Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. Open to current VHA employees.

FUNCTIONS OR SCOPE OF ASSIGNED DUTIES:
Serves as a 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 for a small to moderately complex chaplain service program. Supervises non-supervisory and supervisory professional staff primarily at the GS-11 level or below.

Performs supervisory and non-supervisory assignments consisting of significant scope, complexity, difficulty, and variety. Supervises the professional practice of all facility chaplains and provides chaplaincy services and programming.

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.

Oversees a chaplaincy program at this level is carefully integrated throughout the total care and treatment program to further the mission of the VHA facility. Oversees pastoral ministry, including intensive pastoral counseling, close integral working relationships with other staff disciplines, and active community liaison.

Serves as a Supervisory Chaplain expert participant with other specialists as a fully recognized member of an interdisciplinary treatment team (IDT).

Serves as an active participant and a key administrative staff member of the organization with VHA's leadership.

Engages with other program heads and the VHA facility's administrator in decision-making conferences concerning policies, practices, and regulations affecting the care and treatment program of the facility.

Carries out full program responsibility with professional independence, while subject to only administrative controls from immediate supervisor. Supervises subordinate chaplains and/or visiting assistants.

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.

Works in difficult environmental settings that require considerably more than a working knowledge of the behavioral sciences; and understands and effectively addresses highly sensitive issues

Provides supervision with full responsibility for assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff, recommendation of awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions.

Work Schedule: 0730-1600
Telework: Not authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
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.
• 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.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-verify.gov

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.
• 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.

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, candidates must meet the following grade determining criteria for placement at grade levels specified.

Supervisory Chaplain, GS-12.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):
In addition to meeting the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
(a) Knowledge of administrative, personnel, resource management and strategic planning for chaplaincy and chaplain pastoral education programs.
(b) 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.
(c) Skill in interpersonal relationships including conflict resolution and ability to work collaboratively with managers from other departments.
(d) Ability to develop local policy, productivity, and clinical practice standards.
(e) Ability to align local chaplaincy services and programming with the strategic goals and objectives of all levels of the agency, department, or organization.
(f) Ability to ensure compliance with chaplaincy practice, policy and accreditation standards across the continuum of health care.
(g) Skill in providing consultation to facility leadership, managers and other staff on all religious expression and spiritual care.

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, and variety. The supervisory chaplain at this level typically has responsibility for management of a small to moderately complex chaplain service. The supervisory chaplain is responsible for the professional practice of all facility chaplains and provision of chaplaincy services and programming. The supervisory chaplain provides supervision to professional and non-professional staff at the GS-12 or below. The supervisory chaplain has full responsibility for managing and supervising all aspects of chaplaincy service operations including clinical practice, program management, education, human resource management, and supervision of the service.

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 may supervise nonsupervisory and supervisory personnel 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.


Preferred Experience: Three years VHA Chaplain experience.

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.

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

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.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Resume
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

Special Note for Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume Document. This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field.

Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field.

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• License
• Other (1)
• PCS Orders
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.

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