Physician - Chief Quality Officer

Summary

The Chief Quality Officer (CQO) is a visionary leader responsible for advancing the organization's mission to achieve excellence in clinical quality outcomes, patient safety, and value-based care. The CQO drives strategic alignment, fosters a culture of high reliability and Just Culture, and embeds safe, reliable processes throughout healthcare delivery.

Duties

• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 50-55 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year and possible 5 day paid absence for CME) Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory CME: Possible $1,000 per year reimbursement (must be full-time with board certification) Malpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided Contract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting Duties to include but not limited to: Strategic Leadership Sets the Vision: Aligns quality objectives with the organization's mission and strategic goals, establishing measurable targets and communicating a long-term quality strategy that drives continuous improvement Promotes Value-Based Care: Ensures quality initiatives support value-based care, optimizing outcomes, cost efficiency, and patient satisfaction Champions Innovation: Leads the adoption of evidence-based practices and quality management systems (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma, ISO 9001) to foster innovation and operational excellence Collaboration & Integration Catalyzes Cross-Functional Engagement: Leads multidisciplinary teams-including Quality Data SAIL, Infection Control, Surgical Quality, Informatics, and Executive Leadership-to drive system-wide quality and safety initiatives Partners Across the Enterprise: Collaborates with the Chief of Staff, Medical Director, Quality Management, physicians, hospital leadership, and external stakeholders to integrate quality programs throughout the healthcare system Engages External Stakeholders: Builds relationships with regulatory bodies, community partners, and academic affiliates to benchmark and advance quality standards Continuous Improvement & Innovation Fosters a Culture of Learning: Champions continuous improvement, encourages reporting of errors and near-misses, and leads system-level improvements Leverages Data Analytics: Uses performance metrics, analytics, and regular audits to inform strategic decisions and monitor progress Implements Quality Management Systems: Oversees the selection, integration, and evaluation of quality management systems, ensuring compliance and effectiveness Accountability & Transparency Ensures Regulatory Compliance: Maintains compliance with all relevant local, national, and international regulations, proactively managing risk and maintaining transparent reporting to senior leadership, boards, and external agencies Promotes Just Culture: Fosters psychological safety, encourages open communication, and leads improvements focused on system reliability rather than individual blame Operationalizes Accountability: Oversees departmental staff activities, ensuring quality, productivity, and operational excellence Operational Excellence Oversees Quality Assurance & Risk Management: Directs quality assurance, risk management, patient safety, and performance improvement programs, including compliance, audits, and corrective actions Manages Resources: Responsible for employee engagement, staffing levels, budget compliance, hiring, termination, coaching, and policy development Establishes Priorities & Standards: Sets functional standards to deliver superior service and achieve high patient satisfaction Workforce Development Develops Staff Competencies: Leads educational initiatives, promotes engagement, and sustains a high-performing, quality-focused workforce Mentors & Advises: Functions as an advisor, administrator, educator, consultant, and mentor, possessing a wide range of experience and leadership ability Participates in Committees: Actively participates in committees, educates medical staff, and serves as a liaison to maintain a competent and engaged workforce Impact & Influence Influences Organizational Mission: Executes leadership characterized by substantial and continuous responsibility for population groups or integrated programs that cross services and discipline lines, influencing the organizational healthcare mission Establishes Standards & Policies: Contributes ideas and recommendations for the establishment of standards of care, policies, and objectives for the enhancement of quality management organization-wide Promotes Equity & Inclusion: Advocates for equitable care and addresses disparities in quality and safety outcomes. Work Schedule: 8:00am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must meet the basic requirements as well as any additional requirements (if applicable) listed in the job announcement. Applicants pending the completion of training or license requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Currently employed physician(s) in VA who met the requirements for appointment under the previous qualification standard at the time of their initial appointment are deemed to have met the basic requirements of the occupation. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Degree of doctor of medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in allopathic medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from one of the schools approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the year in which the course of study was completed. Current, full and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. Residency Training: Physicians must have completed residency training, approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an accredited core specialty training program leading to eligibility for board certification. (NOTE: VA physicians involved in academic training programs may be required to be board certified for faculty status.) Approved residencies are: (1) Those approved by the accrediting bodies for graduate medical education, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or American Osteopathic Association (AOA), in the list published for the year the residency, or fellowship if applicable, was completed; OR (2) One year of post medical school training (internship, first year of residency, or transitional year residency) approved by ACGME or AOA followed by two years of post-training independent practice (performing under a full and unrestricted license) in the United States; OR (3) Non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of three years of verified independent practice in the United States (performing under a full and unrestricted license) performing duties related to the position they are applying for (United States fellowships would be creditable towards this requirement), which the local Medical Staff Executive Committee deems to have provided the applicant with appropriate professional training and believes has exposed the Physician to an appropriate range of patient care experiences. Exceptions: Residents currently enrolled in ACGME/AOA accredited residency training programs and who would otherwise meet the basic requirements for appointment are eligible to be appointed as "Physician Resident Providers" (PRPs). PRPs must be fully licensed physicians (i.e., not a training license) and may only be appointed on an intermittent basis. PRPs are not considered independent practitioners and will not be privileged; rather, they are to have a "scope of practice" that allows them to perform certain restricted duties under supervision. Additionally, surgery residents in gap years may also be appointed as PRPs. In rare and unusual circumstances, the Facility Director can submit a memo to the VISN Director through the VISN Chief Medical Officer, who may approve requests for reasonable exceptions to the residency training requirement for Physicians whose composite record of experience, accomplishments, performance, and qualifications warrant such action. Proficiency in spoken and written English. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

Requirements

U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). You may be required to serve a probationary period. Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

Education

Degree of Doctor of Medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in allopathic medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from an institution whose accreditation was in place for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are: Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted. Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) for the year in which the degree was granted. For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, confirmation must be made that the medical school meets (or met) Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) eligibility requirement for year graduated. NOTE: The Under Secretary of Health or designee in the VHA Central Office may approve the appointment under authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 of a physician graduate of a school of medicine not covered above if the candidate is to be assigned to a research, academic, or administrative position with no patient care responsibilities. The appointment will be made only in exceptional circumstances where the candidate's credentials clearly demonstrate high professional attainment or expertise in the specialty area.

How to apply

To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. To apply for this position online, complete steps 1 and 2 above by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/22/2026 to receive consideration. Please note, this announcement may close prior to the closing date indicated if the position is filled through other means. If you are unable to apply online before the closing date click here and include the CBTF-13067574-26-AP in the Notes field. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.