Hospital Housekeeping Officer

Veterans Health Administration • Topeka, KS

2d • Onsite

About The Position

Serves as the Chief of Environmental Management Service (EMS), responsible for planning and directing the ongoing environmental services programs of the VA Eastern Kansas Healthcare System (VAEKHCS), which includes two medical centers, seven Community-Based Outpatient Clinics, and associated satellite locations. The position manages daily EMS operations; develops policies, mission statements, and performance standards; evaluates the impact of new policies and regulations; plans and implements projects; and provides technical guidance on complex regulatory matters. It oversees environmental-management compliance and coordination across locations, addresses sanitation, waste-removal, quality-control, and cross-infection concerns, evaluates housekeeping products, and establishes customer-service, training, quality-assurance, and continuous-improvement practices.

The officer supervises administrative and technical staff, assigns and prioritizes work, evaluates performance, balances workloads, resolves employee and contractor issues, schedules and approves leave, assesses training needs, and makes decisions on matters raised by subordinate supervisors. The role establishes quality and productivity standards, directs program implementation, conducts special studies, and reports operational issues and recommendations to higher management.

The position also oversees contracted services including window washing, pest management, waste removal, and other EMS services. Laundry operations process approximately 2,280,000 pounds annually. The officer serves as a Contracting Officer Representative (COR), maintains contracts and records, tracks waste management and recycling, serves as the point of contact for environmental contracting issues, and educates VAEKHCS staff about recycling, waste management, and their benefits. Other related duties may be assigned.

Requirements

• One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade, GS-12, in the normal line of progression; qualifying experience may include knowledge of chemistry, biology, and bacteriology as applied to environmental sanitation, infection control, and antimicrobial agents used for disinfection, sanitization, or sterilization.
• Qualifying specialized experience may include laundry and linen management, interior design management, waste management—including hazardous, toxic, and infectious waste requirements and final disposition—or pest management, including alternative controls and chemical selection and application.
• Applicants may qualify through education or a combination of education and experience as described in the announcement; the Education section also states there is no educational substitution at this grade level.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Must complete all required application, assessment, and questionnaire steps and answer every item in the assessment.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants must complete online onboarding and provide acceptable identification for pre-employment requirements.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for VA Health Care Personnel.
• Must serve a one-year probationary period or two-year trial period, as applicable.
• Must meet the requirements by the announcement closing date of 11/09/2026.
• Applicants using foreign education to meet requirements must provide a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with their transcript.
• Competencies assessed include Conflict Management, Influencing/Negotiating, Manages Resources, Partnering, Planning and Evaluating, and Supervisory Situational Judgment.

Responsibilities

• Manage the day-to-day operations of the Environmental Management Service.
• Develop policies, mission statements, and performance standards for facility environmental management.
• Evaluate new policies and regulations for their effects on EMS and medical center operations.
• Plan and implement EMS projects for medical centers, outpatient clinics, and satellite operations.
• Provide technical guidance on complex regulations to staff and other services.
• Analyze legislation and directives to assess their effects on funding and resources.
• Oversee environmental-management compliance and coordinate programs across locations.
• Address quality-control and cross-infection concerns related to waste removal and sanitation procedures.
• Evaluate housekeeping products for effectiveness and cost-efficiency.
• Implement customer-service standards and ensure employee training in satisfaction and quality assurance.
• Develop strategies for continuous improvement in environmental-management practices.
• Supervise administrative and technical staff; plan, manage, assign, and prioritize work and set deadlines.
• Evaluate subordinate work for completeness, timeliness, and achievement of goals; accept, amend, or reject work as appropriate.
• Balance workloads and adjust assignments to improve effectiveness.
• Assess operational effectiveness and report issues to higher management.
• Address problems involving subordinates or contractors and ensure contractor work meets quality standards for payment.
• Develop and evaluate performance standards; conduct appraisals and performance discussions, ensuring fairness for staff and contractors.
• Resolve employee complaints and implement disciplinary actions when necessary.
• Schedule and approve employee leave; assess training needs and recommend development programs.
• Provide guidance on work-related and administrative matters and make decisions on problems presented by subordinate supervisors.
• Establish minimum quality and productivity standards and direct program implementation.
• Conduct special studies to resolve administrative problems and present conclusions and recommendations.
• Oversee contracted window washing, pest management, waste removal, and other EMS services.
• Maintain contracts as a Contracting Officer Representative, track waste management and recycling, maintain records, and serve as the contact for environmental contracting issues.
• Educate VAEKHCS staff about recycling, waste management, and their benefits.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Federal employees and their families have access to a comprehensive benefits package; specific benefits depend on position type and eligibility.
• Eligible selected applicants may receive credit for prior work or military service toward annual leave accrual, subject to request and approval before appointment.

What This Job Offers

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