Supervisory Health System Specialist: Join the VA as an Ambulatory Care Operations Director / Group Practice Manager

The landscape of modern healthcare administration demands analytical precision, strategic vision, and empathetic leadership. Within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), these capabilities are brought together in the vital role of the Supervisory Health System Specialist - Ambulatory Care Operations Director - Group Practice Manager (ACOD-GPM). This senior leadership position, graded at the GS-13 level, serves as the operational engine behind ambulatory care services. Based in Huntington, West Virginia, this role offers an extraordinary opportunity for experienced healthcare managers to optimize clinic access, lead dedicated personnel, and directly influence the quality of medical services provided to our nation's Veterans.

For those ready to step into a high-impact, mission-driven career, this position provides a robust salary, comprehensive federal benefits, and the chance to lead complex clinics in a collaborative environment. This guide explores the details of this position, the organization behind it, requirements, and key strategies for submitting a successful application.

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About the Agency: The Hershel 'Woody' Williams VA Medical Center

This position is housed within the Department of Veterans Affairs, specifically under the Veterans Health Administration at the Hershel 'Woody' Williams VA Medical Center. Named in honor of the legendary Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipient, this facility is dedicated to fulfilling President Lincoln's promise: 'To care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors.'

Operating as a critical node within the VA Capitol Health Care Network (Veterans Integrated Service Network 5 / VISN 5), the medical center provides progressive, whole-health clinical programs. The health system spans six distinct locations, delivering comprehensive primary and specialty care to Veterans residing in:

• Southwestern West Virginia
• Southeastern Ohio
• Eastern Kentucky

Beyond the main medical center in Huntington, the network maintains four prominent Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) in:

• Lenore, West Virginia
• South Charleston, West Virginia
• Gallipolis, Ohio
• Prestonsburg, Kentucky

Additionally, the system features a dedicated Community Resource and Referral Center in Huntington. As the GPM, your leadership will extend across these geographical locations, standardizing administrative excellence and coordinating access to care for thousands of individuals.

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Job Responsibilities and Impact

The primary mandate of the Ambulatory Care Operations Director - Group Practice Manager (ACOD-GPM) is to provide administrative management and oversight of all ambulatory care service lines. You will ensure that scheduling systems, clinical workflows, and institutional resources are fully aligned to optimize patient access.

Strategic and Operational Leadership

• Clinic Practice Optimization: Coordinate and integrate primary care, mental health, specialty care, and outpatient surgical clinics into a standardized, high-efficiency practice model.
• National Policy Integration: Partner with the National Program Office to review, refine, and implement nationwide clinical policies. Use local operational feedback to adapt global directives to localized facilities.
• Strategic Planning: Collaborate with the executive leadership team to design long-term and short-term operational policies, clinic staffing strategies, and outpatient care development plans.

Analytical and Resource Management

• Data Analytics: Lead the data analytics team to measure, analyze, and report on outpatient clinical business activities. Focus heavily on optimizing provider productivity, clinics' third-party scheduling, and panel management.
• Financial and Contractual Oversight: Work alongside Logistics and Resource Management offices to coordinate and oversee external clinical service contracts. Plan and balance the annual budget allocation for outpatient clinical operations.

Supervisory and Interpersonal Duties

• Team Supervision: Exercise complete supervisory authority over clinic access specialists and administrative analysts. Direct duties, establish performance plans, conduct formal reviews, and resolve complex personnel conflicts.
• Labor Relations: Act as a management representative during labor-management meetings. Ensure supervisors remain fully compliant with negotiated union agreements.
• Patient Advocacy: Partner with local Veteran Experience Advocates to address and resolve complex family or patient concerns regarding scheduling, access, and service quality.

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Key Requirements and Qualifications

To be considered for this GS-13 position, candidates must meet clear educational, security, and professional experience benchmarks.

Professional Experience Requirements

Candidates must have at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the federal service. This experience must be directly related to the work of a Health System Specialist and should demonstrate:

1. Successful management or coordination of clinical operations, with a focus on workflow optimization.
2. Leadership, mentoring, and direct supervision of multi-disciplinary clinic staff.
3. In-depth analysis of healthcare metrics, specifically patient scheduling systems, provider productivity indices, and panel sizes.
4. Design, evaluation, and application of healthcare facility policies in accordance with regulatory bodies.

Note: An agency-sponsored, structured on-the-job training program completed within an active health system may, under specific inservice placement regulations, substitute for a portion of the specialized experience.

Administrative and Security Conditions

• Citizenship: Applicants must be United States Citizens.
• Background Checks: Selection is subject to a completed background and security investigation, credentialing checks, and physical suitability evaluations.
• REAL ID Compliance: All pre-employment identification presented must be compliant with federal REAL ID standards.
• Vaccination Policy: Seasonal influenza vaccination is a mandatory condition of employment for all VA Healthcare Personnel (HCP). Unvaccinated personnel with approved exemptions must wear personal protective face masks.
• Probationary Terms: Selected candidates must complete a one-year probationary period (or a two-year trial period) during which operational performance and conduct are systematically evaluated.

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Salary Overview & Grade Level Comparison

This position is classified under the federal General Schedule (GS) system at the GS-13 grade level. The table below illustrates the basic structure and differences between the standard GS-12 administrative profile and the GS-13 Supervisory GPM role:

Feature / Metric	GS-12 Health System Specialist	GS-13 Group Practice Manager (This Position)
Salary Range	Varies by Locality (GS-12 standard)	$106,437 - $138,370 per year
Supervisory Scope	Lead projects or small teams	Direct authority over entire clinic access/analytics units
Clinical Reach	Single clinic or program alignment	Oversight of multi-site primary, mental health, & surgical clinics
Policy Influence	Implements existing program guidelines	Develops long-term local policies; guides national integration
Labor Relations	Adheres to local guidelines	Acts as official management representative in labor union disputes

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Comprehensive Benefits

Choosing a career with the Department of Veterans Affairs provides comprehensive security, wellness support, and long-term financial planning tools:

• Retirement Security: Coverage under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) pension plan and matching contributions of up to 5% within the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP).
• Health and Life Insurance: Access to the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program, offering a wide array of plans, alongside dental, vision, and flexible spending accounts.
• Leave Accrual: Generous accrual of paid annual vacation leave, sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays each year. Prior military service or private-sector experience may be credited to accelerate annual leave accrual rates.
• Telework Flexibilities: Ad-hoc telework arrangements may be authorized based on the center's operational needs and supervisory approval.
• Whole Health Initiative: Employees have access to resources promoting physical, emotional, and professional well-being, fostering a healthy work-life balance.

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Application Tips and Resume Strategies

Navigating the federal application process requires meticulous attention to detail. Keep these critical strategies in mind:

The Mandatory Two-Page Resume Limit

Beginning September 27, 2025, federal hiring procedures mandate a strict two-page limit on resumes. Resumes exceeding two pages are automatically disqualified by the USAJOBS system.

• Optimize Formatting: Use clean sans-serif fonts such as Arial, Calibri, or Helvetica at 10-point size. Set your margins to exactly 0.5 inches.
• Results-Focused Language: Avoid long paragraphs. Use concise, bulleted statements highlighting your achievements. Incorporate quantitative metrics (e.g., 'reduced patient wait times by 14%,' 'managed a clinic budget of $2M').
• Relevance: Cut outdated or unrelated positions. Focus on your most recent ten years of clinical and administrative leadership.

Documenting Time-in-Grade

If you are a current or former federal employee, you must submit a Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) demonstrating your time-in-grade eligibility. Ensure that:

• The SF-50 shows you have spent at least 52 consecutive weeks at the GS-12 level (or higher).
• If your most recent promotional SF-50 is less than a year old, upload an additional older SF-50 (such as a within-grade step increase) to verify a full year of service at that grade.

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2. What is the Supervisory Situational Judgment Test (SSJT)?

This is an online, untimed assessment required during the application process. It measures your decision-making abilities, resource management approach, and conflict resolution style. It typically takes 45 minutes or less to complete.

3. Can I apply if I live outside of Huntington, West Virginia?

Yes. However, please note that relocation incentives, recruitment incentives, and Permanent Change of Station (PCS) expenses are not authorized for this position. Candidates must be willing to relocate at their own expense.

4. How are applications evaluated?

HR specialists assess your resume against your answers to the online questionnaire and the SSJT. Candidates who demonstrate deep, quantitative experience matching the key competencies will be referred to the hiring manager for potential interviews.

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The Supervisory Health System Specialist - Group Practice Manager role is a premier leadership track within the Veterans Health Administration. This position offers a competitive salary of up to $138,370, an exceptional benefits package, and a direct path to shaping outpatient clinical operations across West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky. By bringing your administrative expertise, analytical skills, and supervisory leadership to the Hershel 'Woody' Williams VA Medical Center, you can make a meaningful difference in the lives of the Veterans who have proudly served our nation.

Ensure your application is submitted by the closing date of September 14, 2026, and double-check your documents against the strict two-page resume limit to ensure your profile is prioritized by recruiters.