Assistant Hospital Housekeeping Officer

Veterans Health Administration • Fort Meade, SD

8d • Onsite

About The Position

The Assistant Hospital Housekeeping Officer is a responsible partner to the hospital Housekeeping Officer, sharing responsibility for providing a safe, sanitary, and aesthetically appealing environment at the VA Black Hills Healthcare System in Fort Meade, South Dakota. The position advises, supervises, or performs work involving the development, coordination, direction, and management of hospital housekeeping operations and personnel. It plans, organizes, conducts, and manages an effective housekeeping program, including environmental sanitation, laundry and linen services, cleaning and disinfection, pest control, and waste removal.

The role establishes work standards and workflow procedures; reviews Environment of Care (EOC) practices and criteria in administrative and clinical areas; and uses data and analytical methods to examine problems, implement solutions, and evaluate results. It also participates in workgroups, conference calls, Teams meetings, and committees, and performs projects concerning healthcare delivery system operations. Supervisory duties include interviewing and selecting employees, evaluating performance, maintaining discipline, training and orienting staff, motivating employees, and scheduling work to use personnel effectively.

This is not a virtual position. The employee must live within or be willing to relocate within a commutable distance of Fort Meade, South Dakota. The work schedule is full-time, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Telework may be authorized, with eligibility discussed during the interview process. Recruitment and relocation incentives are not authorized, and a Critical Skills Incentive is not approved.

The work is mostly sedentary and generally performed in an office setting with adequate heat, light, and ventilation. Some walking, standing, and occasional moderate lifting are required. No physical requirements essential to successful performance are identified that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens and complete the required application, assessment, and questionnaire. Other conditions include applicable Selective Service registration, a background/security investigation, onboarding and identification requirements, participation in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program, and a one-year probationary period. Qualifications may be met through specialized experience, specified graduate education, or a qualifying combination of experience and education. Applicants using education to qualify must submit transcripts.

Requirements

• One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level in Federal service, in or related to the position, covering two or more qualifying areas.
• Qualifying specialized experience may include practical knowledge of chemistry, biology, and bacteriology as applied to environmental sanitation, infection control, and antimicrobial agents used for disinfection, sanitization, or sterilization of surfaces and equipment.
• Qualifying specialized experience may include laundry and linen management.
• Qualifying specialized experience may include interior design management.
• Qualifying specialized experience may include knowledge of waste management, including hazardous, toxic, and infectious waste requirements and final disposition.
• Qualifying specialized experience may include knowledge of pest management, including alternative controls and chemical selection and application.
• Specialized experience must be detailed in the resume.
• Alternatively, applicants may qualify with a Ph.D., equivalent doctoral degree, or three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, with major study in public health or business administration emphasizing hospital administration, from an accredited college or university.
• Alternatively, applicants may qualify through an equivalent combination of specialized experience and graduate education that meets minimum qualification requirements.
• Transcripts are required when education is used to qualify.
• Must be a U.S. citizen and complete all required application, assessment, and questionnaire steps.
• Males born after December 31, 1959, must meet Selective Service registration requirements.
• Must be able to complete a background/security investigation and online onboarding requirements, including acceptable identification.
• Must participate in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Must serve a one-year probationary period.
• Applicants must answer each item of the Supervisory Situational Judgment Test; the assessment is expected to take approximately 45 minutes or less.
• Resume experience entries must include month and year start/end dates; part-time experience must state the duties and hours worked per week.
• Must live within or be willing to relocate within a commutable distance of the duty location.

Responsibilities

• Advise, supervise, or perform work involving development, coordination, direction, and management of hospital housekeeping operations and personnel.
• Plan, organize, conduct, and manage an effective hospital housekeeping program.
• Maintain environmental sanitation at acceptable bacteriological and visual cleanliness levels.
• Oversee laundry and linen services, including a linen delivery system with local contractors, linen cleaning and inventory, and employee uniforms.
• Order and distribute uniforms for selected personnel.
• Establish work standards and develop or revise workflow procedures.
• Review, analyze, and recommend Environment of Care practices and criteria in administrative and clinical areas.
• Participate in workgroups, conference calls, Microsoft Teams meetings, and committees.
• Perform assignments and projects concerning healthcare delivery system operations.
• Use data, analytical methods, and procedures to analyze problems, implement solutions, and evaluate their impact.
• Supervise housekeeping operations and oversee cleaning and disinfecting of the hospital campus.
• Determine needs for specialized cleaning supplies, equipment, and methods to ensure an adequate environment of care for humans and animals.
• Oversee pest-control service contracts.
• Establish standards and schedules and complete reports to ensure precautions and regulatory requirements are met.
• Develop and maintain an effective waste-removal program.
• Interview and select applicants for appointment and promotion; evaluate performance; maintain discipline; train, orient, and motivate employees.
• Plan and schedule work to use personnel effectively and efficiently in achieving service operational goals.
• Perform related duties as required.

Benefits

• Federal employees and their families have access to a comprehensive benefits package; specific eligibility depends on position type.
• Prior federal or military service may be credited toward annual leave accrual, subject to request and approval before appointment and not guaranteed.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior