Supervisory Medical Support Assistant

About the role

Summary: The incumbent serves as Supervisory Medical Support Assistant (MSA) at the Morristown Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) as part of an inter‑professional healthcare team. The Supervisory MSA provides support across multiple ancillary and inter‑professional clinics, determines the needs of the Veteran/caregiver, and routes clinical questions to appropriate clinical staff.

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary and walking, requires handling multiple demands simultaneously with a wide variety of clients daily, involves prolonged computer use, and includes lengthy periods of sitting interrupted by intervals of walking and climbing stairs to make personal contacts throughout the medical center.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship: U.S. citizen (non‑citizens may be appointed when qualified citizens cannot be recruited per 38 U.S.C.7407(a)).
• Experience: No experience required.
• Education: High school diploma, GED equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial Board/Department of Education.
• Licensure/Certification/Registration: None.
• English Language Proficiency: Proficiency in spoken and written English per 38 U.S.C.7403(f).
• May qualify based on Grandfathering Provision (VA Qualification Standard) for current VHA employees in this occupation meeting criteria.

Grade Determinations (GS‑08):

• One year of experience equivalent to GS‑07 leading or supervising MSAs or equivalent administrative patient support staff in a non‑VA medical inpatient, outpatient, or interdisciplinary setting.
• Specialized experience examples: ensuring accurate and timely scheduling of appointments; providing guidance to staff on policy/procedure changes; creating and maintaining employee work schedules; acting as a liaison among Advanced MSA staff, patients, and interdisciplinary staff to resolve day‑to‑day conflicts.
• Demonstrated KSAs:
  • Advanced knowledge of managing or leading patient support staff in a clinic, including independent use of reference sources, decision making, and empowering the team to collaborate and resolve problems in a complex systems environment.
  • Ability to provide full range of administrative and supervisory duties to at least one subordinate MSA supervisor or team leader, including work assignment, performance evaluations, staff selection, and recommendation of awards/advancements.
  • Ability to collaborate, communicate, and demonstrate customer service and interpersonal skills with internal and external customers to ensure quality/continuity of care and compliance with policies/regulations.
  • Ability to provide briefings, orientations, staff development, and training in a patient support setting.
  • Ability to manage fiscal matters, forecast resource and equipment needs, and identify budget needs.

Duties

• Plan and direct programs at medical centers and/or satellite outpatient clinics; full supervisory responsibility for supervising at least one subordinate team leader or supervisor.
• Assign and evaluate the work of subordinate staff.
• Resolve complex problems to ensure patient services are met.
• Evaluate new products, equipment, and systems to make recommendations for improved operations.
• Identify educational or training needs.
• Make final decisions on selections.
• Evaluate performance and take disciplinary action when necessary.
• Have full administrative and professional responsibility for planning and directing the MSA’s activities.
• Extract and analyze data to provide reports in support of performance measures to senior management.