Patient Representative; Facility Patient Advocate

Summary

The incumbent serves as a Patient Advocate within VA Northern California Health Care System. This position covers a variety of difficult and complex patient concerns and contacts for the Facility with the goal of providing resolution. Patient Advocates are primarily responsible for complaint resolution with service recovery, receiving compliments, working with Service-Level Advocates to help resolve issues and concerns, and communicating with patients about their experiences of care.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement – 02/18/2026. Time‑In‑Grade Requirement:
Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time‑in‑grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS‑9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS‑7. For a GS‑11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS‑9. The grade may have been in any occupation – but must have been held in the Federal service.

An SF‑50 that shows your time‑in‑grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF‑50 has an effective date within the past year – it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one‑year time‑in‑grade as required by the announcement. In this instance you must provide an additional SF‑50 that clearly demonstrates one‑year time‑in‑grade.

Note:

Time‑In‑Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below.

GS‑9

• Specialized
  
  Experience:
  
  You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS‑7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include – but are not limited to: providing customer service to patients; assisting patients and staff with resolving problems or complaints; assisting with identifying problem areas and suggesting solutions or alternatives;
  
  explaining policies and procedures; keeping accurate records and preparing reports and/or written correspondence.
• Education:
  
  Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a master’s or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D. – if related.
• Combination:
  Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the first year) and specialized experience as described above to meet the total experience requirements. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.
  
  This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.

GS‑11

• Specialized
  
  Experience:
  
  You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS‑9 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include – but are not limited to: providing customer service to patients and staff with resolving problems or complaints; identifying problem areas and suggesting solutions or alternatives;
  
  explaining policies and procedures; keeping accurate records and preparing reports and/or written correspondence; collaborating with facility staff to improve the patient experience.
• Education:
  
  Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M. – if related.
• Combination:
  Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an equivalent…