Executive Director Strategic Planning

Summary

The Executive Director (ED) Strategic Planning serves as the principal advisor to VHA leadership on strategy, foresight capabilities, and innovations investments across the VHA enterprise. The ED Strategy reports directly to the Associate Deputy Under Secretary for Health (ADUSH). The incumbent is responsible for developing policy, innovation and modernization strategies, and evidence-based strategic investment management frameworks.

Duties

The responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Provides executive leadership and strategic oversight for the Strategy, Innovation and Modernization, and Strategic Investment Management components. Responsible for developing and maintaining a comprehensive policy framework exists to advance innovative, modernized healthcare delivery. Ensures that component functions and programs are effectively implemented by the 140 employees within the incumbent's span of control. Maintains strategic alignment with the Under Secretary for Health, Deputy Under Secretary for Health, Associate Deputy Under Secretary for Health, Medical Operations Center (MOC), and Community Care Hub through continuous communication channels that enable coordinated decision-making, policy development, and implementation strategies to address short- and long-term priorities, address issues and trends, and support consistent execution across VHA's health care delivery system. Collaborates with the ED for Discovery, Education, and Affiliate Networks, ED for Health Information Technology, and the ED of Clinical Operations within the MOC to ensure an integrated workflow exists for innovation funding, pilot administration, pilot evaluation, and system-wide implementation across the enterprise. Develops VHA's Strategic Planning framework, ensuring VHA strategic plans at all levels of the organization include short and long-term goals, objectives, and priorities consistent with VA's and VHA's mission, strategies, and goals. Collaborates with the VHA strategic divisions and component leadership to ensures program functions are effectively implemented and promotes an environment focused on long-term operational and technological stability. Coordinates the synthesization of clinical, operational, financial, technological, and policy considerations into a cohesive strategic direction. Provides executive and strategic oversight to the Strategy component. Provides strategic foresight capabilities by leveraging predictive analytics and emerging health care intelligence to anticipate future system demands and strengthen evidence-based decision making. Integrates insights into enterprise strategy to ensure the organization remains adaptive, resilient and prepared for future health care challenges. Provides executive and strategic oversight to the Innovation and Modernization component. Oversees the modernization of business processes, infrastructure, and enterprise systems to enhance efficiency, quality, and patient experience. Promotes a culture of continuous improvement, evidence-based innovation, and accountable experimentation. Ensures integration of clinical, operational, digital, workforce, and infrastructure strategies into a cohesive enterprise framework. Provides executive and strategic oversight to the Strategic Investment Management component. Ensures strategic planning efforts are supported by robust governance structures, clear policy frameworks, and disciplined investment oversight, enabling coordinated execution, and measurable progress toward enterprise-wide modernization. Defines clear roles, authorities, and accountability mechanisms to ensure strategic investments are prioritized, sequenced, and monitored for mission impact and return value. Provides oversight and accountability for effective financial and budgetary management including preparation of VHA inputs to the Department Annual Budget Submission. Develops a balanced financial and business plan to administer a $40M+ budget. Oversees administrative office functions such as human resource actions and budget, as necessary to manage the mission, and directs and supervises assigned staff. Manages staff resources, human resource functions, and allocation of funding for professional development to ensure alignment with organizational needs.

Qualifications and evaluation

Once the application process is complete, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be conducted. If you meet minimum qualifications, your Application Package will be further reviewed to determine if you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Technical Qualifications (MTQ) listed above. ECQs and TQs must be thoroughly addressed within your two (2) page resume. Separate narratives will not be accepted or reviewed. Highly Qualified applicants may undergo one or more interviews and may be referred to the selecting official for further consideration. Upon selection, if not already a member of the SES serving under a career appointment, the individual selected must have his/her executive qualifications certified by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB) before appointment to this position. The selected individual's application will be forwarded to the OPM for review and certification by the QRB, unless the selectee provides evidence of their noncompetitive status (i.e., a current SES, OPM QRB certified SESCDP graduate, or SES reinstatement eligible). Upon QRB certification, the selected individual will be required to serve a one-year probationary period. For more information regarding the SES, go to https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/.

Education

If you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, an official transcript or equivalent will be required if you are selected. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov)

How to apply

Your complete application must be received by 11:59 pm EST on the closing date, 09/18/2026. Please read all instructions before you begin. To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application. Follow the prompts to select and upload your résumé and/or other required documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the "Include Personal Information" section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process. You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. It is applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and uploaded, (i.e., resume and other required documents) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. Application packages will NOT be accepted via mail. Due to security processes, mail delivery takes approximately 2-3 weeks to process at which time the vacancy announcement will be closed, and no further consideration will be given to additional application packages.

Required documents

A complete application includes items described below. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible). Please carefully review the following list to determine what documentation you need to submit. Some documents may not apply to all applicants. 1. RESUME: All applicants are required to submit a resume limited to two (2) pages showing all relevant experience. Your resume must address your technical and executive core qualifications for the position, and it may not exceed two (2) pages. Your 2-page (or less) resume must be in PDF format, with no smaller than a 1" margin and no smaller than a 10-point font. If you submit a resume that exceeds the two-page limit and/or does not meet the margin or font limitations stated herein, you will be deemed ineligible for this position and will receive no further consideration. 2. VACANCY QUESTION/ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSES: Responses are automatically submitted through USA Jobs when you apply to this vacancy. 3. ADDITIONAL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: Applicants are required to submit the following supporting documentation for non-competitive consideration, if applicable: CURRENT OR FORMER SES MEBERS: Must provide your SES appointment SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action), and an SF-50 showing current career SES status or career SES reinstatement eligibility. SES CANDIDATE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (SESCDP) GRADUATES: Verification of successful completion of an OPM-approved SESCDP and OPM SES QRB certification. Non-Competitive Consideration: You are considered a non-competitive applicant if you are a current career Senior Executive, graduate of a Senior Executive Service (SES) Candidate Development Program (CDP) or an individual with SES reinstatement eligibility and your ECQs have been certified by the OPM QRB. You may be considered non-competitively for appointment to this position if you meet the mandatory technical qualifications requirements. You must clearly state your status in your resume. Proof of non-competitive eligibility is required. The agency has the option of considering you non-competitively or including you in the competitive process. DO NOT SUBMIT ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Extraneous materials not listed in required documents, such as written narratives, letters of recommendation, award certificates, etc. will not be considered.

Additional information

Veteran Preference does not apply to the Senior Executive Service.: https://www.opm.gov/faqs/topic/Senior-Executive-Service/index.aspx. Drug Testing: All applicants tentatively selected for VA Senior Executive Service employment in any position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment and will be subject to random testing thereafter. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Mobility: Organizational and geographical mobility is essential in developing and managing SES leaders. Individuals selected for SES positions may be subject to reassignment across geographical, organizational, and functional lines, and may be required to sign a Reassignment Rights and Obligation Agreement. VA structures its SES positions into pay bands. This is a pay band 1 position and the salary range is $151,661 to $228,000. The categories are based on the position scope, breadth, functions, and placement within the structure of organizational levels across the Department/Agency. Exceptions to the cap of the range may be considered in certain circumstances. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement: http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/index.cfm Employment Information Resources - Resource Center: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to Males born after 12-31-1959 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx) OPM must authorize any employment offers made to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employees in the executive branch. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Noncareer SES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose that to the Human Resources Office.