Physician - Chief of Staff

Veterans Health Administration•Altoona, PA

About The Position

The Chief of Staff (COS) reports to the Executive Director and leads the medical staff in delivering safe, timely, high-quality care to Veterans. The COS provides executive leadership and accountability for clinical quality, safety, appropriateness, and timeliness across assigned services, and oversees services under the approved organizational structure. The COS serves on the Executive Leadership Team and partners on strategic priorities, resources, performance, and operations, while participating in facility, Health Service Area, Veterans Integrated Service Network, and other leadership forums as assigned. The role leads medical staff governance and ensures compliance with VHA policies and accreditation requirements. It oversees clinical standards, bylaws, credentialing and privileging, peer review, continuing medical education, professional competence, education, research, and performance improvement. The COS advances patient safety, risk management, utilization management, evidence-based practice, provider development, and continuous improvement. The position also promotes access, capacity, provider productivity, care coordination, patient flow, and respectful, patient-centered care. The COS conducts structured leader rounding across clinical services, shifts, and Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs), and maintains an active direct patient care assignment of 10%–20% of duty time per biweekly pay period, with a minimum commitment of 10%. The specific clinical assignment is determined with the Executive Director based on privileges, competency, specialty, and Veteran care needs. The COS sets expectations for service chiefs and direct reports, develops leaders and succession plans, and ensures accountability. The position elevates significant clinical risks to the Executive Director and follows through on corrective actions. It leads workforce and resource planning, uses clinical, operational, workforce, and financial data to guide decisions, translates Executive Director priorities into measurable service plans, and represents the medical center with Veterans, community and academic partners, and VA leadership. Travel is required as needed to support CBOC visits, Vet Centers, community engagement, network responsibilities, and organizational priorities. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; occasional evening or weekend participation may be needed. Telework is ad hoc as determined by agency policy.

Requirements

Doctor of Medicine or an equivalent degree in allopathic or osteopathic medicine from an appropriately approved and accredited institution.
Current, full, unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia.
Completion of residency training meeting VA requirements in an accredited core specialty program leading to board-certification eligibility, or qualifying alternative training and independent-practice experience described in the announcement.
Proficiency in spoken and written English.
U.S. citizenship; non-citizens may be appointed only when qualified citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA policy.
Selected applicants in testing-designated positions must undergo pre-employment urinalysis; refusal results in denial of employment.
Selective Service registration for males born after December 31, 1959.
Ability to complete a background/security investigation and online onboarding requirements.
Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
May be required to serve a probationary period.
Maintain an active direct patient care assignment of at least 10% of duty time per biweekly pay period.
Travel as required for the role; occasional evening or weekend participation may be needed.

Nice To Haves

Authentic servant leadership that places Veterans, employees, and the organization at the center of decision-making.
Ability to foster collaboration, accountability, respect, trust, and excellence.
Professionalism, integrity, humility, and sound judgment when engaging diverse internal and external stakeholders.
Emotional intelligence, resilience, strong communication and interpersonal skills, and a collaborative mindset.
Ability to inspire others, cultivate trust-based relationships, and develop high-performing teams.
Commitment to employee engagement, organizational health, innovation, continuous improvement, and thoughtful change management.
Ability to create psychologically safe environments that encourage open collaboration, proactive problem-solving, idea sharing, and professional growth.
Commitment to leading with integrity, fostering a people-centered culture, and improving outcomes for Veterans.

Responsibilities

Provide executive leadership and accountability for the quality, safety, appropriateness, and timeliness of care across assigned clinical services.
Oversee assigned services under the approved organizational structure, subject to modification by the Executive Director.
Serve on the Executive Leadership Team and partner on strategic priorities, resources, performance, and operations; participate in facility, HSA, VISN, and other leadership forums as assigned.
Lead medical staff governance, including bylaws, credentialing and privileging, peer review, continuing medical education, professional competence, and compliance with VHA and accreditation requirements.
Ensure medical staff engagement in performance improvement, risk management, patient safety, utilization management, and clinical practice evaluation.
Improve appointment access, capacity, provider productivity, care coordination, and patient flow through measurable actions.
Promote respectful, patient-centered care, including prevention, screening, counseling, education, and appropriate psychosocial support.
Advance evidence-based practice, supervision, competency, development, and performance of providers, residents, trainees, and interdisciplinary staff.
Conduct structured leader rounding with staff and Veterans across clinical services, shifts, and CBOCs, consistent with the leadership work plan.
Maintain an active direct patient care assignment of 10%–20% of duty time per biweekly pay period, with a minimum commitment of 10%.
Set expectations for service chiefs and direct reports; conduct performance discussions, develop leaders and succession plans, and ensure accountability for results.
Elevate significant clinical risks to the Executive Director and ensure corrective actions from reviews, inspections, and adverse events are sustained.
Lead workforce and resource planning, aligning staffing, budgets, space, and equipment with Veteran needs, workload, priorities, and available funding; monitor variances.
Use clinical, operational, workforce, and financial data to identify risks, guide decisions, implement improvements, and assess outcomes.
Translate Executive Director priorities into service plans with owners, measures, and timelines; track progress and remove barriers.
Represent the medical center at Veteran engagements, town halls, community outreach, academic and professional events, and HSA/VISN forums, coordinating with Public Affairs as appropriate.
Travel as required to support CBOC visits, Vet Centers, community engagement, network responsibilities, and organizational priorities.
Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

Competitive salary
Annual performance bonus
Regular salary increases
50–55 days of paid time off per year, including 26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays, and possible 5-day paid absence for CME
Traditional federal pension with 5-year vesting
Federal 401(k) with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement
Possible $1,000 per year CME reimbursement for full-time employees with board certification
Free liability protection with tail coverage
Recruitment/relocation incentive authorized
Permanent Change of Station relocation assistance authorized