Program Specialist

Summary

Summary This Program Specialist position is in the Primary Care Service Line at the Manchester VA Medical Center, located in Manchester New Hampshire. This position is full-time at 40 hours per week. Responsibilities This Program Specialist position will serve as a Clinic Coordinator providing full administrative and Management support to the Primary Care Service Line. The position participates with all levels of management, planning, analyzing, implementing and establishing sound business practices. The incumbent independently coordinates and tracks information relating to the maintenance of all clinic areas. The clinic coordinator is directly responsible for administrative matters such as workplace environment, support staff adjustments, scheduling information, productivity analysis and needs assessment, collection and analysis of performance data. The Clinic Coordinator is the administrative resource for clinic personnel. Administration focuses on this position for management information, reports, dissemination of information, and effectiveness of both clinical and administrative work methods Assists management with decisions on appropriate clinic set up, taking into consideration the number of clinicians, space available, nursing staff and clerical support availability; time frame etc. monitors setups and identifies when adjustments are in order and makes recommendations for adjustments to clinic supervisor and chiefs. Responsible for day-to-day issues associated with the clinics. As such, works directly with the clinic manager to assign staff to various activities to ensure that productivity and access to care are maximized. Assists with orientation of new staff into standard operating procedures of the clinics. Collects utilization data, assuring that all workload data are captured and appropriately validated. Reviews data and recommends methods to improve productivity and expand services. Coordinates quality assurance/utilization review activities within the clinic, e.g., patient and staff satisfaction surveys, clinical pertinence reviews, clinical utilization reports, etc. Recommends changes in existing clinic activities using productivity, cost effectiveness and clinic outcome data. Ensures that there is reliable and timely access to all clinical and non-clinical information necessary for the provisions of high quality care. The clinic coordinator ensures that clinicians have access to educational and informational materials and that change in policy, procedures, standards, etc. are disseminated to personnel in a timely manner. Ensures that all Health Care personnel have sufficient training to perform well in the computer programs that they will need to do their job Acts a resource for and provides administrative guidance and support to Health Promotion Disease Prevention (HPDP), Veterans Health Education (VHEC) and other outpatient departments within Manchester VAMC as needed or upon request on clinic set up, process and functions. Performs annual inventory on all equipment used within the designated services. Works closely with logistics to order supplies and equipment. Serves as the VISN consult point of contact, responsible for overseeing all Primary Care consults and monitors them for timeliness. Assists management in balancing supply and demand for outpatient services through continuous forecasting and contingency planning. Ensures that all provider clinic set up have been reviewed for accuracy, appropriately utilized and thereafter reviewed on an annual basis. VISN point of contact for Primary Care Management Module (PCMM). Responsible to train administrative staff on all functions of PCMM. The integrity of the PCMM data is extremely important to the management of the Primary Care Service at the VISN and national levels. PCMM is a complex, nationally implemented, computer program that is designed to monitor and manage Primary Care services throughout VA system. Responsible for the integrity of the Medical Center's significantly large PCMM database. Required to work closely with Medical Center clinic support staff, clinical service chiefs, CBOC staff, DSS staff, VISN staff and Central Office staff in order to maintain integrity of this program and data. Performs other duties as assigned Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 7:30am to 4:00pm Telework: Ad Hoc Telework as determined by the agency policy. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist/PD035650 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: 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 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 ( 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 by the closing date of this announcement, 09/14/2026. 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-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. 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. Program Specialist GS-0301-09: 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-07) 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 working knowledge of the computer system for entry and retrieval of data; Ability to locate and interpret appropriate applicable regulations; Knowledge of medical records, medical billing programs, and medical terminology; Gathering, developing, and interpreting data from various information systems; and Reviews reports, records, and provides statistical analysis for accuracy. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a master's or equivalent graduate degree, or, 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or, LL.B. or J.D., if related. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED).. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond 1 full year of graduate level education. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED). Note: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hour worked per week. . For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at 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. Physical Requirements: Regular and recurring work is mostly sedentary involving sitting at a desk, although the position requires the ability to move from one geographic location of the facility to another. The incumbent works with a computer screen and keyboard. Some physical effort such as standing, walking, bending or prolonged sitting may be required. The incumbent maybe exposed to walking to outlying areas. The work places no special physical demands on the employee. 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. 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: 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: 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. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced 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

Job Description

Summary This Program Specialist position is in the Primary Care Service Line at the Manchester VA Medical Center, located in Manchester New Hampshire. This position is full-time at 40 hours per week. Responsibilities This Program Specialist position will serve as a Clinic Coordinator providing full administrative and Management support to the Primary Care Service Line. The position participates with all levels of management, planning, analyzing, implementing and establishing sound business practices. The incumbent independently coordinates and tracks information relating to the maintenance of all clinic areas. The clinic coordinator is directly responsible for administrative matters such as workplace environment, support staff adjustments, scheduling information, productivity analysis and needs assessment, collection and analysis of performance data. The Clinic Coordinator is the administrative resource for clinic personnel. Administration focuses on this position for management information, reports, dissemination of information, and effectiveness of both clinical and administrative work methods Assists management with decisions on appropriate clinic set up, taking into consideration the number of clinicians, space available, nursing staff and clerical support availability; time frame etc. monitors setups and identifies when adjustments are in order and makes recommendations for adjustments to clinic supervisor and chiefs. Responsible for day-to-day issues associated with the clinics. As such, works directly with the clinic manager to assign staff to various activities to ensure that productivity and access to care are maximized. Assists with orientation of new staff into standard operating procedures of the clinics. Collects utilization data, assuring that all workload data are captured and appropriately validated. Reviews data and recommends methods to improve productivity and expand services. Coordinates quality assurance/utilization review activities within the clinic, e.g., patient and staff satisfaction surveys, clinical pertinence reviews, clinical utilization reports, etc. Recommends changes in existing clinic activities using productivity, cost effectiveness and clinic outcome data. Ensures that there is reliable and timely access to all clinical and non-clinical information necessary for the provisions of high quality care. The clinic coordinator ensures that clinicians have access to educational and informational materials and that change in policy, procedures, standards, etc. are disseminated to personnel in a timely manner. Ensures that all Health Care personnel have sufficient training to perform well in the computer programs that they will need to do their job Acts a resource for and provides administrative guidance and support to Health Promotion Disease Prevention (HPDP), Veterans Health Education (VHEC) and other outpatient departments within Manchester VAMC as needed or upon request on clinic set up, process and functions. Performs annual inventory on all equipment used within the designated services. Works closely with logistics to order supplies and equipment. Serves as the VISN consult point of contact, responsible for overseeing all Primary Care consults and monitors them for timeliness. Assists management in balancing supply and demand for outpatient services through continuous forecasting and contingency planning. Ensures that all provider clinic set up have been reviewed for accuracy, appropriately utilized and thereafter reviewed on an annual basis. VISN point of contact for Primary Care Management Module (PCMM). Responsible to train administrative staff on all functions of PCMM. The integrity of the PCMM data is extremely important to the management of the Primary Care Service at the VISN and national levels. PCMM is a complex, nationally implemented, computer program that is designed to monitor and manage Primary Care services throughout VA system. Responsible for the integrity of the Medical Center's significantly large PCMM database. Required to work closely with Medical Center clinic support staff, clinical service chiefs, CBOC staff, DSS staff, VISN staff and Central Office staff in order to maintain integrity of this program and data. Performs other duties as assigned Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 7:30am to 4:00pm Telework: Ad Hoc Telework as determined by the agency policy. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist/PD035650 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: 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 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 ( 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 by the closing date of this announcement, 09/14/2026. 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-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. 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. Program Specialist GS-0301-09: 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-07) 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 working knowledge of the computer system for entry and retrieval of data; Ability to locate and interpret appropriate applicable regulations; Knowledge of medical records, medical billing programs, and medical terminology; Gathering, developing, and interpreting data from various information systems; and Reviews reports, records, and provides statistical analysis for accuracy. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a master's or equivalent graduate degree, or, 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or, LL.B. or J.D., if related. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED).. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond 1 full year of graduate level education. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED). Note: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hour worked per week. . For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at 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. Physical Requirements: Regular and recurring work is mostly sedentary involving sitting at a desk, although the position requires the ability to move from one geographic location of the facility to another. The incumbent works with a computer screen and keyboard. Some physical effort such as standing, walking, bending or prolonged sitting may be required. The incumbent maybe exposed to walking to outlying areas. The work places no special physical demands on the employee. 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. 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: 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: 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. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced 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