs of experiments are often iterative and will involve multiple solutions in random or sequential order. Directs the team towards sustainable solutions that are mistake proof. Mistake proofing is designing processes that cannot be performed in error and thus improve the product experience for customers. Identifies metrics performing below benchmarked standards or falling below the upper or lower control limits of a statistically controlled models such as SAIL. Plans and conducts studies directed at reducing errors due to cognitive overloading and human computer interaction failure. Collects baseline information, identifies limitations in current systems, and discovers potential improvements. Develops benchmarks and assigns a schedule or priority level to a potential process improvement plan and/or project based on the needs of the organization and direct consultation with executive leadership. Assesses (in terms of degrees) the success or failure in attaining program operational goals/objectives. Incorporates recommendations for the resolution of problems identified in studies such as eliminating, adding, changing, or rearranging specific procedures, products or services or making other changes to more efficiently and effectively utilize resources. Provides instruction to others on Lean, Lean Six Sigma, Systems Redesign or other improvement methodologies principles and tools through formal classroom instruction or small group mentoring. Delivers classroom instruction about Lean, Lean Six Sigma, Systems Redesign or other improvement methodologies tools and techniques to all levels of the organization. Delivers training materials and curriculum consisting of advanced practices of project management, statistics, coaching, facilitation and leadership. Responsible for leading the team through development of control strategies, to ensure process improvement plan/project solutions are sustained after the process improvement plan/project lifecycle. Expert knowledge of the mission, organization, and program requirements of healthcare delivery systems Work Schedule: 7:00am-3:30pm Monday- Friday Position Description Title/PD#: Health System Specialist/PD129350 Physical Requirements: The work requires some physical exertion, such as periods of standing when teaching; some walking, bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, or similar activities when visiting work sites; and some moderate lifting and carrying. At other times the work is sedentary, requiring the use of a computer. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Qualifications: To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Health System Administration Series, 0671 Individual Occupational Requirements: Undergraduate and Graduate Education Major study -- hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration. OR Specialized Experience Progressively responsible analytical or administrative, or clinical management or supervisory experience in the health care field. This work may have been performed in an operating health care facility or a higher organizational echelon with advisory or directional authority over such facilities. Work must have involved a close working relationship with facility managers and analysis and/or coordination of administrative, clinical, or other service activities, and provided knowledge of the following: Missions, organizations, programs, and requirements of health care delivery systems Regulations and standards of various regulatory and credentialing groups Government-wide, agency, and facility systems and requirements in various administrative areas such as budget, personnel, and procurement OR Special Provision for Inservice Placement: Successful completion of an agency-sponsored on-the-job training program may be substituted for qualifying experience, provided it included a formal individualized training plan. Such a training program must have been conducted in an operating health care system and included: Assignments providing a knowledge of basic health system administration philosophies, practices, and procedures, and basic government administrative policies and requirements; Practical assignments providing an opportunity to apply health system administration skills and principles (as the individual progresses, work assignments must be characteristic of the grade level to which he or she is assigned); and Oversight by an experienced health system administrator with periodic evaluation of the individual's progress and appropriate adjustment of the training program. In addition to meeting the IOR you must also meet the following grade and Specialized Experience requirements: For GS-11: Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-09) in the Federal Service, that is directly related to the work of the position and has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties as a Health System Specialist. Qualifying specialized experience would typically include but not limited to the following: Progressively responsible analytical Experience in project management. Administrative Clinical management Ability to communicate verbally and in writing. Supervisory Experience in the health care field or related industry This work may have been preformed in an operating health care facility or a higher organizational echelon with advisory or directional authority over such facilities Supportive or related technical administrative analytical field. Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; or LL.M., if related . OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and graduate level education as described above, beyond the first year (18 semester hours) to be creditable. To determine if you met these requirements, total your qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determine your education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; then add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. For example, an applicant has 9 months of specialized experience equivalent to GS-9 and 2 1/2 years of creditable graduate level education in music. The applicant meets 75 percent of the required experience and 50 percent of the required education, i.e., the applicant has 1/2 year of graduate study beyond that required for GS-9. Therefore, the applicant exceeds the total requirement and is qualified for the position. (The applicant's first 2 years of graduate study are not qualifying for GS-11.) NOTE: Copies of transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. For GS-12: Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-11) in the Federal Service, that is directly related to the work of the position and has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties as a Health System Specialist. Qualifying specialized experience would typically include but not limited to the following: Close working relationship with stakeholders at multiple levels of organization And must have involved complex analysis and/ or coordination Complex organizational programs Regulations, Standards and/or policies Technical systems Teaching or instructional experience Coaching or mentoring Project Management Project Facilitation There is no educational substitution for the GS-12 level. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

How to Apply: All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 04/01/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12907394. 1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. 2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

Application Deadline: 2026-04-01