Clarification from the agency

1. Current permanent employees of the Tomah VA Medical Center and its outreach facilities including CBOCs, VCS. 2. Current permanent employees of the VISN 12 VHA Facility. 3. Current permanent VA Nationwide employees. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position.

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Major Duties

• The Supervisor Recreation Therapist supports the Tomah VAMC in the activities involved in the management of the RCAT Department and maintains a leadership role in the professional standards for all Tomah VAMC recreation/creative arts therapists and assistants.
• Assign work, monitoring clinical performances of staff, resolving staff conflicts which may interfere with the delivery of services, identifying continuing education and training needs, preparing performance standards and ratings. The supervisor accepts, amends, or rejects completed work, and ensures that performance requirements are maintained.
• Maintains interdepartmental relations with other services/departments, individuals, and community partners to accomplish medical center goals.
• Provides daily clinical supervision for recreation and creative arts therapists and assistants, ensures staff supervised are planning and implementing treatment while evaluating staff's performance.
• Balances multiple responsibilities, sets priorities, delegate tasks, meets multiple deadlines, analyzes organizational problems, and develops and implements effective solutions.
• Clinical portion consistent with Recreation Therapist standards which include Veteran evaluation and treatment, organization activities, coverage for diversional activities as indicated, performance of RAI/MDS, documentation.
• Other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: 7:30 am - 4:00 pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 10574F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized

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 identification 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.

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: Must be proficient in spoken and written English, as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• Education: The following education requirements apply to the recreation therapist:
  • (a) A bachelor's degree or higher, from an accredited college or university, with a major in therapeutic recreation or recreation/leisure, with an option and/or emphasis in therapeutic recreation. The degree must be approved by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC);OR,
  • (b) A bachelor's degree or higher in any field from an accredited college or university and must be a certified therapeutic recreation specialist (CTRS). The degree must be approved by the NCTRC. If hired under this education, the certification cannot be waived.

Certification: Recreation Therapist. Applicants must be certified in recreation therapy as a CTRS by the NCTRC. If hired under paragraph 4b(1)(b), certification cannot be waived.

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 Recreation Therapist, GS-12
(a) Experience. At least one year of creditable experience at the next lower grade level GS-11.

(b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:1. Ability to provide treatment in complex cases and work with great independence.2. Ability to balance multiple responsibilities, set priorities, delegate tasks, meet multiple deadlines, analyze organizational problems, and develop and implement effective solutions.3. Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems to develop and implement solutions that result in efficient operations and use data effectively to manage workload, quality, performance, and productivity within the service.4. Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees, team leaders, and managers.5. Ability to use evidence-based practices, clinical practice guidelines in a professional area, and to guide the staff in applying these tools.6. Knowledge of organizational theories and strategies to positively impact the overall goals and objectives within the service.7. Knowledge related to administrative functions such as fiscal, material supply, equipment management, and clinical and program management.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience providing leadership, supervision, or oversight of recreation therapy, creative arts therapy, or related clinical rehabilitation services, including staff assignments, performance management, mentoring , and conflict resolution.
• Experience coordinating, developing, implementing, and evaluation therapeutic recreation, creative arts therapy, or rehabilitation programs for patients with complex physical, cognitive, behavioral health, or psychosocial needs.
• Experience managing clinical operations, including staffing, scheduling, workload and productivity monitoring, resource allocation, and documentation compliance.
• Experience collaborating with interdisciplinary healthcare teams, organizational leadership, community partners, or other stakeholders to improve patient care and program outcomes.

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-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12.

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.

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.