Clarification from the agency

Open to U.S. Citizen. This occupation is listed on the OIG Determination of Veterans Health Administration's Occupational Staffing Shortages list for this fiscal year through September 30, 2027. Therefore, this vacancy announcement is exempt from Veterans Preference. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

Videos

This position is under the Mental Health & Behavioral Science Service and duties include working with and clinically supporting the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center's Trauma Recovery Program (TRP). The Trauma Recovery Program consists of the following providers: Clinical Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Social Workers, Peer Support Specialist, and RN Case Managers.

Psychology Program Managers that serve as psychology executives (managers/leaders) have full responsibility for oversight of the professional practice of psychology, including ensuring that all psychologists in the Trauma Recovery Program and their affiliated clinics meet the 0180 Psychologist Qualification standard.

Major Duties:
Program Management & Administration

• Development and implementation of programs, policies, and procedures; oversight of administrative and programmatic resources; and monitoring of outcomes using a data-driven quality assurance process of a program that delivers specialized, complex, highly professional services that are important program components of the Medical Center and significantly affect the health care provided to Veterans.
• Triage consults submitted to the Trauma Recovery Program.
• Maintain updated schedule of all services offered in the Trauma Recovery Program, as well in assisting with the development/implementation of new groups and treatment modalities.
• Devise ways to adapt work operations to new and changing programs, staffing, and budget requirements, etc.
• Assist in the execution of ongoing program evaluation and data-driven quality improvement projects to monitor the effectiveness of the clinical program.
• Work with leadership in the development of strategies to ensure that the Trauma Recovery Program meets national performance measures (i.e., 14-day access, SAIL, REACH, etc.).
• Create Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) when needed, and regularly updates policy and procedures when needed
• Comply with CPRS documentation procedures, including timeliness standards for documentation and proper patient check-out procedures (e.g. entering diagnostic and procedure codes).
• Attend and participate in administrative and informational meetings held by the. discipline section chief, the Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences Service Chief, and the West Palm Beach VAMC's Chief of Staff.
• Represent the Medical Center at professional/program community group/events and committees.
• Serve as an EBP champion to encourage the adoption of evidence-based treatment by both providers and patients.
• Coordinate facility wide events that pertain to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) treatment and program development.
• Order and create psychoeducational materials and disseminate to staff and patients.
• Coordinate coverage when providers call out or have approved leave to minimize disruption of patient care.
• Provide a full range of psychological assessment services and diagnoses mental disorders, particularly for patients with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
• Provide education to patients, family members, and significant others.
• Provide comprehensive, evidenced based psychotherapeutic interventions, including individual, family, and group psychotherapy on both an inpatient and outpatient basis.
• Provide consultation to professional staff within West Palm Beach VAMC and to community partners, concerning clinical assessment findings and appropriate treatment plans options.
• Develop, implement, and document the psychotherapeutic treatment plan for an assigned caseload of patients, including prompt completion of clinical reminders.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
This position is eligible for AD-HOC telework
Functional Statement #41832F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact Contact V8_EDRP_WPB@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• 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.

Qualifications

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. Psychologists must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j.
• Education:
  • Have a doctoral degree in psychology from a graduate program in psychology accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA), the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS), or the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) at the time the program was completed; OR,
  • Have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and, in addition, successfully complete a re-specialization program (including documentation of an approved internship completed as part of the re-specialization program) meeting both of the following conditions: The re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program; and, the specialty in which the applicant is retrained must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed; OR,
  • Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature.
• Internship:
  • Have successfully completed a professional psychology internship training program that was accredited by APA or CPA at the time the program was completed and that is consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed; OR,
  • New VHA psychology internship programs that are in the process of applying for APA accreditation are acceptable in fulfillment of the internship requirement, provided that such programs were sanctioned by the VHA Central Office Program Director for Psychology and the VHA Office of Academic Affiliations at the time that the individual was an intern; OR,
  • VHA facilities that offered full-time, one-year pre-doctoral internships prior to PL 96-151 (pre-1979) are considered to be acceptable in fulfillment of the internship requirement; OR,
  • Applicants who completed an internship that was not accredited by APA or CPA at the time the program was completed may be considered eligible for hire only if they are currently board certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology in a specialty area that is consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed (NOTE: Once board certified, the employee is required to maintain board certification.); OR,
  • Applicants who have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally accredited institution with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature may fulfill this internship requirement by having the equivalent of a one-year supervised internship experience in a site specifically acceptable to the candidate's doctoral program. If the internship experience is not noted on the applicant's official transcript, the applicant must provide a statement from the doctoral program verifying that the equivalent of a one-year supervised internship experience was completed in a site acceptable to the doctoral program.

Licensure. Hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice psychology at the doctoral level in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia.

Exception. Non-licensed applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment as a "graduate psychologist" at the GS-11 or GS12 grade under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405 [(c)(2)(B)] for a period not to exceed two years from the date of employment on the condition that such a psychologist provide care only under the supervision of a psychologist who is licensed. Failure to obtain licensure during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment.

Loss of Credential. A psychologist who fails to maintain the required licensure must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment. At the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation if qualified and if a placement opportunity exists.

Board Certification. Persons hired to psychology positions in the VHA who completed an internship that was not accredited at the time the program was completed must be board certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology in a specialty area that is consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. The board certificate must be current and the applicant must abide by the certifying body's requirement for continuing education.

Loss of Credential. Once board certified, psychologist must maintain a full, valid and unrestricted board certification to remain qualified for employment. A psychologist who fails to maintain the required board certification must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment. At the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation if qualified and if a placement opportunity exists. 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 meeting the basic requirements stated above, the following qualifications criteria must be met in determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates.

Psychology Program Manager, GS-14 (Above Full Performance Level)

• Experience: At least three years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-13 grade level.

While we no longer require essay-style responses to our Knowledge's Skills, and Abilities (KSAs), you must be able to demonstrate that you possess the (below) competencies which are necessary to perform the work of the position. Please ensure your resume/CV/application contains sufficient information to support the level of experience/education/training; otherwise, we will not be able to award you credit for the experience/education/training you claim. These are the KSA's for this subject position:

1. Ability to organize work, set priorities, delegate tasks, and meets multiple deadlines.
2. Knowledge of and ability to utilize evidence based practices and clinical practice guidelines appropriately and ability to guide staff in using these tools.
3. Ability to deal effectively with individuals or groups.
4. Skill in managing and directing the work of others to accomplish program goals and objectives.
5. Ability to translate management goals and objectives into well-coordinated and controlled work operations.
6. Ability to establish and monitor production and performance priorities and standards.
7. Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems and to develop and implement solutions that result in sound operation of the program.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.The full performance level of this vacancy is GS14.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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.

This occupation is listed on the Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) Bulletin - Annual Determination of Staffing Shortages - October 22, 2026. Therefore, this vacancy announcement is EXEMPT from Veterans Preference.