Health System Specialist-Strategic Planning and Innovations Officer

Veterans Health Administration • Montgomery, AL

11d • Onsite

About The Position

The Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System (CAVHCS) seeks a Strategic Planning and Innovations Officer to support its Business and Health Operations functions. The officer oversees planning development processes for CAVHCS projects, including Community Based Outpatient Clinics, and leads, coordinates, and supports the design and implementation of innovation initiatives. The role identifies and develops new ideas, products, services, and processes, and solicits ideas from staff through forums and other venues to foster innovation and spread best practices.

The position develops facility strategic plans, supports strategic alliances with healthcare organizations and other partners, analyzes market demographics and epidemiology, develops organizational initiatives, and coordinates planning with VISN and VHA staff. It leads self-directed and executive-assigned projects, often presenting deliverables in narrative, graphic, or visual formats, and analyzes customer feedback to identify improvements.

The officer guides department heads, administrative officers, and program managers on planning and operational matters, budget initiatives, special-program evaluation, cost-benefit analyses, workload tracking, and clinical and administrative support issues. The role creates an innovation development pathway aligned with strategic and site priorities and local Veteran needs, and supports the Diffusion of Excellence initiative at VA Innovators Network sites.

The officer maintains communication with customers, community leaders, and clinical and administrative staff to assess Veteran needs and service gaps. The role guides field-level planners through systematic planning, prioritizes strategies, monitors short- and long-range goals, analyzes market conditions and consumer behavior, prepares detailed findings and opportunity reports, and advises executive leadership on potential tactics.

This is a non-virtual position. The schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and may change according to agency needs. Travel is expected at 50% or less, including weekly travel between CAVHCS campuses in Montgomery and Tuskegee, Alabama, and occasional travel to CAVHCS Community Based Outpatient Clinics in Alabama and Georgia. The work is primarily sedentary and is typically performed in a lighted, climate-controlled office. Relocation and recruitment incentives are authorized for a highly qualified individual.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship is required.
• For current or former Federal employees covered by the time-in-grade requirement, 52 weeks at GS-12 is required for this GS-13 position.
• Meet the Individual Occupational Requirement through qualifying education in hospital administration, public health administration, or a related field with health care administration coursework; qualifying specialized healthcare analytical, administrative, clinical management, or supervisory experience; or the specified agency-sponsored on-the-job training program for inservice placement.
• One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-12, including relevant experience in planning, coordinating, advising, evaluating, representing leadership in committees or meetings, managing special projects, or conducting studies for planning initiatives.
• Complete the application, questionnaire, and required online assessment.
• Meet applicable Selective Service registration requirements for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Complete a background/security investigation and required onboarding steps.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program as a Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel requirement.
• Serve a one-year probationary period.
• Travel is expected at 50% or less, including weekly travel between the Montgomery and Tuskegee campuses and occasional travel to clinics in Alabama and Georgia.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coordinate, facilitate, and provide ongoing support for the design and implementation of CAVHCS innovation initiatives.
• Identify and develop new ideas, products, services, and processes, and solicit innovative ideas from CAVHCS staff.
• Develop facility strategic plans and assist with strategic alliances involving CAVHCS and healthcare organizations and other partners.
• Analyze demographics and epidemiology of the market area and develop organizational initiatives.
• Coordinate with VISN and VHA staff concerning planning activities.
• Lead self-directed projects and projects assigned by the Director or other Executive Leadership, and present project deliverables in narrative, graphic, or visual formats.
• Analyze customer feedback to identify potential improvements to products or processes.
• Provide direction and leadership to department heads, administrative officers, and program managers on local planning and operational issues, budget initiatives, special-program evaluation, cost-benefit analyses, workload tracking, and clinical and administrative support issues.
• Create an innovation development pathway aligned with strategic priorities, site priorities, and local Veteran needs.
• Support the Diffusion of Excellence initiative by encouraging promising-practice identification and implementation at VA Innovators Network sites.
• Maintain communication with customers, community leaders, and clinical and administrative staff to assess Veteran needs and service gaps.
• Oversee planning activities and guide field-level planners through systematic planning, prioritization, and monitoring of short- and long-range goals.
• Collect and interpret information about market conditions and consumer behavior to inform executive decisions and assess future trends and facility market reach.
• Prepare detailed reports on findings, identify potential market opportunities, and advise executive leadership on tactics.
• Travel between CAVHCS campuses in Montgomery and Tuskegee and occasionally to Community Based Outpatient Clinics in Alabama and Georgia.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package is available to eligible employees; specific benefits depend on position type and should be confirmed with the hiring agency.
• Relocation and recruitment incentives are authorized for a highly qualified individual.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed