Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. Open to current employees of the Fayetteville VA Coastal Health Care System

Videos

VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU
VA Careers - Licensed Clinical Social Worker: https://youtube.com/embed/U_xC25QsN0w
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

A. General Management:

a. Actively participates in the development of overall management objectives and philosophies necessary for the attainment of optimum efficiency in providing health care to the veteran population. b. Provides input, advice, and counsel for FNCVACHCS planning, programming, budgeting, and general administration.
c. Assists in managing a large, diverse service line that provides health care services central to the mission of FNCVACHCS.
d. Establishes BHSL staff objectives congruent with and reflective of the philosophy and objectives of the VA Central Office.
e. Develops BHSL programs as assigned, long-range and short-term goals and programs required to meet stated objectives; and directs the planning and operations of the BHSL to complement attainment of the established goals and objectives.
f. Formulates policies and operating procedures, ensuring compliance with VA regulations, statutes and the standards of requirements of various internal and external reviews and accrediting bodies.
g. Analyzes and evaluates the effectiveness of existing BHSL programs in meeting established program goals and objectives at BHSL as assigned.
h. Develops plans for organizational changes accordingly. Thoroughly evaluates proposed program changes, operating procedures and delegations of authority to ascertain impact on current program operations and on the VISN and FNCVACHCS operations.
i. Participates as a leader on various boards and committees, and as a Deputy Service Chief, shares responsibilities with the other clinical services for implementation of national and local directives.

B. Performance Management:
a. Participates in making major decisions affecting the basic content and character of the operations of programs.

These decisions involve matters such as:
i. Determining which program elements should be initiated, dropped, curtailed or emphasized; ii. How many resources should be deployed;
iii. The time of curtailing, initiating, and changing program elements;
iv. Basic program planning and evaluation activities;
v. Evaluation of program goals and objectives; vi. Decisions on organizational structure and delegated responsibility; vii. Measures for improving coordination among subordinate units, and control measures to provide data for management;
viii. Decisions which have an impact on relationships with other programs and units and which may have the potential for negative media coverage;
ix. Decisions regarding ways to substantially reduce operating costs without impairing overall operations, such as reduction of average length of stay on inpatient programs.

b. Reviews information pertaining to the BHSL programs from a variety of sources (e.g., Federal, state and local, including Veterans Health Administration, The Joint Commission, Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, National Association of Social Workers, Society of Social Work Administrators in Health Care of the American Hospital Association, etc.) and identifies requirements which must be expressed in health care system written policies and procedures, assists with development of action plans and compliance standards applicable to Behavioral Health Service or assigns tasks to subordinates to ensure their completion.

c. To ensure effective and efficient utilization of medical center resources, is responsible for independently performing such activities as internal reviews, data collection, reviewing and analyzing reports, reviewing contracts, evaluating staff performance

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
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)

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.
• 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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

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.
• English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• Education. Have a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Graduates of schools of social work that are in candidacy status do not meet this requirement until the School of Social Work is fully accredited. A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the master's degree in social work. Verification of the degree can be made by going to http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work.
• Licensure. Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-0185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations: Social Worker (Program Manager), GS-14 (1) Experience and Education. One year of experience equivalent to the GS- 13 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency. Individual may have certification or other post-master's degree training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship, or equivalent supervised professional experience.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs: (2) Licensure/Certification. Individuals assigned as social worker program manager must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure. (a) Skill in large scale program coordination and administration across multiple sites, which includes consultation, negotiation, and monitoring.
(b) Ability to translate management goals and objectives into well-coordinated and controlled work operations. (c) Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems and to develop and implement solutions that result in sound operation of the program. (d) Ability to collaborate with internal and external partners to further program goals and enhance patient centered care. (e) Ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties which would include responsibility for assignment of work to be performed; performance evaluations; selection of staff, training, and recommendation of awards, advancements, and when appropriate, disciplinary action. (f) Ability to oversee the fiscal matters of the functions supervised (including fund controls, contracts, and equipment expenditures), forecast resource and equipment needs, and administer the allocated budget. (g) Skill in developing policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program and in participating in national program development. (h) Ability to collaborate with internal VHA partners, locally and on a national level, as well as external community partners to further program goals and enhance patient centered care.

Preferred Experience: 3 years of experience as a section chief, deputy chief, or chief of a service line.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-14. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-14 .

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.

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.