Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. Open to current permanent Department of Veterans Affairs employees, current permanent Federal employees of other agencies and all US Citizens.

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The incumbent supervises a group of employees performing work at various GS levels up to a GS 12 and provides administrative, technical, and clinical supervision necessary for accomplishing the work of the unit.

Assigned duties include but are not limited to:

• Have established guidelines and performance expectations for staff, clearly communicated through the formal employee performance management systems.
• Observes workers' performance ; demonstrates and conducts work performance critiques. Provides informal feedback and periodically evaluates employee performance.
• Develops work improvement plans, recommending personnel actions as necessary. Reviews and approves or disapproves leave request.
• Assures that subordinates are trained and fully comply with the provisions of safety regulations.
• Performs a wide range of services and provides technical assistance to state, local, and private agencies.
• Uses sound judgement in the interpretation of trends and patterns; the application of guidelines; and the recommendation of program enhancements.
• Performs work related to the review, monitoring, analysis, planning and assessment of various programs. The Social Work Supervisor collects, develops and analyzes data using appropriate clinical indicators and monitoring activities to ensure that care provided adheres to VA and Joint Commission standards.
• Collaborates with interdisciplinary teams in the provision of comprehensive health services to Veterans receiving care in the community and ensures equity of access, service, and benefits to this population.
• Required to have specialized knowledge regarding biopsychosocial issues, the death and dying process, suicide prevention, evidence based treatment for mental health services, crisis intervention, care coordination and discharge planning, community resource management and understanding of specialized benefits.
• Works independently, providing clinical supervision to staff who are providing treatment and case management services at an advanced practice level.
• Functions as a liaison between community institutions and the VA Medical Center providing consultation and assistance regarding referrals to the VA for both medical and mental health treatment.
• Demonstrate the ability to expand clinical knowledge in the profession, provide consultation and guidance to colleagues, orientation and supervision of subordinates within the department.
• Provide supervision for Social Work licensure or certification.
• Provide support to the Non-Institutional Care contract services.
• Provide support and oversee the hospital notification team for adherence to regulations, coordination, and discharge planning. Cases include emergency room, inpatient hospitalization, and compact act cases.
• Required to maintain a caseload in any/all Care in the Community programs.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 7:30a-4:00p or 8:00a-4:30p
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
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)
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 25167-F
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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: You must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)
• Education and/or Experience Combination: You must possess 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. Note: A doctoral degree in Social Work may NOT be substituted for the master's degree in Social Work.
• License or Certification: You must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level.
  • Exception - For assignments at the GS-9 level, VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations. VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent, master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker.

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:

• Experience/Education: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills in a specialty area or in administration demonstrating progressively more professional competency and judgment. Candidate 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.
  • Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to: Having significant personnel management responsibilities for a small to moderate sized professional and non-professional staff, including support staff and professional staff at the GS-12 grade level (or equivalent) and below; responsible for the professional and administrative management of an area in a social work service, in a care/product line, or multiple facilities; providing direct clinical services with or without program coordination responsibilities. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills in a specialty area or in administration demonstrating progressively more professional competency and judgment.
• In addition to the experience above, you must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
  1. Ability to independently organize work, set priorities, and meet multiple deadlines.
  2. Skill in a range of supervisory duties which includes clinical supervision, consultation, negotiation with other departments and quality improvement.
  3. Ability to ensure provision of clinical social work services by supervised social workers.
  4. Ability to delegate authority, manage priorities, coordinate work, and follow up on pending issues to complete duties in an accurate and timely fashion.
  5. Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems, develop and implement solutions that result in efficient operations, and use data effectively to manage workload, quality, performance, and productivity within the service.
  6. Ability to provide staff training and development.

Preferred Experience: Experience with GEC (Geriatrics and Extended Care) programs to include Community Nursing Homes, Home Health Aid, State Veterans Homes, and Residential Care.

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-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-13.

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.