Program Analyst

Summary Serve as a program applications specialist for the Quality Management Service of the Alaska Veterans Affairs Healthcare System (AVAHS). Participates in and facilitates transformative quality, safety, effectiveness, and efficiency improvement efforts in the facility. The incumbent supports specific program elements and processes including, Data Management, Performance Measure Coordination, Risk Management, Patient Safety, Performance Improvement, Systems Redesign, and Accreditation Readiness. Responsibilities Serves as the facility point of contact for performance monitoring to include the External Peer Review Process (EPRP). Schedules performance reviews through the Quality Insights (QI) abstractors, coordinates data validation through services and program managers. Analyzes the data received through EPRP, conducts chart audits, evaluates trends, looks and documents potential reversals in findings, reconciles differences with EPRP Abstractor by providing source documentation demonstrating compliance. Develops and maintains databases to track performance measures, action plans, professional practice evaluation data, and other quality indicators. Charts data, identifies trends, validates outcomes, and performs analysis on facility performance measure data. Ensures that quality initiatives are implemented to identify, prevent, and correct unsatisfactory performance on organizational measures. Coordinates collection and collation of corrective action plans and updates from organizational champions. Develop reporting procedures, sampling techniques, and measurements for facility data and action plans. They develop indicators to provide objective evidence of the effectiveness of quality procedures, projects, and controls they are assisting with or assigned to. Reviews, analyzes, and interprets incoming requests, recommends appropriate action or suggests appropriate alternatives based on knowledge of internal operations, agency personnel policies, budgetary constraints and work priorities. Investigates and analyzes adverse quality trends or conditions and recommends need for corrective action to process owners. Incumbent monitors qualitative and quantitative measures to identify quality trends. Incumbent assists in activities and preparations for internal and external reviews as they relate to Quality Improvement. Represents facility during performance measure data calls and solicits best practice and benchmark advice from external colleagues and regulatory bodies. Leads project teams through designed brainstorming and phases to develop solutions towards a common goal or project. Other duties may be assigned. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8am-430pm Compressed/Flexible: May be authorized. This can be discussed once onboarded. Telework: Not eligible. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Program Analyst/PD503770 and PD503760 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/14/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-9 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: General clerical and administrative duties; preparing correspondence; compiling reports; extracting and organizing data, provides statistical analysis for accuracy; reviewing documents for accuracy; maintaining files; managing and maintaining databases; establishing work schedules and workload ratios. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a master's or equivalent graduate degree, or successfully completed two (2) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.B or J.D. if related. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and graduate education beyond the first year, as described above, to meet the total requirements. GS-11 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-9 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Knowledge of hospital operations, policies and procedures as well as VA regulations, policies, and program guidelines. Ability to apply a wide range of qualitative and quantitative methods of assessment, which result in improvements to a program or complex process that measure effectiveness, efficiency and productivity. Preparing project papers, utilizing PowerPoint, Excel and other computer software applications; converting data to develop statistical models that measure performance improvement actions; planning and conducting of extensive studies; and identifying system design issues and offering alternative solutions. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LL.M. if related that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and graduate education beyond a master's or equivalent graduate education may be used to qualify. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at Education A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: Additional Information 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. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at