Chief of Staff - NY Harbor Veterans Affairs

1. Executive Leadership of Clinical Care & Operations

The COS provides organizational leadership over clinical care across the facility, ensuring safe, high quality, and accessible care for Veterans. Duties include guiding clinical operations, coordinating patient care delivery, maximizing operational efficiency, resolving professional staff matters, and supporting organizational goals and mission.

2. Central Coordination of VHA Operations & Policy Implementation

At the national VHA level, the COS serves as the central coordination point for high level negotiations and implementation of policies, practices, and operational activities. The role includes management of executive correspondence, communications, legislative affairs, regulatory actions, and governance board activities.

3. Oversight of Clinical Services & Resource Management

The COS assists clinical services in delivering high quality care, manages clinical systems, monitors compliance with policy and regulatory requirements, and leads resource and budget stewardship. They also aim to provide services in-house when possible to support cost-effective care delivery.

4. Supervisory & Personnel Management Responsibilities

The COS supervises clinical leaders and staff, providing direction on work assignments, strategic planning, mentoring, employee relations, disciplinary processes, proficiencies, and overall personnel management functions.

5. High-Level Communication & Stakeholder Coordination

The COS coordinates and responds to information requests from VA leadership, the White House, Congress, Veterans Service Organizations, and other federal agencies. The COS ensures that VHA messaging is aligned with VA strategic direction and collaborates with major VA offices including OGC, OIG, OSVA, OPIA, and OM.

6. Governance, Strategic Planning & Performance Oversight

The COS is deeply engaged in organizational performance improvement, strategic planning, patient and employee satisfaction initiatives, environment of care reviews, and system-wide clinical performance monitoring.

7. Committee Leadership & Interdepartmental Collaboration

The COS frequently chairs facility committees and collaborates with Patient Representatives, clinical chiefs, and administrative partners to integrate actions affecting the Medical Center Director and overall organizational direction.

8. Regulatory Compliance, Policy Interpretation & Implementation

The COS ensures compliance with clinical, administrative, and regulatory standards and interprets how national policies impact local operations. They also support the implementation of major VA initiatives and respond to changes affecting clinical services and clinical staff governance.

9. Problem Resolution & Crisis Response

The COS is expected to be present or available to respond to emergencies, complex issues requiring clinical leadership, and high risk situations affecting patient care or facility operations.

10. Representation at Executive Levels

The COS serves as a senior advisor to the Medical Center Director and participates as a member of the Executive Senior Management team, influencing policy, planning, budget, operations, and departmental performance.