Clarification from the agency

This vacancy announcement is open ONLY to current, permanent Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employees and current/former VA employees who are CTAP eligible.

The Supervisory Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (Assistant Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Officer (AVREO) will supervise Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) staff within the Portland Regional Office (RO) and Portland RO out-based locations. The AVREO is responsible for the administration and workload management of the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Division, to assure that all performance goals in the areas of timeliness, accuracy, cost, customer satisfaction, and employee development are achieved. The duties of the AVREO include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Supervising VR&E staff at the out based locations and within the Regional Office;
• Ensuring the professional, technical, and administrative quality and timeliness of service meets VBA's organization goals;
• Developing familiarity with all phases of the VR&E division to interview claimants' in-person and to elicit information essential to resolve a concern and obtain necessary evidence allowing a pending claim to be properly adjudicated;
• Administering workload management of the Vocational Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Division, ensuring all performance goals of timeliness, accuracy, cost, customer satisfaction, and employee development are achieved;
• Technical expert in developing, awarding, implementing, and evaluating contracts to provide professional counseling, evaluation, case management, employment, and other services;
• Responsible for reviewing files for quality assurance, contributing to the development of reports, such as Systematic Analyses of Operations (SAO's), quarterly reports, congressional and IRS inquiries and white papers. The AVREO is supervised and Accountable to the Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment Officer (VREO), with consultation of the assistant VR&E officer;
• Collects accurate data relating to the various work activities in the Regional Office and/or out based offices, analyzes fluctuations, short- and long-term trends and achievements and/or failures in customer expectations;
• Prepares accurate reports and analysis as required by the VREO, including systematic analysis of operations (SAO's) and reports on special projects. The incumbent establishes internal controls to prevent fraud, waste, abuse and misappropriation of government funds and property;
• Identifies and recommends to the VREO, changes needed for improvement of operations or service and takes action as directed. The incumbent prepares a budget for travel funds for employees under their supervision and monitors the use of travel funds;
• Supports transitional processes required involving the selected components to the work division to meet balanced scorecard goals. Resolves informal complaints and grievances;
• Develops performance improvement plans, recommending personnel actions as necessary. Provides advice and counsel to employees related to work and administrative matters, effects disciplinary measures as appropriate to the authority delegated in this area. Reviews and approves/disapproves leave request;
• Observes workers' performance and demonstrates and conducts work performance critiques. Provides formal and informal feedback and periodically evaluates employee performance. Exercises supervisory authorities and responsibilities involving work assignments and reviews, as well as the administrative and personnel management functions relative to the staff supervised.

Promotion Potential: This position is being advertised at the full performance level.

Work Schedule: Standard 5 day, 8 hours, full time (40 hours a week) schedule; Hours may vary to effectively carry out the mission.
Telework: Available
Virtual: This is NOT a virtual position
Position Description Title/PD#: Supervisory Vocational Rehab Counselor (Assistant Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Officer)l 002760
Financial Disclosure Report: Required-Selectee will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-450, under 5 CFR 2634.904(a) prior to entering on duty and annually thereafter.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a Supervisory/Managerial probationary period
• Subject to background/security investigation

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement: 06/21/2022

1. 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. For a GS-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12 level. 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 you are a current VBA employee seeking reassignment or change to lower grade via this vacancy announcement, you must currently hold the GS-13 (or higher) and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least GS-13.

2. EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: To be eligible for this position, you must have one of the following degrees. Your application MUST include a transcript (not diploma) stating the degree has been conferred or that you have graduated.

• A master's degree in rehabilitation counseling; OR
• A master's degree in counseling psychology (or related field) supplemented by at least 30 semester hours of course work in a majority of the following areas (coursework MUST have an emphasis on vocational rehabilitation counseling): foundations of rehabilitation counseling, human growth and development, counseling theories and techniques, vocational assessment, career development, job placement, case management, and medical/psycho-social aspects of disability.

3. INTERNSHIP REQUIREMENT: Your degree must have included either an internship or experience as described below. The experience or internship/practicum must have been supervised by a professional in vocational rehabilitation or a closely related professional field that typically has oversight for vocational rehabilitation programs.

• An internship in rehabilitation counseling; OR
• One year post-masters degree experience in direct delivery of vocational rehabilitation services to adults with disabilities in rehabilitation programs (other than those in correctional facilities).

4. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREMENTS: In addition to the time-in-grade and education requirements, you must also meet the following grade-specific qualification requirements. NON-QUALIFYING EXPERIENCE: Vocational rehabilitation experience obtained prior to completion of the requirements for the master's degree is NOT qualifying. If one year of work experience is substituted for an internship, that year cannot also be used for qualifying experience. Specialized experience, is one year equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12), as follows:

Specialized Experience is documented experience that has provided a comprehensive knowledge of applicable laws affecting Veterans' testing and evaluation, rehabilitation, job development and job placement and full and complete knowledge of Chapters 18, 30, 31, 34, and 35 of Title 38, USC. Documented specialized experience will illustrate conducting, administering and advising in areas of education, training, counseling, and psychology affecting the entire field of VA's vocational rehabilitation and employment programs equivalent to the GS-12 grade level.

• Candidates must also have demonstrated in their work experience or training that they possess, or have the potential to develop, the qualities to successfully supervise subordinates/teams and to share responsibility for directing and supervising the administrative work necessary to manage a successful program operation.

SUPERVISORY/MANAGERIAL ABILITIES: Candidates must also demonstrate experience or training they possess, or have the potential to develop, the qualities of successful supervision as follows:

1) Assign to and review work of subordinates, train and work effectively with subordinates from a variety of backgrounds and with different levels/areas of training;
2) Accomplish the quality and quantity of work expected within set limits of cost and time;
3) Plan own work and carry out assignments effectively;
4) Communicate with others effectively both orally and in writing in working out solutions to problems or questions relating to the work;
5) Understand and further management goals as these affect day-to-day work operations; and
6) Develop improvements in, or design new work methods and procedures.

Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Full vs. Part-Time Employment: Full-time employment is considered to be at least 35 hours per week. Part-time experience will be credited on a pro-rated basis; when including part-time employment in your resume you must specify the average hours worked per week.

Physical Requirements: This work normally involves mental rather than physical exertion. This position is primarily sedentary with some walking, standing, bending, stooping and carrying of lightweight items (i.e. folders, claims files).

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

You will be rated on the following competencies based on your application for this position:

1. Accountability - Holds self and others accountable for measurable high-quality, timely, and cost effective results. Determines objectives, sets priorities, and delegates work. Accepts responsibility for mistakes. Complies with established control systems and rules.

2. Customer Service - Works and communicates with clients and customers (e.g., any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit provides, including individuals who work in your agency or in other agencies or organizations outside the Government) to satisfy their expectations. Committed to quality services.

3. Oral Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.

4. Technical Competence - Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on the job experience to perform one's job; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues.

5. Reasoning - Identifies rules, principles, or relationships that explain facts, data, or other information; analyzes information and makes correct inferences or draws accurate conclusions.

6. Writing - Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information (for example, facts, ideas, or messages) in a succinct and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material that is appropriate for the intended audience.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or an interview.