Supervisory Medical Support Assistant

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 60,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Chicago seeks a Supervisory Medical Support Assistant (MSA) at the GS-08 level to lead scheduling and administrative services across clinics.

The role emphasizes staff supervision, workflow optimization, and data reporting to support patient care. Responsibilities include directing subordinate staff, ensuring accurate scheduling, training, and collaboration with interdisciplinary teams.

Qualifications

• Experience supervising MSAs or similar administrative staff.
• Scheduling and staffing coordination experience.
• Ability to develop staff and provide training.
• Strong collaboration and customer service skills.
• Fiscal management and budget forecasting experience.

Responsibilities

• Direct programs and supervise subordinate MSA staff.
• Evaluate work and resolve complex problems to ensure patient services.
• Evaluate new products, equipment, and systems for improvements.
• Identify educational or training needs.
• Make final hiring decisions and administer disciplinary actions.
• Analyze data and prepare reports for senior management.

Skills

MSA leadership

Staff supervision

Customer service

Training & development

Budget management

Education

High school diploma

Job description

The Supervisory MSA

is responsible for assuring accurate appointment management and the coordination of all administrative information between the professional staff and the patient. The Supervisory MSA knows updating and verifying demographic information, scheduling appointments, collecting insurance information, data entry, administratively managing consultation requests and notifying the patient of his/her scheduled appointment.

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: Candidates 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.

Licensure/Certification/Registration. 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).

Grade Determinations

Supervisory Medical Support Assistant GS-08

Experience: One (1) year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-07) leading or supervising MSAs or equivalent administrative patient support staff in a non-VA medical inpatient, outpatient, or interdisciplinary setting? Examples of creditable experience include but are not limited to: responsible for daily workload assessments, assigning work, and assuring proper staffing coverage; evaluating training records; and determining training needs of MSAs to provide support across interdisciplinary settings; ensuring accurate and timely scheduling of appointments; providing guidance to staff members, to include changes in policies and procedures; creating and maintaining employee work schedules; and acting as a liaison among Advanced MSA staff, patients, and other interdisciplinary staff to resolve day-to-day conflicts.

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

DEMONSTRATED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITES:

• 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:

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.

Preferred Experience

One year of experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level leading or supervising MSAs or equivalent administrative patient support staff in a non-VA medical inpatient, outpatient, or interdisciplinary setting.

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

The work is mostly sedentary. It typically requires sitting with sustained periods of concentration. There will be some walking, standing, bending, and carrying of relatively light objects. The position may also require stooping, reaching, lifting, pulling, and other moderate exertion or strain. The incumbent will travel throughout the medical center to interact with assigned staff and attend meetings.