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Supervisory Social Services Assistant

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Office of Suicide Prevention (OSP), Veterans Crisis Line (VCL)

Summary

The employee will serve as a Supervisory Social Services Assistant, located in the Clinical Operations Department, Veteran's Crisis Line (VCL), Veteran's Affair (VA). The VCL is a 24-hour, 7-days-a-week, 365-days-a-year service aimed at connecting callers worldwide to a caring, qualified Veterans Administration employee. The VCL's mission is to provide 24/7, world-class suicide prevention and crisis intervention services to Veterans, Service Members and their family members.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted today · Apply in 2 days
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on July 2, 2026
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Not applicable, this is a remote position.
Remote job
Yes
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$61,722 - $100,315 per year

Salary will be adjusted upon selection, based on location.

Pay scale & grade
GS 9
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
25% or less - Travel required up to 25% of the time.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
Yes
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Other
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
CBZY-12991130-26-DL
Control number
874803900

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Open to current, permanent employees of the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) including Title 38 and Hybrid Title 38 employees covered by VA/OPM Interchange Agreements and those eligible under CTAP. This does not include temporary, term, or intermittent appointments. CTAP eligibles are current Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employees that are surplus or displaced from the VA. All others will be disqualified and not receive consideration.

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Duties

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Major duties include but are not limited to:

  • Assigns work to subordinates (included but not limited to facility transportation plans, rescues, and follow ups).
  • Reviews work completed by subordinates and conducts performance evaluations.
  • Makes the determination of when to forward cases to the Supervisory Health Science Specialist for clinical follow up.
  • Ensures agency policies, procedures, and practices are in compliance with federal, state and VA agency standards and guidelines.
  • Communicates changes to staff in regards to policy and procedure updates, Veterans Crisis Line changes, and info as needed.
  • Proposes and recommends process improvements for Veterans Crisis Line Social Services Assistants and Lead Social Services Assistants.
  • Investigates and responds to Veterans and community complaints and inquires.
  • Provides back up consultation for staff in emergency situations.
  • Monitors reports to ensure operational coverage of staffing is met.
  • Serves as the subject matter expert for SSA and LSSA training.
  • Ensures individual training requirements for all assigned staff are complete and current.
  • Responsible for staff metrics, dashboard reviews, and leadership reports.
  • Audits information such as data entry, supporting documentation, and chart maintenance and ensures accuracy.
  • Receives and provides collateral information to other agencies having a need to know as outlined in appropriate regulations.
Work Schedule: Varied work schedule to include evenings, nights, weekends and holidays to provide 24/7 call center coverage. Tour will be determined after final selections and will be based on seniority. Tour is subject to change based on program needs. Selectees will be expected to work all shifts.
Compressed/Flexible Work Schedule: Not available
Remote: This is remote position. Selectees will work 100% of the time in a non-VA-owned space outside of the local commuting area of a parent station. The employee's workspace must be suitable for conducting business and as such, remote employees are expected to provide a secure, distraction-free home-based worksite with reliable high speed internet connectivity. The employee will be required to travel to the closest VA Medical Center or VA Outpatient Clinic for issuance of equipment, and as needed for technical support. Selectees will be required to self-certify that their remote workplace meets all safety, privacy, and internet speed requirements.
Position Description/PD# : Supervisory Social Services Assistant/PD73154A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not required
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
This is not a bargaining unit position

Requirements

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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
  • To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. This includes completing the Supervisory Situational Judgement Test as part of the pre-certificate assessment process. The assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
  • 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 identification 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)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period 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 probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/02/2026.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-08. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.

English Language Proficiency: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position.

Social Services Aid and Assistant 0186 Series Individual Occupational Requirement: To qualify for positions within the Social Services Aid and Assistant 0186 Series, you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-08 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. For the 0186 series, examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to experience as a(n): Group leader in community or residential recreation or training programs; Counselor in a youth summer camp; Instructor in a training program for the development of job skills; Work that demonstrated the ability to be responsible for and to lead and train members of a job crew; Group activities leader in the Armed Services; Unit leader-monitor-proctor for a dormitory group in a boarding school or other residential facility; Aid or assistant to professional or specialist staff in such fields as personnel (private or government), employment guidance in a vocational or academic institution, social service, or manpower development; Aid or assistant to professional or associate staff engaged in work of a social services nature in private, public welfare, government program, or community organizations, or in voluntary activities; Aid or assistant to professional or specialist staff working with individuals who are addicted to or abuse alcohol and/or drugs.

Experience for Supervisory Social Services Assistant Position: In addition to the time-in-grade, language proficiency, and occupational requirement listed above, you must meet the experience and/or education described below to qualify for this position:

  • Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-08) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. In order to meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet at least 3 of the 5 following specialized experience requirements: Using data and information from a variety of software applications, and providing training to a call center team on the appropriate use of the applications; Communicating work assignments and deadlines to a call center team; Problem solve obstacles for a crisis hotline and establish procedures related to a call center; Identifying and linking emergency services to individuals in crisis; Relaying and/or communicating information to emergency services. OR,
  • Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. Applicants must possess a Master's Degree or have successfully completed two years of graduate-level education leading to a Master's Degree or equivalent graduate degree that is directly related to the work of this position that demonstrates my ability to perform the duties of this position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. One year of graduate study is usually considered to be 18 semester hours unless otherwise indicated by the school attended. OR,
  • Combination: Applicants may possess an equivalent combination of specialized experience and graduate education with courses directly related to the work of this position that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. (e.g., 6 months of specialized experience and 27 semester hours of graduate education).
You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
  • Managing Human Resources
  • Organizational Awareness
  • Planning and Evaluating
  • Teaching Others
  • Technical Competence

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.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary and requires no special physical demands.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.


Education

Transcript Reminder: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Transcripts must depict the name of the college to determine accreditation, and your name must also be displayed on the transcripts. If qualifying based on a degree, or for positions requiring a degree, the transcript must show the date the degree was conferred. If selected, you must provide official transcripts. Transcripts should state degree conferred and have a date. Copies of official transcripts are accepted and are the best way to ensure your education is interpreted correctly in accordance with OPM qualification standards. Unofficial transcripts are accepted if they contain all the required information.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

Order of Referral: This job announcement will remain open until 07/02/2026. Applications received up to 11:59pm EST on the date in which 50 applications is reached will received first consideration (initial cutoff). Applications received after 11:59pm EST on the date in which 50 applications are received may not receive consideration unless otherwise requested by management. Additional applications will be reviewed in one-day increments at management request.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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 WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

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.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the 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.

Veterans Health Administration

OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate whole health care to Veterans?

Agency contact information

VHA National Recruitment Center
Phone
(844)456-5208
Email
VHANationalRecruitmentCenter@va.gov
Address
Office of Suicide Prevention, Veterans Crisis Line
810 Vermont Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20420
US

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http://www.va.gov/jobs

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