Program Analyst

Summary This position is located at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System (VAPSHCS) which includes Seattle and American Lake campuses, as well as Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs). The incumbent serves as an information management specialist for Quality Improvement at a complex, affiliated Health Care System with two divisions (American Lake and Seattle).The incumbent provides administrative and technical support for the Quality Improvement Operations. Responsibilities Duties include, but not limited to: Performs program cost analyzes of projects, or performance of evaluations of many of the Quality programs (High Reliability Organization, Infection Prevention, Accreditation, Patient Safety, Facility Policy Control, Employee Occupational Health, Risk Management, CSC, External Peer Review Program), these programs directly affect facility service lines and the Puget Sound Facility. Conducts portions or phases of a cost-effectiveness study for clinical or administrative programs. Independently conducts cost-effective studies for clinical or administrative programs with an organizational or VISN impact. Considers all aspects of new or established programs, including standards (i.e. Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)), policies, objectives, workload models, resource estimates and utilization, issues, constraints, impacts and concerns related to other organizational components. Evaluates, processes, or makes recommendations for effective organizational changes. Performs organizational analysis for the Quality and Patient Safety Service Line and will act as the QPS liaison, as directed, at the facility level while working with other service lines. Analyzes and evaluates, on a quantitative or qualitative basis, the effectiveness of programs or operations in meeting established goals and objectives. Analyzes program performance data to identify opportunities for improvement and impact. Analyzes and prepares program status reports for review at all levels. Performs quality assurance work that involves systematic prevention of defects, nonconformance to regulations and standards, identification of unsatisfactory trends and conditions, and correction of factors that may contribute to defective work processes or products. Performs quality management activities which are designed to improve quality of transaction processing, customer service activities or other business procedures. Performs a variety of duties to carry out, administer or advise on work concerned with assuring the quality of work transactions, business processes and delivery of services needed to carry out federal government programs and functions. Develop plans and programs for achieving and maintaining total quality transaction processing and customer service throughout the business cycle. Develops reporting procedures, sampling techniques, and measurements at various points in the transaction process or business cycle to identify problem areas or inherent weaknesses in work processes, procedures, information-Systems and content. Develops indicators to provide objective evidence of the effectiveness of quality procedures and controls. Investigates and analyzes adverse quality trends or conditions and initiates corrective action. Monitors qualitative and quantitative measurements to identify quality program trends. Identifies areas requiring further analysis. Recommends approach to senior staff. Consults with technical experts to examine and analyze usual or problem situations indicated by changes in program quality indicators. Performs in-depth research, analyzes operating contingencies and special situations Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: AD-HOC (Inclement Weather Only) Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Program Analyst/PD663418030 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 (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 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 within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 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-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: 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: Experience with a wide range of concepts, principles, and practices in an independently functioning administrative capacity at the service line management level; with analytical and evaluative methods and techniques to issues or actions related to office administration; experience with pertinent laws, regulations, policies and precedents which affect administrative operations. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree. 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/. Preferred experience: Controlled Substance Coordinator experience preferred, experience in dealing with multi-level stakeholder necessary. 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 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.