Clarification from the agency

Current permanent employees of the VA Maine Healthcare System, Togus VA Medical Center, Augusta, ME facility only including permanent Veterans Canteen Service employees, current permanent full-time Hybrid Title 38 and permanent full-time Title 38 employees.

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The incumbent serves as the Supervisory Chaplain professional performing supervisory and senior clinical assignments for the VHA. The incumbent provides comprehensive religious, spiritual, and pastoral care to all persons that are commensurate with the needs, desires, and voluntary consent of the Veteran, caregiver, or staff. The incumbent addresses the spiritual component of health and wellness in every patient care setting to ensure that pastoral care is fully integrated into all aspects of chaplain services.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Serves as the Supervisory Chaplain professional providing comprehensive, religious ministry services to Veteran patients according to their specific needs and desires. Provides thorough guidance and advice to Chaplain Service management staff, other Chaplains, and other stakeholders.
• Provides supervision for the chaplaincy program of a major faith ministry which is highly integrated into VHA's Chaplain program. Manages and supervises the full spectrum of chaplaincy service operations. Supervises non-supervisory and supervisory professional staff at the GS-11 level or below.
• Performs supervisory and non-supervisory assignments consisting of significant scope, complexity, difficulty, and variety. Supervises the professional practice of all facility chaplains and provides chaplaincy services and programming.
• Manages and oversees all religious and spiritual care and provides counsel to facility leadership concerning religious expression. Develops local policy, productivity, and clinical practice standards.
• Oversees a chaplaincy program at this level is carefully integrated throughout the total care and treatment program to further the mission of the VHA facility. Oversees pastoral ministry, including intensive pastoral counseling, close integral working relationships with other staff disciplines, and active community liaison.
• Serves as a Supervisory Chaplain expert participant with other specialists as a fully recognized member of an interdisciplinary treatment team (IDT).
• Engages with other program heads and the VHA facility's administrator in decision making conferences concerning policies, practices, and regulations affecting the care and treatment program of the facility.
• Develops one or more subprograms (training, research, community relationships, or religious education if in relationship to the intensive overall treatment program), to advance the religious program and the mission of the medical facility.
• Provides supervision with full responsibility for assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff, recommendation of awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions.
• Plans work to be accomplished by subordinates, establishes and adjusts short-term priorities, and prepares schedules for completion of work. Assigns work to subordinates based on priorities, selective consideration of the difficulty and requirements of assignments, and the capabilities of employees.
• Supervises all administrative functions of the department, such as clinical practice, program management, education, human resource management, budget management, development of policy, and clinical practice standards.
• Aligns local chaplaincy services and programming with the strategic goals and objectives of all levels of the agency, department, or organization.
• Ensures compliance with chaplaincy practice, policy, and accreditation standards across the continuum of health care.
• Provides consultation to facility leadership, managers, and other staff on all religious expression and spiritual care.
• Establishes performance and productivity metrics and productivity outcomes, organizational plans, and staff development issues. Ensures compliance with agency and accreditation requirements and sets the strategic direction of the service.
• Ensures various complex assignments are carried out in a pluralistic environment, which encompasses sensitivity to the religious needs of many separate religious denominations and faith groups.
• Uses effective skills in interpersonal relationships including conflict resolution and skills to work collaboratively with managers from other parts of the medical facility.
• Provides guidance and support for patients to express values through processes such as life review, oral history, and end of life preparation and documentation. Maintains records and appropriately documents chaplaincy care services in the Electronic Health Record Management (EHRM) system/Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) through either service approved template or Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan (SOAP) note format.

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.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• 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 dentification 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).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENTS. To qualify for appointment as a chaplain, applicants meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:

a. Citizenship. Citizen of the United States (U.S.)

b. Education. Applicants must possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational qualifications as evidenced by a graduate-level theological degree from a college, university or theological school accredited by a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

NOTE: For applicants who do not possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational degree, an approved educational equivalency review from a nationally recognized board certification body for chaplains is acceptable.

c. Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). Applicants must have completed four units of CPE from a CPE center that is accredited by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

d. Ecclesiastical Endorsement. In accordance with 38 C.F.R. 17.655, ecclesiastical endorsement is a condition of employment as a VA chaplain. An individual must possess and maintain a full and active ecclesiastical endorsement to be employed as a VA chaplain. Applicants must have an ecclesiastical endorsement, dated within the past 12 months. Ecclesiastical endorsements must be from the official national endorsing authority of the applicant's/employee's faith group or denomination. Ecclesiastical endorsement is a written official statement, by the official national endorsing body of the faith group or denomination, certifying that the applicant is in good standing with the applicant's faith group or denomination; and stating that the individual is, in the opinion of the endorsing body, qualified to perform the full range of ministry required in the VA pluralistic setting. Loss of endorsement will result in removal from the GS-0060 Chaplain series and may result in termination of employment. The National Chaplain Service maintains a list of approved endorsing organizations at: https://www.patientcare.va.gov/chaplain/Employment_Information_and_Resources.asp.

e. Board Certification. Applicants must be a Board Certified Chaplain certified by the Board of Chaplaincy Certification Inc. (BCCI) or nationally recognized certification body that utilizes the BCCI Common Qualifications and Competencies for Professional Chaplaincy or a certifying organization that has a reciprocity agreement with BCCI.

f. Loss of Endorsement or Certification. Chaplains must maintain ecclesiastical endorsement and board certification. Loss of endorsement or board certification will result in removal from the GS-0060 Chaplain occupation and may result in termination of employment.

g. English Language Proficiency. Chaplains must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).

GRADE REQUIREMENT. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates:

(a) Experience. At this level, the candidate must possess one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level that is directly related to the position to be filled.

(b) Assignment. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty) and variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. The supervisory chaplain at this level typically has responsibility for management of a small to moderately complex chaplain service. The supervisory chaplain is responsible for the professional practice of all facility chaplains and provision of chaplaincy services and programming. The supervisory chaplain provides supervision to professional and non-professional staff at the GS-12 or below. The supervisory chaplain has full responsibility for managing and supervising all aspects of chaplaincy service operations including clinical practice, program management, education, human resource management and supervision of the service. The supervisory chaplain is responsible for oversight and management of all religious and spiritual care and provides counsel to facility leadership concerning religious expression. The supervisory chaplain may supervise nonsupervisory and supervisory personnel and is responsible for chaplaincy practice including all administrative functions of the department, such as budget management, development of policy and clinical practice standards, development and oversight of service programming, establishing and ensuring performance and productivity metrics and outcomes, planning and organizational development, ensuring compliance with agency and accreditation requirements and setting the strategic direction of the service. The supervisory chaplain ensures the right of free exercise of religion and protects against proselytizing. The supervisory chaplain maintains chapel space and oversees distribution of space, inventory, and resources needed for the provision of spiritual care, education, and programming. The supervisory chaplain assesses spiritual and religious needs of the organization and ensures the religious needs of patients are met through partnerships with community religious leaders and organizations, and community, state and Federal agencies.

(c) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
i. Knowledge of administrative, personnel, resource management and strategic planning for chaplaincy and chaplain pastoral education programs.
ii. Ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties which include responsibility for assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff and recommendation of awards, advancements and disciplinary actions.
iii. Skill in interpersonal relationships including conflict resolution and ability to work collaboratively with managers from other departments.
iv. Ability to develop local policy, productivity and clinical practice standards.
v. Ability to align local chaplaincy services and programming with the strategic goals and objectives of all levels of the agency, department or organization.
vi. Ability to ensure compliance with chaplaincy practice, policy and accreditation standards across the continuum of health care.
vii. Skill in providing consultation to facility leadership, managers and other staff on all religious expression and spiritual care.

References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G67
Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.
This position is above the full performance level of GS-11 per VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G67.

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 MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

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.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

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.