Lead Health System Specialist

About the role

The incumbent is assigned to the Credentialing and Privileging (C&P) Office, which is aligned to the Chief of Staff at a VA Medical Center and is responsible for providing lead administrative, consulting, technical direction and support to the C&P Specialists, C&P Manager and to program operations. Perform a variety of C&P duties in an extremely complex VAMC or Health Care System environment which is constantly evolving.

Responsibilities

• Providing oversight and input regarding compliance with VHA policies, directives, memos, notices, The Joint Commission (TJC) standards, recommendations by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) and Government Accountability Office (GAO) and other internal or external auditors and reviewers as appropriate.
• Collecting relevant data and making informed decisions to ensure qualified health care professionals are providing appropriate care in appropriate settings.
• Considering a subject matter expert (SME) to providers and service chiefs regarding routine and complex matters related to C&P including provider competence for the ongoing provider practice evaluation (OPPE) and focused provider practice evaluation (FPPE).
• Serving as lead specialist over a group of C&P Specialists. Responsible for assigning, monitoring, and reviewing the work performed by subordinate team members.
• Training or arranging for the training of team members in methods and techniques of technical skills and team building and working in teams to accomplish tasks or projects.
• Maintaining reference materials, project files and relevant background documents and making available policies, procedures, and written instructions from the C&P manager.
• Serving as a first level point of contact for the offices specialists by providing high-level consultation advice and guidance and serving as a first level diffuser in difficult situations.
• Participating in policy and decision-making initiatives.
• Ensuring quality assurance in the VAMC's C&P program.
• Utilizing evaluation results to make suggestions and improve organization/program performance.
• Conducting and overseeing internal controls and audits.
• Serving as a consultant and providing guidance to VAMC leadership and C&P Office Specialists on all matters pertaining to the facility's C&P program.
• Performing other duties as assigned.

Requirements

The work is mostly sedentary. Occasionally, light physical effort may be required, such as that involved with walking, stair climbing, and carrying of light office items. The work is performed in an office setting which requires normal safety precautions. Typical for offices and meeting rooms. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. The work may require travel.

Qualifications

• To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/10/2026.
• You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:
• INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT: The Health System Specialist position requires an Individual Occupation Requirement that will need to be met. Your resume will be reviewed regarding the Individual Occupational requirement to ensure that the Individual Occupational Requirement is met. The Individual Occupational Requirement is required in addition to the required Specialized Experience.
• 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: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-9) 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 Lead Health System Specialist. Qualifying specialized experience is defined as 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: (1) Missions, organizations, programs, and requirements of health care delivery systems; (2) Regulations and standards of various regulatory and credentialing groups; and (3) Government-wide, agency, and facility systems and requirements in various administrative areas such as budget, personnel, and procurement.