Health System SpecialistNational Cardio-Vet Network is seeking a Health System Specialist to join our team. The selectee must live within 50 miles of one of the following locations, Hines, Illinois, or Marion, Illinois. This unique position offers the opportunity to support the growth of the National CARDIO-VET Network in expanding access to high quality cardiology care to Veterans residing in rural areas. This Health System Specialist acts as a staff assistant, administrator and advisor.This position coordinates administrative and clinical operations for the hub and spoke programs at multiple facilities in different VISNs. This Health System Specialist reports directly to the Director, Field Operations for the National CARDIO-VET Network, and acts as a staff assistant, administrator and advisor with an instrumental role in the growth and development of the program.Administrative Operations and Program Management Functions: (50%) Functions as a consultant and advisor to the Cardio-Vet Network leadership on policy, planning, organization, management, administration, and technical matters of exceptional difficulty. The position serves as an internal consultant to cardiology leaders across the VHA in areas of organization, development, administration, and quality improvement. Primary responsibility for managing scheduling, appointments, budgets, travel, meetings, communication, concurrence, and all other administrative actions necessary for the day-to-day operation of the EWI, as well as ensuring timely submission of all correspondence and tasking responses for hub and spoke locations. Assumes primary responsibility for ensuring appropriate content, language, coordination, and formatting of all EWI documents, policies, data metrics, standard operating procedures, organizational charts, HR actions, strategic plans, and performance plans for the EWI. Responsible for other administrative duties as assigned, as consistent with the duties of this position. The position handles timekeeping duties, managing time and leave units as assigned using the VATAS/GOVTA or other time & leave platform.Program Implementation: (25%) In consultation with the Director, Field Operations, the incumbent oversees annual budget requirements in coordination with the VISNs and facilities, program requirements and monitors progress of these in VACO, VISNs, and VAMCs. The program requirements developed by the position are national in scope, within the overall mission of VA and VHA. These program requirements will be consistent with the resource capabilities of VA to meet the effective management of field- based cardiology services nationwide. Designs, plans, develops, and conducts a wide variety of complex and analysis utilizing quantitative and qualitative techniques and collaboration with NCP, VISN, and VAMC leadership. Leads discussions, briefings, or work groups related to the EWI or other national projects, as assigned. Coordinates, design, develops, implements, and manages inquiries or surveys needed to forecast, plan, and analyze EWI needs and programs considering quantitative, qualitative, and geographic factors. Makes day-to-day decisions regarding administrative matters and serves as the senior administrative representative for the EWI. Oversees and is responsible for all executive correspondence under the EWI. This involves ensuring that policies are drafted, submitted, and finalized quickly and effectively and that all relevant milestones are met. Resolves problems and makes decisions on issues raised by various VHA elements including questions on treatment modalities, allocation of program resources, relationships among professional elements within the program, and utilization of program personnel. Resolves policy implementation questions with appropriate personnel Including VAMC Directors, ensuring proper coordination with VISN Directors and other VACO staff members.Oversight Responsibilities: (25%) The position reviews and identifies trends in productivity improvement or losses, efficiency reviews, cost increases and decreases, areas of over and underutilization of EWI services, procedures, and costs. The position functions as a subject matter expert in resource and utilization management using the basic principles and practices that apply to management of complex healthcare delivery systems to resolve problems in the VA system. Using practical and scientific computer data bases and management reporting systems, position develops, combines, and analyzes data from both clinical and management information systems. Provides leadership with information and recommendations on key clinical and administrative issues affecting the EWI. Conducts comprehensive program analysis to assure maximum effectiveness in personnel utilization. Conducts and analyzes studies and projects fundamental to planning, programming, and budgeting of resources such as long- and short-term forecasts of technological changes, workload, staffing projections, and cost comparisons. Analyzes trends and problems and initiates inquiries to determine the causes and recommends revisions to improve effective utilization of resources. Maintains data on workload, staffing and funding of existing EWI services for comparison with planned levels.Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: May be Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health System Specialist / PD932110You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. 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).To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/26/2026. 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-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. 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.Individual Occupational Requirements for the Health System Specialist 1. Undergraduate and 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 OR, 2. Specialized 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; andGovernment-wide, agency, and facility systems and requirements in various administrative areas such as budget, personnel, and procurement.Special Provision for In-service 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.AND, Specialized Experience: Requirements for Health System Specialist GS-13: Applicants must have at least (1) one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-12) in Federal service that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience includes but not limited to:Knowledge and experience with a range of administrative laws, policies, regulations, and precedents applicable to the administration of programsKnowledge and experience with basic statistical, accounting, budgetary, or economic principles and techniquesSuperior written skills to write reports, policies, executive decision memorandums, and prepare briefing materialSuperior oral communication skills to present information and influence and implement strategic initiativesKnowledge and experience applying business principles ( i.e. financial management, human resource management, organizational dynamics and governance, strategic planning and marketing, information management, risk management or quality improvement)Knowledge and experience to apply a wide range of qualitative and/or quantitative methods for the assessment and improvement of program effectivenessPreferred Experience: The ideal candidate for the Health System Specialist position should possess a robust background in healthcare administration, project management, and provision of advisory/administrative support to management. This role requires a dedicated professional who can navigate complex healthcare environments and drive the success of the National CardioVet Network (Rural Cardiology Access). Preferred experience includes Administrative experience functioning as a Business Operations Lead in