Health System Specialist

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Nashville (TN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' Nashville facility seeks a Health Systems Specialist to support the Executive Director. The role leads governance, administrative and clinical program integration to deliver high quality patient care and optimal resource use across TVHS.

You will provide staff direction, develop plans, and coordinate governance activities with senior leadership. Expect detailed data analysis, reporting and policy oversight across multiple services, with ad hoc telework

Qualifications

• Progressively responsible analytical or administrative or clinical management experience in health care.
• Knowledge of governance, program requirements, and health system administration principles.
• Ability to develop and present analytical reports, and coordinate with facility managers.

Responsibilities

• Provides consultation, direction, and leadership for professional, technical, administrative and clerical staff on governance issues.
• Develops and directs administrative-technical functions with governance focus.
• Provides staff assistance to the Executive Director and leadership to meet goals and mission.
• Sets direction for governance-related plans, policies and procedures.
• Reviews governance activities and develops concise analyses for leadership.
• Creates data collection tools and reports (tables, charts, graphs) for governance oversight.
• Ensures local policies align with higher-level guidance and accreditation readiness.
• Manages governance documentation, charters and minutes, ensuring security and accessibility.
• Acts as subject matter expert for facility-level policy creation, modifications, storage, and distribution.
• Ensures policy adherence and accreditation readiness across TVHS.
• Maintains a document control system for publications and committee docs.
• Distributes higher-level directives and ensures awareness and action.
• Oversees issue briefs to inform leadership up to the Secretary of VA and beyond.
• Work Schedule: Mon-Fri 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM CT; Telework Ad Hoc.

Job description

Summary

The incumbent serves as the Health Systems Specialist (HSS) to the Executive Director and is responsible for the administrative and operational functions in support of the Executive Director and subordinate services (hereafter referred to as the Office). The position requires working closely with all levels of administrative and technical staff within the Office and other clinical staff throughout the Medical Center.

Summary

The incumbent serves as the Health Systems Specialist (HSS) to the Executive Director and is responsible for the administrative and operational functions in support of the Executive Director and subordinate services (hereafter referred to as the Office). The position requires working closely with all levels of administrative and technical staff within the Office and other clinical staff throughout the Medical Center.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 10/28/2026. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below. INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT: 1. 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 2. Education: Undergraduate or 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. (TRANSCRIPT MUST BE PROVIDED.) 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. NOTE: CANDIDATES USING EDUCATION TO MEET THE INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT MUST SUBMIT AN UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT OF CONFERRED DEGREE BY THE ANNOUNCEMENT CLOSING. LATE SUBMISSIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. To qualify for this position at the GS-11 level - you must meet one of the following: 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 Health System Specialist. Qualifying specialized experience is defined as: Performing data collection and information gathering to generate performance reports - tables - charts - and graphs used to develop recommendations to resolve issues/problems. Providing written reports and oral presentations of data that has been collected and information that has been gathered. Reviewing subject matter and providing concise analytical reports to the Integrity & Compliance Officer - other leaders - and staff in support of the healthcare system's strategic goals. Performing intakes - inquires - and fact-finding under conditions in which conflicting points of view and incomplete information are common. Collaborating with Service managers and other employees - both long-term and short-term plans - policies - and procedures - assuring that administrative and clinical programs are integrated to provide high quality patient care with optimal resource utilization. Assessing and providing keen insight into a variety of operational issues and integrates this understanding into the development and implementation of corrective actions to help improve operations in the healthcare system - service - section - etc. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title - GS levels (if federal positions) - duties - month and year start/end dates - AND hours worked per week. OR EDUCATION: Successfully completed a 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. The education portion must include courses that demonstrate the knowledge - skills - and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. Education must have been obtained in an accredited college - or university. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR COMBINATION: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the first 2 years) and specialized experience as described above to meet total experience requirements. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge - skills - and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position. Preferred Experience: Completion of Graduate Healthcare Administration Training Program (GHATP). 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/.

Duties

• VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System (TVHS) is an integrated tertiary health care system comprised of two hospitals - the Alvin C
• York VA Medical Center in Murfreesboro and the Nashville VA Medical Center - as well as 21 outpatient clinics located in middle Tennessee and southern Kentucky
• TVHS provides ambulatory care - primary care - and secondary care in acute medicine and surgery - specialized tertiary care - transplant services - spinal cord injury outpatient care - and a full range of extended care and mental health services
• More than 146 -000 Veterans in middle Tennessee - southern Kentucky - and northern Georgia trust VA TVHS for their health care needs
• TVHS is the seventh largest VA medical center system in the nation serving roughly 75 counties with robust research and development - health care innovation - and more
• Middle Tennessee offers an abundance of entertainment such as historic music venues - NFL Titans and NHL Predators - recreational activities - and natural sceneries ideal for any individual
• Additionally - Tennessee does not have state taxes making the area more attractive to high-quality candidates
• The major duties of this position include but are not limited to the following: Provides consultation - direction - and leadership for professional - technical - administrative and clerical employees - particularly with regard to governance related issues and agency issue briefs
• Develops - plans - coordinates - and directs administrative technical functions - particularly with regard to governance related issues and agency issue briefs
• Provides full and complete staff assistance to the Executive Director and other leadership as required to meet the goals and mission
• Works to establish and implement the primary goals and support the mission of TVHS - setting the direction and overlay for governance related issues
• Provides insight in a variety of operational and management issues and integrates this understanding into the development and implementation of governance programs
• Provides full and thorough review - analysis and evaluation of governance related programmatic activities and development
• Develops tools required to collect and evaluate data and information into reports - tables - charts and graphs - reviews subject matter - and provides a concise analysis to leadership - particularly with regard to governance related issues and agency issue briefs
• Establishes - in concert with leadership and key support staff - both long term and short term governance related plans - policies and procedures - assuring that administrative and clinical programs are integrated in order to provide high quality patient care with optimal resource utilization
• Serves as the technical advisor and consultant to all levels of TVHS leadership on governance issues such as committee structure - requirements - membership - documentation - responsibilities - and oversight
• By thoroughly reviewing all applicable higher level agency - local facility - and external oversight guidance - ensures that all committees are properly chartered - organized - and managed
• Oversees the management of all TVHS governance related documentation to include policies - charters - and minutes ensuring files are properly protected and readily available when needed
• Serves as the facility subject matter expert and manager of facility level policy creation - modifications - maintenance - storage - and distribution
• Ensures local policies adhere to higher level policy guidance and appropriately support accreditation readiness and external oversight regulations
• Creates and maintains a document control system for publications and committee documentation via the most technically appropriate and available system which provides the appropriate level of availability and security protections as determined by law and other applicable guidance
• Reviews all new and updated higher level directives and other mandatory guidance and distributes to the relevant parties for awareness and action
• Ensures all Issue Briefs are properly written to provide clear - concise - and factual information about unusual incidents - deaths - disasters - or other items of interest higher level leadership - up to the Secretary of VA and potentially White House or Congressional representatives
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday | 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM CT Telework: Ad Hoc Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Position Description/PD#: Health System Specialist/PD70516A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized