Clarification from the agency

This position is open to current, permanent employees of the Veterans Health Administration. If you are an external candidate, please apply through this announcement: CBTD-12947849-26-CB.

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This position is located within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMC), Chaplain Service (CS).

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-12 level or below.
• Manages a moderately complex to very complex chaplain service program with identified specialty chaplains working in (Hospice and Palliative Care, Suicide Prevention, Mental Health Residential and Outpatient programs, Substance Use Disorder Clinics, Cancer Treatment Clinics, Women's Health Clinics, Spinal Cord Injury Clinics, etc
• 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.
• Serves as the Supervisory Chaplain expert participant with other specialists as a fully recognized member of an interdisciplinary treatment team (IDT).
• 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.
• Gives advice, counsel, or instruction to employees on both work and administrative matters. Interviews candidates for positions in the unit; and recommends appointment, promotion, or reassignment to such positions.
• Ensures compliance with chaplaincy practice, policy, and accreditation standards across the continuum of health care.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: F1861
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Recruitment/Relocation Incentive Authorized.
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:

1. United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
2. English Language Proficiency:Chaplains must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)
3. 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 (see paragraph d) is acceptable
4. 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 that can be found here: National VA Chaplain Service SharePoint.
5. Board Certification: Certification. Applicants must be a Board-Certified Chaplain certified by BCCI ® or a U.S. certifying body that has a reciprocity agreement with BCCI ®. Board Certification that requires 4 units of CPE is qualifying. The National Chaplain Service maintains a list of approved certifications found on the National VA Chaplain Service SharePoint.
   • Note: Provisional or Associate or other status as a candidate for board certification does not meet the board certification requirement for the FPL GS-11 or above.
6. 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.

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

1. Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade. (GS-12)
2. Assignment: For all supervisory assignments the Chaplain must spend 25% or more of their time providing administrative and technical supervision and perform major duties above those at the FPL that consist of significant scope, complexity, difficulty, variety. 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 supervises professional and nonprofessional nonsupervisory and supervisory staff at the GS-12 grade level or below 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.
3. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
   1. Knowledge of administrative, personnel, and resource management and strategic planning for chaplaincy and chaplain pastoral education programs.
   2. 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.
   3. Skill in interpersonal relationships, including conflict resolution and ability to work collaboratively with managers from other departments.
   4. Ability to develop local policy, productivity and clinical practice standards.
   5. Ability to align chaplaincy services and programming with the strategic goals and objectives of the facility, VISN, and VHA.
   6. Ability to ensure compliance with chaplaincy practice, policy and accreditation standards across the continuum of health care.
   7. Skill in providing consultation to facility leadership, managers and other staff on all religious expression and spiritual 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.

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

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.