Health System Specialist

This position will serve as a national-level project manager in the Program Evaluation and Resource Center (PERC). You will lead the rollout of new VHA mental health, substance use disorder, and suicide prevention programs, initiatives, and Congressional mandates. PERC is based at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System. It supports the Office of Mental Health and the Office of Suicide Prevention and evaluates and monitors VA programs nationwide. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/20/2026. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-12 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Comprehensive knowledge of the VHA healthcare model, its mission and goals, and how care is delivered, comprehensive knowledge of the VHA healthcare model, its mission and goals, and how care is delivered, mastery of complex analytical problem-solving in health care systems and operations, expert knowledge of risk management principles, including identifying high-risk areas and mitigating risks to OMH or OSP objectives, Expert knowledge of agile methods and software such as Jira, Azure DevOps, and Confluence. Additionally all applicants must also meet the following Individual Occupational Requirements. Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major area of study -- hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration. OR Specialized Experience (for positions above GS-5): 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; and Government-wide, agency, and facility systems and requirements in various administrative areas such as budget, personnel, and procurement. 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. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at #J-18808-Ljbffr