Program Analyst at Bedford

JOB SUMMARY:

Service: VISN1-Decision Support Systems

Vacancy Identification Number (VIN) 916565 

*** POSITION IS LOCATED AT THE BEDFORD, MA CAMPUS***

OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln’s promise – “To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan” – by serving and honoring the men and women who are America’s Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate care to Veterans?

 

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

As a VA professional, your opportunities are endless. With many openings in the multiple functions of VA, you will have a wide range of opportunities and leadership positions at your fingertips. Not only is it the largest, most technologically advanced integrated health care system in the Nation, but we also provide many other services to Veterans through the Benefits Administration and National Cemeteries. VA professionals feel good about their careers and their ability to balance work and home life. VA offers generous paid time off and a variety of predictable and flexible scheduling opportunities.  For more information on the Department of Veterans Affairs, go to http://www.vacareers.va.gov/

 

Special Employment Consideration:  VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more.

Who May Apply:

•   Current permanent employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs nationwide
•   All federal employees serving on a Career or Career-Conditional appointment.
•   Former federal employees eligible for reinstatement.
•   Permanent Title 38 employees employed on a full-time basis.
•   Veterans eligible as 30% Disabled Veterans.
•   Veterans eligible under a Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA)
•   Veterans eligible under the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act  (VEOA)
•   Those eligible under the Employment Program for People with Disabilities
•   Those eligible under CTAP/ICTAP.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job.
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation.
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required.
• Must pass pre-employment medical examination.

DUTIES:Back to top

The selectee will be a primary member of a team that is responsible for providing operational support to the VISN 1 Decision Support System (DSS) consolidated program. The incumbents duty station is located at the VISN 1 office in Bedford, MA and reports directly to the VISN 1 DSS Coordinator.  This position provides staff support to the VISN 1 clinical and administrative staff in the coordination and development of data collection and analysis tools and techniques.
  DSS is the Department of Veterans Affairs managerial cost accounting system. It is an automated financial and clinical management support system used for data driven decision making. DSS combines financial and clinical data in a relational database that details the efficiency and productivity of medical center operations and can be used to enhance managerial decision making and strategic planning. Utilization of this program enables the organization and associated units to perform product line analysis, modeling, "what if" scenarios, clinical performance measurement, and clinical quality management. The final product is cost, reimbursement, profitability and utilization information providing managers with clinical and cost information by patient, bed section, ward, clinic, Service and Medical Center. DSS enables the organizational unit to generate flexible budgets, variance analysis reports, and concurrent utilization reports. It performs a broad range of clinical and financial modeling for planning, forecasting, strategic marketing, and budgetary purposes.
  DSS is designed so that data, reporting and information can be aggregated to the VISN and VA Central Office (VACO) levels. DSS is critical tool for remaining competitive in a dynamic health care environment and is used for the cost component for Veterans Equitable Resource Allocation (VERA) system. VERA is the allocation methodology used to distribute General Purpose Funds to VACO. The use of DSS data to determine VERA allocations directly impact the resources allocated to the VISN and the medical center and ultimately quality of care.
  This position provides leadership in the area of information technology for the network level DSS consolidated program.  The incumbent serves as a key member of the VISN1 DSS management team, influencing the planning and direction of all information technology related decisions.  He/she develops and enhances applications utilizing various software products to provide customized tools and reports to support the operations of the DSS team and its customers, directs the development and computer support of electronic report distribution methods using the Microsoft Windows NT network or other electronic medium, and maintains the DSS software and tools by providing technical support, leadership, and training to end users.  The incumbent will consult with VISN and VA Medical Center staff to help initiate, develop, and execute projects in support of operational efficiency efforts and other data analysis needs.  A more detailed description of this position is available in Human Resources Management Service.

Work Schedule: Full Time, Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
Position Description # 478-901980

NOTE: This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay.
NOTE: This is not a bargaining unit position.
NOTE: Travel and relocation expenses are not authorized.
NOTE: Selectee may be required to work at any VISN 1 VA Healthcare System campus, as needed.
NOTE: Candidates who meet the qualification requirements within 15 calendar days following the closing date of the announcement will be considered.
NOTE: Time-in-Grade Restriction - 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.  The grade may have been in any occupation but must have been held in the Federal service.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:Back to top

 

GRADE

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE

Or -  SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION

12

1 year equivalent to at least GS11

Not applicable

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE:  Experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.  Examples of this experience could include developing data analysis tools, applying cost accounting principles to work theory and data, leading information technology teams, using software to create customized tools for end users, performing product line analyses, applying financial analysis to decision making.

This position contains a selective placement factor. 
Applicants not meeting the selective placement factor will receive no further consideration for this position.
The selective placement factor for this position is:

Current of prior experience writing specifications for, creating, and managing electronic auditing or information systems using software such as Access, SQL, Excel, and various programming languages.

This experience must be documented in your resume to receive credit.

APPLICANTS MEETING THE QUALIFICATION STANDARDS WILL BE EVALUATED ON THE FOLLOWING KSAO’S:

1.  Skill in applying qualitative and quantitative analytical and evaluation techniques to identify, propose solutions to, or resolve problems affecting organizational operations
2.  Knowledge of operations, organization, programs, processes, and requirements of health care delivery systems
3.  Ability to manipulate various software programs (such as Excel and Access) and provide informatics services such as database processing, management, analysis, audits, and report generation
4.  Knowledge of the concepts, theories, principles, and practices of government cost accounting and managerial cost accounting, including auditing, budgeting, costing and analysis of financial statements and

5.  Ability to establish contacts and effectively interact with a wide variety of individuals with diverse backgrounds and divergent opinions and priorities by applying a variety of oral and written communication techniques.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
The work is primarily sedentary, but travel is required between the different campuses.  Normal safety procedures usually apply except when doing on site reviews in wards, labs, etc.  Will require periods of walking, standing, bending, or climbing, and employee may carry light items such as books, instruments, laptops and/or other similar materials.  The work is conducted in office, conference rooms, clinical/hospital patient care settings.  Typically, the work is hazard-free, not requiring any special equipment or clothing.  The employee is in on-call status as needed and works flexible hours to meet the needs of the facility end user.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume/application does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

Veterans Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference on the Occupational Questionnaire in the section provided and provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) and/or documentation related to your active duty service which shows dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), or dates of impending separation.
Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veterans Preference" with required proof as stated on the form.  For more information, please review the information for disabled Veterans in the application checklist or visit http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx.

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

Your résumé and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

Country: USA, State: Massachusetts, City: Bedford, Company: Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration.