Public Health Advisor, GS-0685-13

Job Code:  001120
Position Number: 101SP101796

INTRODUCTION

The employee serves as a senior public health advisor and provides consultative services to the most difficult and complex disease control programs or projects that have unusually demanding social, economic, cultural, governmental, and political conditions requiring the planning, development, and evaluation of matters of general precedent, extensive controversy, or wide coordination. The incumbent is responsible for performing unusually difficult assignments that affect populations domestically and/or internationally or public health programs that require advanced occupational expertise and judgment to support particularly complex program activities or very broad program applications on a continuing and frequent basis.

MAJOR DUTIES

Program and Administrative Management - __________%

Plans, develops, and implements public health programs in collaboration with local, State, tribal, territorial, national and international governments and various public, non-profit, and private and health-related organizations. Establishes systematic methods for program execution and advocacy that includes the identification of objectives, evaluation criteria, and legal and regulatory compliance requirements.	
Serves as the principal program representative and provides program expertise, guidance, and leadership on unusually difficult and complex programs. Provides comprehensive technical, administrative, and management advice and guidance on program activities that are extremely broad and diverse and are carried out by a large staff usually organized in multiple operating echelons. Formulates program strategies including goals, priorities, operating policies, and evaluation methods and approaches. Carries out long range planning and evaluation. 
Conducts assessments, compliance reviews and negotiates and approves corrective actions, as needed.  Monitors program compliance requirements and recommends approval or disapproval of existing or proposed program activities or expansions. Prepares reports of findings and recommendations.
Reviews congressional and legislative actions; assesses impact on public health program activities, initiatives, and policies; and initiates action accordingly. When warranted, drafts testimonies, policies, responses to inquiries, and/or financial statements for use in hearings and executives reviews, and to address concerns by grantees, contractors, and other concerned citizens. Represents the program or function on intra- and inter-agency task forces, committees, etc.
Serves as a representative to professional organizations in order to gain cooperation from these groups. The incumbent must be persuasive in bringing about such cooperation and effective in negotiating problems and coordinating implementation of programs.

Budget, Cooperative Agreements, Contracts and Grants Management - __________%

Manages and oversees funding/budgets and a variety of grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, and other awards including initiation, administration, award, monitoring, evaluation, coordination, and close-out. Maintains a critical role with officials in formulating and implementing policy pertaining to the planning, management, and evaluation of a variety of grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, and other awards. Reviews and approves applications for grant assistance, proposed revisions, supplemental requests, and/or other changes. Formulates policies, plans, and programs to ensure fund expenditures. Assesses activities to determine funding requirements, needs, and statutory and regulatory compliance. Recommends alternatives for accomplishing and meeting program objectives. Exercises approval authority for authorized expenditures and fund appropriations.

Performs other duties as assigned.

FES FACTOR LEVELS

Factor 1.  Knowledge Required by the Position 			Level 1-8, 1550 pts

Expert knowledge of the assigned public health program that includes the theories, concepts, principles, practices, methods, and techniques of public health program administration to: provide the most comprehensive technical, administrative and management advice and assistance to the largest and most complicated local, State, tribal or territorial jurisdictions, or national/international public health programs.

Skill to resolve especially difficult, critical, controversial, and precedent setting matters, questions, problems, and issues; take actions that significantly affect general public health policies and overall program application; develop approaches and solutions that accommodate urgent social and economic concerns; develop and apply new program methods, approaches, and technology or the extension, revision, and adaptation of existing methodology to new and unusual situations; assess legislation and the impact on public health program activities, initiatives, and policies; and/or develop and interpret complex policies and strategies to meet new and novel conditions and improve or overcome shortfalls and deficiencies.

Knowledge of agency program goals and objectives and the relationship with other programs and key functions internal or external to the agency to define requirements, integrate program activities, assess impact, and/or make decision on use of resources.

Knowledge of the policies, procedures, and regulations to manage and oversee funds and a variety of grants, cooperative agreements, and awards.

Knowledge of team management techniques to plan, organize, and direct team activities.

Knowledge of budgeting methods and techniques to prepare analyses and estimates of resource needs.

Knowledge of oral communication techniques to make presentations, provide program consultation, and respond to inquiries.

Knowledge of written communications to prepare responses for inquiries, reports, and proposals.

Knowledge of interpersonal relationship practices to meet and deal with persons of diverse backgrounds.

General knowledge and familiarity with the health problems and customs, culture, mannerisms, etc., of the foreign country when working overseas. 

Factor 2.  Supervisory Controls 					 Level 2-4, 450 pts

Works under general supervision from the supervisor who sets the goals and objectives. Employee works independently, planning and carrying out the methods to be used. Sets priorities and keeps the supervisor apprised out any problems or difficulties. Work is reviewed in terms of overall effectiveness and attainment of program objectives.

Factor 3.  Guidelines 						 Level 3-4, 450 pts

Guidelines consist of basic legislation, governmental regulations, broad policy statements, general administrative and management policies, recent developmental results, and findings and approaches of public health organizations. Guidelines tend to lack specificity for many applications and are often insufficient to resolve highly complex or unusual work problems. The advisor must use experienced judgment and initiative to modify and extend accepted principles and practices in the development of solutions to problems where available precedents are not directly applicable. 

Factor 4.  Complexity 						 Level 4-5, 325 pts

The work includes varied duties requiring many different and unrelated processes and methods involving the administration of unusually difficult and complex operating public health programs in local, State, tribal, territorial, Federal and/or international governments. The program size, funding, population served, incidence of (or potential for) public health outbreak, emerging policy issues, changing needs, and integration and reconciliation with the missions and functions other government and nongovernmental endeavors considerably complicate the responsibilities of the public health advisor. At this level, the advisor’s conclusions, recommendations, and determinations often result in official positions or obligate substantial program resources that are conspicuous to the general public. Decisions regarding what needs to be done are often impacted by the social, cultural, economic, governmental, political, and other features of the environmental settings and include major areas of uncertainty in approach, methodology, or interpretation and evaluation processes. The work frequently requires the development of new operational policies, practices, methods, and techniques to accommodate urgent public health needs of large populations and the public health efforts of local, State, tribal, territorial and/or international governments or agencies.

Factor 5.  Scope and Effect 						Level 5-4, 225 pts

The purpose of the work is to serve as a principal representative for a complex public health program and to resolve pervasive health-related problems and issues that are usually characterized as controversial, unconventional, or novel. The work substantially contributes to program effectiveness.

Factor 6.  Personal Contacts  					 Level 6-3, 60 pts

Personal contacts are with representatives from other Federal, State, local, tribal and or territorial governments, Congress, private industry, media, other federal agencies, bureau and agency executives, members of the community in the assigned area, and/or foreign representatives and officials. Due to the nature of work, elements of adversary relationship may exist that require the employee to exercise initiative, persistence, tact, and resourcefulness in establishing and continuing work relationship and gaining the confidence, support and compliance of those contacted.

Factor 7.  Purpose of Contacts  					 Level 7-3, 120 pts

The purpose of contacts is to provide technical assistance and consultation, evaluate program activity, and to influence and motivate individuals or groups to comply with critical matters affecting the delivery of public health programs. The employee may encounter resistance and must be skillful in approaching the individual or group to obtain the desired effect.

Factor 8.  Physical Demands 					 Level 8-1, 5 pts

The work is generally performed in an office on-site or at the site of the public health program. There may be some walking, standing or bending, and carrying of small and light objects.

Factor 9.  Work Environment					Level 9-1, 5 pts

The environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated.

TOTAL POINTS:  3190