Summary This position is located at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL (578) - a Level 1a Complexity VHA Facility. This position will report directly to the Associate Director of Operations. The incumbent will be responsible for project management, project facilitation and data analysis. Lean Six Sigma training is strongly preferred for position. Responsibilities Duties include but are not limited to: Participates in and facilitates transformative quality, safety, effectiveness, and efficiency improvement efforts. Acts as the project lead for healthcare and operational improvement projects impacting patient care delivery systems and functions throughout the medical center. Facilitates, coaches, and trains audiences at all levels of the organization throughout the lifecycle of a performance improvement project.-Organizes, directs, controls and coordinates group activities. Collaborates with clinical teams to effectively improve job satisfaction, performance and cultural climate. Conducts extensive work in analyzing data and conducting background research on the issue. Pulls, isolates and manipulates data to identify root causes of a performance issue. Develops statistical models to measure success of performance improvement actions. Converts data into numerous formats using advanced statistical models including statistical process control charts, histograms, and paretto charts. Leads a team of subject matter experts, front line staff and leadership through rigorous and defined project management process utilizing multiple tools from Lean Six Sigma, Lean VA TAMCCS and other performance improvement disciplines. Leads project teams through designed brainstorming sessions to develop solutions towards a specific deliverable or goal during a project.-Creates designs of experiment that align to project goals and team developed solutions. Directs the team towards sustainable solutions that are mistake proof. Develops control plans, communication plans, risk management plans, and through closeout of the project. Provides consultation to executive, service line, and program leadership by leveraging VA data analytics resources. Identifies metrics performing below benchmarked standards or falling below the upper or lower control limits of a statistically controlled models such as SAIL. Identifies systems designs problems that contribute human errors. Collects baseline information, identifies limitations in current systems, and discovers potential improvements. Develops statistical, graphical, and narrative reports, and communicates these studies to medical center executive leadership, service chiefs, supervisors and other staff. Develops benchmarks and assigns a schedule or priority level to potential project based on the needs of the organization and direct consultation with executive leadership. Identifies projects critical to improving quality outcomes and maximize return on investment of utilized resources. Prepares complete and fully documented studies for review of work teams, Hospital Committees and top management. Instructs staff on implementation of guidelines and recommendations.-Evaluates the quality of care and the efficiency of care processes.-Provides instruction to others on Lean, Lean Six Sigma, Systems Redesign or other improvement methodologies principles and tools through formal classroom instruction or small group mentoring. Develops written and verbal teaching materials. Performs other related duties as assigned Preferred Experience: Lean Six Sigma Green belt, project management, data analysis, project facilitator Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30a - 4:00p, schedule may vary Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual or remote position. Position Description/PD#: Health System Specialist (Systems Redesign)/PDS0012A Relocation, Recruitment and Retention Incentives: May be authorized for Highly Qualified Candidates Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. 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, 04/01/2024. 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-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. 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. Basic - Individual Occupational Requirement: 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 Experience: 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 areas such as budget, personnel, and procurement. In addition to the basic requirement as stated above the following is the experience requirement to qualify at the GS-12 grade level in this occupation. Specialized Experience - GS-12: Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-11) 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 in positions that required collaboration with clinical teams and comprehensive knowledge of health care service administration, continuous quality improvement, data analysis, healthcare principles, theories and practices such as Lean and Six Sigma, along with industrial and qualify engineering principles and concepts; skill in applying advanced qualitative and quantitative techniques; experience in positions that required extensive knowledge of the characteristics of the health care delivery systems, intra and interdepartmental relations, and agency operations and programs; comprehensive knowledge of agency administrative practices such as correspondence control, office processes, regulations, and rules; ability to investigating issues, analyzing problems, and presenting both written and oral recommendations; and advanced communication and interpersonal relations skills, including the ability to appropriately relate to internal and external customers. Preferred Experience: Six Sigma Certification strongly preferred. Green belt certification at a minimum, Black belt certification highly preferred. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: #232 Project Management Developing Others Organizational Performance Analysis Problem Solving 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: The work requires some physical exertion, such as periods of standing when teaching; some walking, bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, or similar activities when visiting work sites; and some moderate lifting and carrying. At other times the work is sedentary, requiring the use of a computer. 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 There is no educational substitution at this grade level. 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or 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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. 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. 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. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. 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.