Department of Veterans Affairs

Health System Specialist (Executive Assistant)

Johnson City, Tennessee Full time

Health System Specialist (Executive Assistant)

Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

Location(s): Johnson City, Tennessee

Salary Range: $89508 - $116362 Per Year

Job Summary: The Health System Specialist is responsible to provide support to the Assistant Medical Center Director and Chief, Quality Management by performing complex administrative duties by applying specialized knowledge of health care management to the planning, organization, and evaluation of the delivery of health care services to veterans and the administrative processes that support them.

Major Duties:

  • The Heath System Specialist will perform duties directly contributing to the administrative management of a healthcare delivery system. Duties require the ability to apply the specialized principles and practices of healthcare management in directing or supporting the healthcare delivery system. The core duties of this position include but are not limited to: Provides full assistance on administrative matters affecting operation of JHQVAMC and advises and assists management responsible for planning, organization, development, direction, and evaluation. Interacts with all levels of the facility on various projects, as well as individuals from the network, VA Central Office, Regional Counsel, other federal agencies, community partners, and Veterans and their family members. Coordinates and interacts with complex organizational relationships inherent at highly affiliated medical centers with a wide array of medical specialists in most all health care disciplines. Maintain close liaison with services within the Assisting Medical Center Director and Chief, Quality Management Service Lines and their administrative support and provide assistance with administrative and management matters. Establishes and maintains good working relationships with professional staff and other senior management level officials. Demonstrates sound moral and ethical principles in working relationships with co-workers, customers, and stakeholders. Leads by example to improve personal awareness, sensitivity to others and accountability in the workplace. Comprehensive understanding of the VA mission, organization, and programs; and understands the philosophy and priorities of the executive team. Serves as the backup equipment inventory listing (EIL) official. As such, maintains the EIL by location and item. The EIL Official holds those with equipment on the inventory accountable for the equipment. Administers planning process and provides authoritative recommendations to Executive Leaders regarding possible need for revision of regulations and policies governing planning activities. Reviews and analyzes workload, productivity, utilization to formulate plans, policies, regulations and procedures or make recommendations to improve efficiency, productivity or reduce costs. Identifying and resolving management issues within the service line and actively participates in day-to-day policy making as well as in long range planning and development of strategic plans, goals, and objectives. Participates in top management discussions, decisions and policy making in a healthcare facility. Interacts with health care services in making long range and/or short range plans for the medical/health care facility. Assesses issues that affect multiple organizational units in both administrative and clinical areas and develops recommendations to address problems. Follows-up on issues and reports actions back to management officials. Serves as the primary or backup timekeeper or leave approving official for the Assistant Medical Center Director and/or Chief, Quality Management T&Ls. Coordinates the efforts of multiple health care services in supporting the delivery of patient care. Proposes and conducts special studies and analyses of complex problems in relation to manpower and requirements, space, equipment acquisition/utilization, organizational alignment, and financial performance. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health System Specialist (Executive Assistant)PD605960 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Qualifications: To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR): is a basic requirement that must be met in order to qualify for entry into this job series, and it is something that can't be waived. The Individual Occupational Requirement for the Health System Specialist position is: Education: Undergraduate and Graduate Education with a major study in hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration. OR Experience: You must have 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; and Government-wide, agency, and facility systems and requirements in various administrative areas such as budget, personnel, and procurement. Special Provision for In-service 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. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: evaluating major administrative aspects of mission-oriented programs and services provided by the healthcare system. This involves the development of long-range program plans, goals, objectives, and milestones, and evaluating the effectiveness of programs carried out across this large, complex healthcare system. Identifying and developing ways to resolve problems or cope with issues which directly affect the accomplishment of primary program goals and objectives for delivering quality healthcare to patients. 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. Physical Requirements: Work is chiefly sedentary, but occasional standing, walking, stooping, bending and carrying items weighing 20 pounds, may be required. The work involves activities related to an enthusiastic teaching/learning environment. Assignments regularly involve long periods of standing, bending, and stooping to observe and facilitate group activities. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

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 03/17/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12901900. 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: 2026-03-17