Summary
This position serves as the Executive Assistant (EA) to the Associate Medical Center Director for Operations at the Tennessee Valley Healthcare System. The EA performs duties directly contributing to the administrative management of the facility. Duties require the incumbent to apply the specialized principles and practices of health care management in directing or supporting a health care delivery system.
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Duties
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VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System (TVHS) is an integrated tertiary health care system comprised of two hospitals, the Alvin C. York VA Medical Center in Murfreesboro and the Nashville VA Medical Center, as well as 21 outpatient clinics located in middle Tennessee and southern Kentucky. TVHS provides ambulatory care, primary care, and secondary care in acute medicine and surgery, specialized tertiary care, transplant services, spinal cord injury outpatient care, and a full range of extended care and mental health services. More than 146,000 Veterans in middle Tennessee, southern Kentucky, and northern Georgia trust VA TVHS for their health care needs. TVHS is the seventh largest VA medical center system in the nation serving roughly 75 counties with robust research and development, health care innovation, and more. Middle Tennessee offers an abundance of entertainment such as historic music venues, NFL Titans and NHL Predators, recreational activities, and natural sceneries ideal for any individual. Additionally, Tennessee does not have state taxes making the area more attractive to high-quality candidates.
The incumbent is the liaison between the Associate Directors and others, providing advice and guidance for a wide spectrum of managerial areas regarding administration at the Healthcare System. In this capacity, the incumbent is a professional who comprehends the objectives and functionality of clinical, administrative, and financial components of the Healthcare System and the interrelationship of these to the operation of the services provided in the Healthcare System. The core duties of this position include but are not limited to:
- Provides full staff assistance on administrative matters for the Executive Leader.
- Advises and assists management responsible for planning, organization, development, direction, and evaluation of administrative programs.
- Maintains full awareness of the objectives of the VA, VHA, VISN, and Facility objectives in a manner to ensure successful implementation of the goals and to keep management aware of potential problem areas before they escalate into major issues.
- Represents executive team members and the facility in various committee meetings and public forums including interacting with all levels of the public, local, state, national officials, and all levels of VA leadership.
- Directs and coordinates all administrative matters relative to services under the oversight of the Executive Leader.
- Conducts and reports on audits and inspection activities through "white papers" and reports.
- Prepares correspondence to local and national inquiries by collecting and analyzing information and preparing responses for final signature.
- Performs staff support work to develop comprehensive short-range and long-range medical center plans, goals, and objectives.
- Conducts qualitative and quantitative analysis and summarizes significant results and recommendations to improve services and to promote quality care.
- Develops methodology to assess the function of assigned areas and assists management in problem identification of services and components.
- Knowledge of the objectives and functions of the administrative, clinical, and financial components of the VA Health Care System
- Translates the Executive Office objectives in a manner conductive to the successful implementation of the health care system goals.
- Participates in various constituent meetings to promote an understanding of the health care delivery system's mission and to create an atmosphere conducive to quality patient care.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday | 7:00 AM - 3:30 PM CST
Telework: Ad Hoc Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Health System Specialist (Executive Assistant to the Associate Director)/PD706050
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Requirements
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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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). 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 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 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, 06/29/2026.
INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT:
Education:
Major study hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration.
(TRANSCRIPT MUST BE PROVIDED.)
OR
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.
In addition to the Individual Occupational Requirement, applicants must have the specialized experience as described below.
You may qualify for the GS-12 and/or GS-13 based on your experience as described below.
GS-12 SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as:
- Providing primary staff support to upper management in a hospital or medical office setting by formulating and participating in the development of management policies, programs, and operations.
- Providing administrative management of a healthcare delivery system by coordinating special systematic reviews, internal management reporting programs, and other assigned projects.
- Supporting the overall operation and management of the assigned clinical operational issues by developing methodologies to assess the functions of assigned areas and assist management in problem identification of various services and components.
- Planning, organizing, and implementing long-term strategic criteria, goals, and initiatives for a VA Healthcare System. Experience working with executive leadership to achieve the above.
- Conducting special projects or studies to develop, analyze, evaluate, advise on, or improve the effectiveness of work methods and procedures, organizations, manpower utilization, distribution of work assignments, and management controls.
- Formatting executive correspondence and demonstrating expert knowledge of grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
GS-13 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. Specialized experience is defined as:
- Providing primary staff support to upper management in a hospital or medical office setting by formulating and participating in the development of management policies, programs, and operations.
- Providing administrative management of a healthcare delivery system by coordinating special systematic reviews, internal management reporting programs, and other assigned projects.
- Supporting the overall operation and management of the assigned clinical operational issues by developing methodologies to assess the functions of assigned areas and assist management in problem identification of various services and components.
- Planning, organizing, and implementing long-term strategic criteria, goals, and initiatives for a VA Healthcare System. Experience working with executive leadership to achieve the above.
- Conducting special projects or studies to develop, analyze, evaluate, advise on, or improve the effectiveness of work methods and procedures, organizations, manpower utilization, distribution of work assignments, and management controls.
- Formatting executive correspondence and demonstrating expert knowledge of grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
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