Clarification from the agency

Open to current permanent VA employees of the Cincinnati Facility 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 Cincinnati VA Medical Center (CVAMC) is a two-division campus located in Cincinnati, OH and Fort Thomas, KY serving 15 counties in Southwest OH, Northern Kentucky, and Southeast Indiana with 6 Community Based Outpatient Clinics located in Bellevue, KY; Florence, KY; Lawrenceburg, IN; Hamilton, OH; Clermont County, OH, and Georgetown, OH. The CVAMC also supports two off main campus locations in the Cincinnati area via an Eye Center and Mental Health Outreach Community Division.

Duties:

• Embraces a Whole Health approach to care, seeking to learn about what the Veteran values most in life as a driver for improving health and preventing disease.
• Supervises staff, plans, schedules, and assigns work.
• Manages key clinical, training, research, or administrative programs including the day-to-day activities of these programs.
• Exercises independent clinical judgement and adapts clinical procedures and techniques to accommodate age-specific and unique patient conditions, needs, and expectations. Plans, coordinates, and implements a full range of patient-focused treatment services designed to optimize function.
• Provides coverage of clinical care for inpatient and outpatient SP caseload
• Implements programs, policies, and procedures to meet program goals, VHA policy, and external accreditation requirements.
• Supervise and provide strategic plans to ensure the provision of high-quality services to meet the needs of Veterans.
• Ensures timely and accurate documentation of all interactions in the medical records and that all encounters are correctly documented using electronic medical records.
• Demonstrates and maintains full competency in the use, pre-cleaning and/or reprocessing of reusable medical equipment (RME). Must ensure that the appropriate Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and manufacturer's instructions are followed for any step in the use of the RME (pre-cleaning, reprocessing, disinfection, sterilization, maintenance) in which the employee is involved.
• Demonstrates competence in the utilization of telehealth for patient care and intervention. Completes all required TMS and in-person education/certification related to telehealth as assigned to ensure ongoing competence.
• Serves as a Clinical Instructor and/or mentor as assigned for students, trainees, and fellows in Speech Pathology.
• Maintains clinical competency in the clinical functions. Clinical evaluation of inpatients and weekend coverage is required for all employee SLP positions in alignment with the Swallowing and Feeding Disorders directive (VHA Directive 1171) and the Clinical Nutrition and Management Therapy (VHA Directive 1438) and any updates, revisions, or replacements of the same.
• Protects printed and electronic files containing sensitive data in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 and other applicable laws, Federal regulations, VA statutes and policy, and VHA policy.
• Protects the data from unauthorized release or from loss, alteration, or unauthorized deletion.
• Uses word processing software to execute several office automation functions such as storing and retrieving electronic documents and files; activating printers; inserting and deleting text, formatting letters, reports, and memoranda; and transmitting and receiving e-mail.
• Uses the electronic medical record and all associated environments to access information in the Medical Center Computer System.
• Plans and carries out the assignment, resolving most of the conflicts that arise, coordinating the work with others as necessary and interpreting policy on own initiative in terms of established objectives.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Telework: AD HOC, per agency policy discretion.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 92815-0
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment evaluation.
• 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.
• Education and Experience.

(1) A master's degree, or its equivalent, in speech-language pathology, communication disorders or a directly related field from an accredited
college or university and one year of creditable experience (see paragraph 2.g.).
Or
(2) A doctoral degree in speech-language pathology, communication disorders and sciences or a related field, from an accredited college or
university.

• Licensure. Individuals must hold a full, current and unrestricted license in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth or the District of Columbia.

(1) Non-licensed applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for SLP licensure may be appointed to a temporary position as a
graduate SLP under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405 (c)(2). Individuals appointed as graduate SLPs may not be promoted to the GS-12 level
without being fully licensed.
(2) The requirement for licensure may be waived by the Under Secretary for Health or designee in VHA Central Office for individuals engaged in research or academic assignments involving no direct patient care duties, in accordance with current activities.
(3) An SLP who has or ever has had their speech-language pathology license revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited or issued/placed on
probationary status may be appointed only in accordance with the provisions in Chapter 3, section B, paragraph 16 of this part.

• Failure to Obtain Licensure. In all cases, graduate SLP must actively pursue obtaining the required licensure from the date of their appointment. The Human Resource office staff will provide the unlicensed SLP written requirement to obtain licensure, the date by which the license must be acquired and the consequences for not becoming licensed by the deadline. The written notice must be provided prior to the entrance on duty date. Failure to obtain the required credentials by the prescribed date may result in termination of employment.
• Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials.
• English Language Proficiency. SLP candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

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:
Supervisory Speech-Language Pathologist, GS-13.

(1) Experience. In addition to the basic requirements at the GS-12 level, completion of one year of professional experience comparable to the next lower level.

(2) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience requirements, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

(a) Skill to translate contemporary and evidence-based speech pathology practice knowledge into clinical procedures.
(b) Skill in effective conflict resolution.
(c) Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems to develop and implement solutions.
d) Ability to provide clinical and administrative oversight and ensure that section activities are aligned with management goals and objectives.

(3) Assignment. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Speech pathology section chiefs/supervisors at this level manage a speech-language pathology section within a larger service. Section chiefs/supervisors maintain oversight of the section's diagnostic and rehabilitative speech pathology services. In addition, they implement policies and procedures consistent with management goals, objectives and the medical center mission. Section chiefs/supervisors set priorities and assign responsibilities to accomplish speech-language pathology section goals, ensuring proper coordination between care delivered by the section and the overall health care delivery within the facility. Section chiefs /supervisors maintain oversight for continuous performance improvement within the section. They perform supervisory duties, including initiating personnel actions, conducting performance management; planning, scheduling and assigning work; managing leave; assessing competency; appraising performance; and recommending clinical privileges or scope of practice.

Preferred Experience: Previous Supervisory Experience preferred but not required.

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

The full performance level of this vacancy is 13.

Physical Requirements: The employee will meet and maintain physical and drug test program requirements for the position as required. Ability to walk or get to all clinics daily requires standing, bending and sitting, as well as carrying objects up to 25lbs short distances (less than 100 yards). Due to the complexity of the work, the multiplicity of the projects at any one time, deadlines, and duties, the job requires a high level of energy, and may be psychologically stressful at times. Due to patient treatment, the work requires normal agility and dexterity.

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.