Physician - Deputy Chief of Staff

Summary

The Deputy Chief of Staff serves as a senior executive leader who provides strategic, operational, and administrative support to the Chief of Staff, Executive Leadership Team (ELT), and senior medical center officials. The DCOS reports directly to the Chief of Staff and ensures the efficient functioning of clinical operations, facilitates integration of clinical and administrative services, and supports the VA mission to deliver high-quality, Veteran-centered care.

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Duties

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Duties include but are not limited to:

• Operational Management : Oversees daily operations of clinical and administrative services in collaboration with Service Chiefs and Section Chiefs. Coordinates with the Chief of Staff and Medical Center Director to ensure facility operations are in alignment with Veterans Health Administration (VHA) directives, policy, and standards of care.
• Strategic Planning & Policy : Collaborates with executive leadership on long-term strategic planning, the development and interpretation of medical center policies, and alignment with VA/VHA national goals. Conducts clinical, administrative, and policy research to develop succinct reports, white papers, leadership briefings, and talking points in support of medical center priorities and emergent needs.
• Staff Supervision : Oversees assigned administrative and clinical support staff that fall directly under the Chief of Staff service line. Directs assignment distribution, evaluates performance, promotes a culture of continuous performance improvement, and models VA ICARE Values (Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect, Excellence).
• Internal/External Relations : Acts as a principal liaison for the Chief of Staffwith VISN leadership, other VA facilities, academic affiliates, government agencies, Veteran Service Organizations, and external regulatory bodies (e.g., The Joint Commission). Facilitates communication with internal and external stakeholders to address Veteran and organizational needs.
• High-Priority Projects : Manages and leads high-visibility, cross-functional projects and organizational change initiatives (e.g., clinical care optimization, implementation of national VHA programs, compliance initiatives). Collaborates with Quality Management, Information Technology, and other departments to achieve successful outcomes and drive continuous improvement.
• Fiscal Oversight: In coordination with the Chief of Staff and Chief Financial Officer/Financial Management staff, assists with the preparation, justification, monitoring, and execution of Medical Center budgets and resource allocation that fall directly under the Chief of Staff Service line, ensuring expenditures align with VHA policy and organizational priorities.

Pay: $180,000.00 to $375,000.00 Per Year

Paid Time Off: 50-55 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year and possible 5 day paid absence for CME)

Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA

Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory

CME: Possible $1,000 per year reimbursement (must be full-time with board certification)

Malpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided

Contract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00AM-4:30PM

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must meet the basic requirements as well as any additional requirements (if applicable) listed in the job announcement. Applicants pending the completion of training or license requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Currently employed physician(s) in VA who met the requirements for appointment under the previous qualification standard at the time of their initial appointment are deemed to have met the basic requirements of the occupation.

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.
• Degree of doctor of medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from one of the schools approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are:(1 )Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted, or(2) Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation of the American Osteopathic Association for the year in which the degree was granted.
• Current, full and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.
• Residency Training: Physicians must have completed residency training, approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an accredited core specialty training program leading to eligibility for board certification. (NOTE: VA physicians involved in academic training programs may be required to be board certified for faculty status.) Approved residencies are: (1) Those approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), OR
• (2) Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), OR
• (3) One year of post medical school training (internship, first year of residency, or transitional year residency) approved by ACGME or AOA followed by two years of post-training independent practice (performing under a full and unrestricted license) in the United States, OR
• (4) Non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of three years of independent practice in the United States (performing under a full and unrestricted license) performing duties related to the position they are applying for (United States fellowships would be creditable towards this requirement), which the local Medical Staff Executive Committee deems to have provided the applicant with appropriate professional training and believes has exposed the Physician to an appropriate range of patient care experiences.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.

Preferred Experience: Proven experience in senior leadership roles, preferable within federal government, healthcare administration, or the Department of Veterans Affairs. Skilled in developing, implementing, and overseeing strategic plans and initiatives that align with organizational goals. Understanding of VA programs, services, regulatory requirements, and veteran healthcare needs is highly desirable.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit

Physical Requirements: The work is mostly sedentary and is performed in a health care setting for treating patients with a variety of medical problems. Normal safety precautions and practices are required for working in a healthcare environment. Other physical demands include reaching, bending, stretching, walking, and carrying light loads of supplies. The position often entails long periods of sitting at a computer, rigid deadlines, the need for a high degree of accuracy, high stress situations, and the ability to adapt work plans based on hospital needs.

Education

Degree of Doctor of Medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in allopathic medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from an institution whose accreditation was in place for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are:

1. Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted, or
2. Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation of the American Osteopathic Association for the year in which the degree was granted.

For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, facility officials must confirm that the medical school meets (or met) Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) eligibility requirements for the year the candidate graduated.

NOTE: The Under Secretary for Health or designee in the VHA Central Office may approve the appointment under authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405 of a physician graduate of a school of medicine not covered above if the candidate is to be assigned to a research, academic, or administrative position with no patient care responsibilities. The appointment will be made only in exceptional circumstances where the candidate's credentials clearly demonstrate high professional attainment or expertise in the specialty area.

Additional information

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.