Program Analyst - Technical Career Field (TCF) Trainee

Summary

The Technical Career Field (TCF) is a national workforce development program within VHA that was designed to replenish technical staff in critically identified positions. This position is located in the Managerial Cost Accounting Section, Fiscal Service Office. The incumbent serves as a participant in the Technical Career Fields Program under the direction of a qualified preceptor.

Duties

The TCF career fields represent those technical fields where VA-specific knowledge and experience is desirable for success in the field. Individuals selected follow a formal training plan for two years during which they are trained, coached, and supervised by a preceptor. As part of the VA's succession planning, the Technical Career Field (TCF) training program was created to ensure individuals are trained in critical areas that have current or predicted shortages. The program is nationally funded to include salary, benefits and training/travel dollars. At the time of acceptance into the TCF program, trainees will be asked to sign mobility, training, and service agreements. Relocation expenses for acceptance into the training program or for placement are not funded by the TCF program. Please keep in consideration, the training program is meant for those individuals who plan on staying with the VA a minimum of 3 years after completion of their training program. Selectees will be required to complete and sign the following paperwork; Mobility, Training, and Continued Service Agreements. Although not guaranteed, with more than 150 freestanding facilities and hundreds of clinic locations, we will strive to place trainees in positions that will work for their needs and the needs of the VA. This is a developmental position leading to a GS-11, performing assignments intended to broaden skills and provide practical experience leading to progressively more complex assignments performed under progressively less supervision. You will ultimately acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-11. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher level work, and availability of funds. Major duties and responsibilities include: Applying expert level financial and clinical operational skills to ensure that clinical and administrative resources are utilized effectively and efficiently to provide veterans with high quality care consistent with community and national standards and industry best practices. Analyzing the existing workload capture systems to determine the best source data for the Managerial Cost Accounting (MCA) database. Preparing and giving oral representations on facility project objectives and status to medical center personnel. Performing monthly maintenance duties and audits on MCA to ensure currency and accuracy of data. As part of the MCA process improvement project, may be tasked to support VISN staff in the monitoring/processing/auditing of any facility within the network. Analyzing Personnel and Accounting Integrated Data (PAID) Full-time Employee Equivalent (FTEE) by all Medical Center services in order to allocate support service costs to the appropriate sections. Maintaining and modifying the MCA program in order to reflect any changes in the Medical Center functions or Department of Veterans Affairs Policy. Reviewing and analyzing computer-generated cost and budget reports on a monthly/quarterly basis in order to verify the accuracy of data, noting trends and analyzing variances. Preparing monthly and quarterly cost summary reports which are submitted to top management for review. Maintaining a liaison with all services in the medical center in order to design cost studies which are reflective of the services' individual needs. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. You may qualify at the GS-7 level if you fulfill one of the following qualifications: -Specialized Experience: One (1) year of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-5 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience includes: monitoring, identifying, and resolving costing/full-time employee equivalent (FTEE) issues with appropriate staff and working to implement processes at the service level that will prevent errors from occurring in the future; analyzing budget, manpower, space, and equipment resources projected to be available; analyzing full-time employee equivalent (FTEE) in order to allocate support service costs to appropriate sections. -OR- -Education: One (1) full year of graduate level education that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) -OR- -Combination: Equivalent combinations of graduate level education and specialized experience (as described above) to meet the requirements at the GS-7 level. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) -OR- -Superior Academic Achievement at the GS-7 level: (SAA) at the baccalaureate level in the coursework detailed above is fully qualifying. Applicants who wish to apply under this provision must submit proof from their educational institution that they meet one of the criteria listed below. To qualify for SAA, applicants must have completed all the requirements for a bachelor's degree in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled and meet one of the following: 1. Rank in the upper one-third of your class in the college, university or major subdivision. 2. A grade-point average of "B" (a GPA of 2.95 or higher out of a possible 4.0) for all completed undergraduate courses, or those completed in the last two years of undergraduate study. 3. A grade point average of "B+" (a GPA of 3.45 or higher out of a possible 4.0) for all courses in your major field of study, or those courses in your major completed in the last two years of undergraduate study. 4. Membership in a national honor society (other than freshman honor societies) recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies. For a list of recognized honor societies please visit http://www.achsnatl.org/quick_link.asp. For more information regarding SAA please visit http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/SEC-II/s2-e5.asp#e4f. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Attention to Detail Customer Service Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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. 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; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly t