Supervisory Medical Support Assistant

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

VA Boston Healthcare System in Jamaica Plain, MA seeks a Supervisory Medical Support Assistant (GS-0679-08) for a full-time role at 40 hours weekly. The position requires leadership of patient support staff, supervisory duties, and budget awareness within Specialty Care services. Qualifications include a high school diploma or GED, U.S.

citizenship eligibility, and English proficiency. The role involves supervising MSAs and coordinating patient support activities across clinics, with standard VA

Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge in managing patient support staff and clinical workflows.
• Ability to supervise at least one subordinate MSA team leader or supervisor.
• Strong collaboration and interpersonal skills for internal/external customers.
• Experience in briefings, orientations, and staff development activities.
• Ability to forecast resources and identify budget needs.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative and supervisory duties to a team within a clinic setting.
• Plan and direct programs at the medical center and satellite clinics.
• Evaluate subordinate staff performance and assist with hiring decisions.
• Extract and analyze data to support senior management reporting.

Skills

Leadership & staff management

Administrative supervision

Customer service & communications

Training & staff development

Budget & fiscal forecasting

Education

High school diploma or GED

State or territorial proficiency certificate

Job description

This Supervisory Medical Support Assistant position is in the Specialty Care services within VA Boston Healthcare System, located at the Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts location. This position is full time at 40 hours per week.

Basic Requirements

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency: Medical Support Assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• Experience: None.
• Education: High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.
• Certification: None.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Employees in VHA in this occupation, under a permanent, appropriate, and legal placement on the effective date of the qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held, including positive education and registration/certification where applicable. For employees who do not meet all the basic or assignment-specific requirements in this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply:

1. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
2. Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation. NOTE: This provision is not intended to regularize appointments/ placements.

Grade Determinations

Supervisory Medical Support Assistant GS-0679-08:

1. Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade, GS-07.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)

1. Advanced knowledge of managing or leading patient support staff in a clinic. This includes independently utilizing reference sources, decision making, and 13 empowering the team to collaborate and resolve problems within a complex systems environment.
2. Ability to provide the full range of administrative and supervisory duties to at least one subordinate MSA supervisor or team leader in a patient support setting which includes assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff, and recommendation of awards and/or advancements.
3. Ability to collaborate, communicate, and demonstrate customer service and interpersonal skills with internal and external customers to ensure quality/continuity of care and ensure compliance with established policies and regulations.
4. Ability to provide briefings, orientations, staff development, and training in a patient support setting.
5. Ability to manage fiscal matters, forecast resource and equipment needs, and identify budget needs.

Assignment

For all supervisory assignments the Supervisory MSA must spend 25% or more of their time providing administrative and technical supervision and perform major duties above those at the FPL that consist of significant scope, complexity, difficulty, and variety. Supervisory MSAs at this level plan and direct programs at medical centers and/or satellite outpatient clinics. They have full responsibility for supervising at least one subordinate MSA team leader, supervisor, or equivalent administrative patient support staff in a VA medical inpatient, outpatient, or interdisciplinary setting. Assignments at this level include but are not limited to evaluating the work of subordinate staff; resolving complex problems to ensure patient services are met; evaluating new products, equipment, and systems to make recommendations for improved operations; identifying educational or training needs; making final decisions on hiring selections; evaluating performance and taking disciplinary action when necessary. The employee has administrative and professional responsibility for planning and directing the subordinate lead, supervisor, and MSA's activities. Responsible for extracting and analyzing data to provide reports to senior management in support of tracking measures.

Reference

For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-08. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-08.

Physical Requirements

See VA Handbook 5019.

Work Environment

Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.