Lead Health System Specialist (Credentialing and Privileging)

Summary

The Lead Health System Specialist is assigned to the Credentialing and Privileging (C&P) Office, which is aligned to the Chief of Staff at the VA Connecticut Medical Center (VAMC) in West Haven, CT. The incumbent is responsible for providing lead administrative, consulting, technical direction and support to the C&P Specialists, C&P Manager and to program operations.

Duties

• Health System Specialist GS-0671-11 Serve as the lead C&P specialist providing oversight and input regarding compliance with VHA policies, directives, memos, notices, The Joint Commission (T JC) standards, recommendations by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) and Government Accountability Office (GAO) and other internal or external auditors and reviewers as appropriate. The incumbent performs a variety of C&P duties in an extremely complex VAMC or Healthcare System (HCS) environment which is constantly evolving. Major duties include, but are not limited to: Serves as lead specialist over a group of C&P Specialists. Considered a subject matter expert to providers and service chiefs regarding routine and complex matters related to C&P including provider competence for the ongoing provider practice evaluation (OPPE) and focused provider practice evaluation (FPPE). Assists the Manager with outlining the VAMC C&P Program goals and objectives, identifies risks, ensures training and education, and completes second level reviews as appropriate. Consultant to the C&P Office Specialists, VAMC Leadership and the VISN C&P Officer when the C&P Manager is absent. Collecting relevant data and making informed decisions to ensure qualified health care professionals are providing appropriate care in appropriate settings. Responsible for assigning, monitoring, and reviewing the work performed by subordinate team members. Identifies, distributes, and balances workload and tasks among employees in accordance with established workflow and skill level. Trains team members in methods and techniques of technical skills and team building and working in teams to accomplish tasks/projects. Coordinates the preparation, presentation, and communication of work-related information to the supervisor. Maintains reference materials, files and relevant background documents and makes available policies, procedures, and written instructions from the C&P manager. First level point of contact for the offices specialists by providing high-level consultation advice and guidance and serves as a first level diffuser in difficult situations. Provides input towards performance appraisals, coordinates work priorities set by the C&P manager, and gives advice, counsel, or instruction to employees on both work and administrative matters. Develops and presents technical briefings and changes or updates regarding C&P policies and standard operating procedures (SOP) to staff and others, as required. Provides oversight and is the point of contact of non-supervisory functions and responsibilities. Applies knowledge of C&P directives, memos and SOPs, requirements of C&P processes, and overall C&P management practices. Performs reporting and data monitoring in the following areas: initial and ongoing credentialers training and education, Our Providers' database certifications, VetPro quarterly reports, telehealth provider tracking system, weekly C&P report cards, VetPro Security and Privacy compliance. Conducts/oversees internal controls and audits; provider time-limited credentials; provider C&P privileging folders; VetPro incident reporting, VetPro help desk tickets reviews and concurrence; purchase card program and reconciliations, telehealth provider compliance and documentation of all actions related to C&P in Committee Minutes. Provides consultation in the following areas: FPPE and OPPE; actions indicated by the Medical Executive Committee, and if applicable, the Credentials professional education and training; licensure, board certification, possible omissions and inconsistencies; data entry accuracy; VA policies and regulations; and accreditation and health care industry standards. Attends meetings, conferences, and seminars to assist with the identification of areas needing improvement as well as the development of new processes and procedures. Perform other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Full-time; 40 hours; Monday- Friday, 7:30am- 4:00pm EST Telework: Ad-Hoc Virtu…

Qualifications

To qualify for this position at the GS-11 level, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/09/2026. 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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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. Health System Specialist GS-0671-11 INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT: Positions in the occupational series 0671 MUST MEET 1 of the following bullet points: Undergraduate or Graduate 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 REQUIRED) OR; Specialized Experience: Possess 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. OR; 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. GRADE REQUIREMENTS: You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-09) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Serving as lead specialist over a group of C&P Specialists. Responsible for assigning, monitoring, and reviewing the work performed by subordinate team members. Ensuring that the organization's mission and vision are communicated to the team and integrated into the team's goals, work plans, and work products. Articulating and communicates to the team the assignment, project, problem to be…

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/.