Clarification from the agency

OPEN TO CURRENT, PERMANENT EMPLOYEES OF THE JAMES H. QUILLEN VAMC ONLY NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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The Section Chief ensures collaboration and integration of services across Nursing, Mental Health, Primary Care, Pharmacy, Social Work, Homeless Services, and other specialties, while maintaining direct supervision authority over all MH RRTP staff.

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Plans, implements, and provides clinical and administrative oversight to Mental Health Residential Service Line activities, including requirements for staff, budget, equipment, and supplies.
• Has direct or indirect (through subordinate supervision) administrative, professional, and/or clinical supervision of subordinates.
• Oversight and coordination of a comprehensive multidisciplinary team.
• Directly responsible for four distinct programs within Residential, including: Homeless Programs, Psychosocial Recovery Treatment, Substance Use Disorders, Domiciliary Operations.
• Monitors and oversees Fund Control Points, as assigned.
• Seeks additional resources as warranted, with use of data-driven criteria in support of all requests.
• Ensures efficient operation for the Residential Programs within the Mental Health Service.
• Prepares special reports at the facility, VISN and CO level, Congressional responses, briefing papers, issue briefs, and decision papers for the medical center leadership, which can be highly sensitive, confidential, and complex in nature.
• Develop policies, standard operating procedures, performance standards, position descriptions, and functional statements for Mental Health Programs.
• Monitors the clinical performance of staff, conducts performance appraisals, and performs other clinical and administrative responsibilities to ensure that the mission of the service and the medical center has been satisfied. Sets training objectives for staff and delegate responsibilities to subordinate programs/sections.

Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 7:45am- 4:30pm
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)
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: Adhoc
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 61239F
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.
• 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 Requirement - Per VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, Paragraph 3j: No person will be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C., chapter 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English.
• Education - Candidates must 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 - Social workers 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 tohttp://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:

Experience: In additional to meeting the basic requirements as stated above, you must have the following:

GS-14 Level:

Experience: Must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgement, demonstrating progressively more professional competency. Individual may have certification or other post-masters 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. Must also be able to demonstrate all of the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities below:

1. Skill in large scale program coordination and administration across multiple sites, which includes consultation, negotiation, and monitoring.
2. Ability to translate management goals and objectives into well-coordinated and controlled work operations.
3. Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems and to develop and implement solutions that result in sound operation of the program.
4. Ability to collaborate with internal and external partners to further program goals and enhance patient centered care.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Skill in developing policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program and in participating in national program development.
8. 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.

Licensure/Certification: Social Work Program Managers must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level and must be able to provide supervision for licensure.

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.

Physical Requirements: All candidates must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation, without hazard to themselves or others. Candidates must meet the physical requirements outlined in Section II and Section VI of the OPM Operating Manual, Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions and must possess emotional and mental stability. The job is sedentary but requires movement throughout the medical center.

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.