Program Analyst

Summary The Battle Creek VA Medical Center is recruiting for a Program Analyst. The Program Analyst will function under the Veteran Experience Office at the Battle Creek VA Medical Center. The incumbent in position reports to the Chief, Veteran Experience Office. The incumbent in this position is expected to work closely with all members of the health care team, Medical Center administration, Site Managers' Offices and Executive Leadership. Responsibilities The primary purpose of this position is to collect, analyze and validate various data concerning patient experience. The incumbent routinely analyzes trends, propose process improvement, and ensures capturing and communicating data analysis and trends to various Councils, Committees and Service meetings. The work includes maintenance of data quality and ensuring timely and accurate data related to patient satisfaction within Battle Creek VAMC. The incumbent is responsible for providing informational needs and services to a broad range of customers, which includes the Director's Office, senior management, program directors, service chiefs, clinicians and administrative staff. Provides advice and counsel to staff on data management capabilities and limitations. The incumbent has overall knowledge of the organization's mission and the impact VEO and this position has on Veterans, Battle Creek VAMC, and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The incumbent in this position exercises independent judgment in the performance of duties and responsibilities. The incumbent acts on behalf of the Veteran Experience Office to maintain positive relationships with Veterans and families and to disperse service-level patient satisfaction data to services throughout the medical center. The incumbent is highly visible; his or her performance plays a major role in how the facility is perceived by others. The incumbent establishes positive relationships with Veterans, family members, and staff to promote a productive and healthy work environment. This position is directly related to improving Veteran satisfaction within Battle Creek VAMC, which will, in turn, improve Veteran loyalty. Duties include but not limited to: Prepares documentation for policies, and correspondences without additional input from the supervisor. Possess excellent oral communication skills. Develops and implements new administrative processes. Receives and tracks VISN and Local suspense as well as collects data to ensure timely responses are delivered by the service. Uses a variety of graphical, spreadsheet, and database software packages to obtain statistical data from published reports. Prepares data for service Chief's review. Receives and responds to customer requests for services and serves as the primary point of communication with the service. Follows up with customers to ensure quality of services provided and collect customer feedback. Possess knowledge and skill in applying analytical and evaluative methods and techniques; knowledge of complex health care system operations; knowledge of pertinent laws, regulations and policies; knowledge of the major patient satisfaction issues, program goals and objectives. Comprehensive knowledge of statistical principles and techniques used in the performance of data analysis to make sound judgments and conclusions. Expert knowledge of software, especially Microsoft Excel, which is essential in completing analytical studies and statistical trending. In addition, skills are required for Microsoft Word and PowerPoint to prepare written reports and/or presentations. A strong working knowledge of Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS), Vista packages, VSSC menu, computer terminology, and the interrelations of various hospital computer programs is required. Ability to organize, coordinate and prioritize many simultaneous work assignments; the ability to write management level reports, briefing materials and memos using proper rules of grammar, spelling and punctuation. Independently plans timelines and methodologies for accomplishing duties, required to meet work-related goals. Providing frontline customer service to staff and veterans. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for Ad-hoc telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Program Analyst/PD935480 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/12/2024. 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 applying customer service skills and analytical and evaluative methods and techniques to issues or studies concerning the efficiency and effectiveness of a clinical program; experience planning, organizing, and developing studies or projects, making recommendations on operating programs and negotiating with others to accept and implement recommendations; and experience evaluating and making recommendations regarding health care delivery systems. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree (Transcripts must be uploaded with application packet if using education to qualify). OR, 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree (Transcripts must be uploaded with application packet if using education to qualify). OR, LL.M., if related (Transcripts must be uploaded with application packet if using education to qualify). Combination: Combination of successfully completed education and specialized experience directly related to the work of the position as outlined above that meets the requirements of the position. Only education in excess of a master's or equivalent graduate education may be used to qualify applicants for the GS-11 level. NOTE: If using education combined with specialized experience to qualify, a copy of your transcript is required. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Administration and Management Clerical Customer Service (Clerical/Technical) Problem Solving Reasoning Self Management Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: No special physical demands such as above average ability, dexterity, or strength are required to perform the work. Work is sedentary and the employee may sit comfortably. May be subject to stressful situations due to short turnaround timeframes required by requests from offices within Battle Creek VAMC, including Offices of the Director and Associate Director. As such, this position demands emotional stability. There may be some walking, standing, bending, carrying of light items, driving of an automobile, etc. 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 This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. 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.