Supervisory Social Worker

Clarification from the agency

Area of Consideration: Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order: 1. Current permanent VA employees of the facility 2. All other VA employees. 3. All other applicants. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Provides administrative oversight, guidance, and supervision to Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Liaisons to ensure consistent, high-quality services and care coordination.
• Ensures compliance with VHA directives, GPD policies, The Joint Commission standards, and guidance from the GPD National Program Office.
• Serves as the primary facility resource for GPD program information, advising grantees and VHA staff on program requirements and supportive-service practices.
• Provides mentoring, training, technical assistance, and professional development to GPD grantees and assigned staff.
• Reviews GPD grant and administrative files, clinical documentation, inspection packets, waiver requests, and extension requests for accuracy, completeness, and compliance.
• Oversees workload reporting and ensures accurate use of Decision Support System (DSS) identifiers and HOMES data for GPD participants and activities.
• Coordinates screening, referrals, admissions, outreach plans, and communication processes with GPD grantees to support timely access to services.
• Authorizes per diem payments and reviews or approves extensions based on clinical documentation, treatment-plan needs, and applicable policy.
• Provides clinical oversight and care coordination to ensure Veterans receive timely assessments, service plans, progress reviews, and transition planning.
• Establishes and monitors per diem billing processes and collaborates with VA and community partners to secure appropriate housing and services.
• Plans, leads, and participates in GPD inspections and compliance reviews, including initial, annual, environmental, food-service, and quarterly reviews; ensures deficiencies are corrected.
• Develops program goals, policies, and procedures; supervises staff performance; supports quality improvement; investigates and escalates concerns; and maintains effective relationships with Veterans, employees, grantees, stakeholders, and community agencies

Work Schedule: 8:00 am - 4:30pm
Telework: Ad hoc telework as determined by agency policy and supervisor discretion
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Travel Required: 25%.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: 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 physical evaluation/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

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship: Must be a citizen of the United States
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• Education: Must have a Master's degree in Social Work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Graduates of schools of social work that are in candidacy status do not meet this requirement until the school of social work is fully accredited. Note: A doctoral degree in Social Work may NOT be substituted for the master's degree in Social Work. Verification of the degree can be made by going to http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work.
• Licensure: Must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the advanced practice level which included an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless they are grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advanced practice level (except for licenses issued in California, which administers its own clinical examination for advanced practice) and they must be able to provide supervision for licensure.

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 stated above, the following qualification criteria must be met for each grade. The candidate's qualifications must clearly demonstrate the level of competence required for the grade.

• Experience. You must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency. Assessing and documenting identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and/or intimate partner violence; use of clinical social work skills; maintaining patient privacy and confidentiality per policies, handbooks or directives; acting as an advocate with appropriate community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the patient and family members/caregiver; independently assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members, identifying the patient's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and psychosocial acuity.
• Licensure/Certification. Individuals assigned as Supervisory Social Workers must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

• Ability to independently organize work, set priorities, and meet multiple deadlines.
• Knowledge of supervisory duties which includes clinical supervision, consultation, negotiation with other departments and quality improvement.
• Ability to ensure provision of clinical social work services.
• Ability to provide staff training and development.
• Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees, team leaders, and managers.

Preferred Experience: A qualified GPD Supervisor brings advanced clinical and leadership abilities to effectively support veterans experiencing homelessness. Clinical expertise includes comprehensive case management, conducting biopsychosocial assessments, developing individualized care plans, and providing ongoing support. The supervisor is skilled in crisis intervention, suicide risk assessment, trauma-informed care, motivational interviewing, and group facilitation. Proficiency in clinical documentation, care coordination, and risk assessment ensures high-quality services tailored to veterans complex needs.

Leadership strengths encompass program oversight, staff supervision, and performance management, fostering a collaborative and positive team environment. The supervisor is experienced in quality improvement initiatives, strategic planning, and interpreting VA policies while ensuring program compliance and efficient use of resources. Data-driven decision making guides continuous improvement, while strong community collaboration builds key partnerships. Effective in change management and promoting professional development, the GPD Supervisor is dedicated to achieving optimal outcomes for veterans by integrating best practices and evidence-based approaches into all aspects of service delivery.

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

Physical Requirements: Must be in overall good health, able to sit at a desk working at a computer, engage in light to moderate physical activity including sitting, walking, bending, and carrying supplies. Applicants must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands, exercise patience, and control emotions, with reasonable accommodation, if necessary, without endangering the health and safety of the applicant or others.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

When describing your experience, be clear and specific. We cannot make assumptions about your qualifications. Your application, resume, CV, and any supporting documents will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully, errors or omissions may affect your employment consideration.

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:

• License
• Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV)
• Transcript

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
• Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV)
• Other (1)
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Next steps