Summary
The Supervisory Social Worker Service Chief is responsible for defining the mission and vision of the service and is responsible for supervising and evaluating the performance of supervisors and other direct reports. The incumbent serves as the liaison to other service or care lines, other facilities, VISN and VACO offices. This position also serves as liaison with Veterans Benefits Administration Offices, other government agencies, and the community.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
This position is ONLY open to current, permanent VA Grand Junction (WCHCS) Employees, VA Employees Nationwide, and all other Federal Employees.
*** If you are NOT a current federal employee, please apply to the Public Announcement CBSU-12464638-24-MJR***
Duties
- Responsible for the strategic planning and operation of the CMSW Service.
- Supervises a group of employees performing work at various GS levels (social workers, LPMHCs/LPCs, NPs, RNs, program support assistants, etc.) and provides administrative, technical, and clinical supervision necessary for accomplishing the work of the unit/service including outreach efforts, outpatient clinic involvement, and efforts at other sites across the WCHCS.
- Oversees all professional social work activities within WCHCS ensuring that educational and quality of care functions related to the psychosocial needs of Veterans are met.
- Makes decisions regarding work problems presented by subordinate social work supervisors.
- Makes selections for supervisory and non-supervisory positions, hear group grievances and serious employee complaints, review serious disciplinary cases (i.e., those proposing suspensions and removals), and disciplinary problems involving key employees.
- Participates in making major decisions affecting the basic content and character of the operations of programs.
- Ensures technical program development, management and evaluation that includes assessing the mission, goals, programs and problems of the medical facility in terms of psychosocial needs of patients and establishes social work objectives to meet those needs which are consistent with the WCHCS goals.
- Reviews information pertaining to the social work programs from a variety of sources and identifies requirements which must be expressed in medical facility written policies and procedures, drafts such statements or assigns tasks to subordinates to insure their completion.
- Develops procedures for and ensures the implementation and achievement of the provision of social work services to medical facility patients on inpatient and outpatient programs.
- Performs, or assigns responsibility and reviews, the results of Social Work Service internal evaluation for program effectiveness.
- Develops and monitors standards of clinical practice/standards of care for Social Work, including development of care guidelines, manuals, and guides to professional practice.
- Ensures resource management that includes reviewing and analyzing data pertaining to the psychosocial needs of patients and families and determines what resources (money, staff, space, equipment) are available.
- Justifies resource needs and develops appropriate requests in line with local policies and procedures.
- Reviews the utilization of resources by performing such activities as internal reviews, data collection, reviewing and analyzing reports, reviewing contracts, and reviewing performance, to ensure that resources are being used efficiently and effectively, and reports results to management as required, both orally and in writing.
- Develops and monitors Social Work staff training to ensure that required training is accomplished for purposes of maintaining ongoing skills, keeping up with new developments in the field, orientation of staff to the VA, Joint Commission requirements, Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) requirements, licensing requirements, and other VA required training.
- Ensures personnel management that includes resolving employee complaints, grievances, or other related matters within the context of the union contract, local policy, and appropriate personnel policies, procedures, and requirements.
- Establishes and maintains functional statements and position descriptions or ensures the establishment for each position in CMSW Service to ensure the existence of accurate, detailed descriptions of all duties performed by staff.
- Reviews applications, interviews applicants and selects, or concurs in the selection of, the best qualified staff available to fill vacancies in the CMSW Service. Appraises performance of social work supervisors or reviews performance appraisals made by subordinate supervisors, to determine the level of performance for each CMSW Service employee. Rewards appropriate performance, or reviews and concurs, in award recommendations from subordinate supervisors of employees in the CMSW Service to ensure that high level performance is recognized.
- Counsels employees regarding poor performance or other unsatisfactory situations, takes disciplinary or appropriate action when necessary, or reviews or concurs in disciplinary actions or other appropriate actions or recommendations from subordinate supervisors, concerning CMSW Service employees.
Work Schedule: M-F, 08:00AM-4:30PM
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position
Functional Statement #: 56775-O
Relocation/Recruitment Incentive: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Requirements
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.
- You may be required to serve a probationary period.
- Subject to background/security investigation.
- Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
- Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
- Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.
Qualifications
Basic Requirements:
-United States Citizenship
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. ยง 7403(f)
-Education
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. 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
Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-0185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level.
Grade Determinations:
Social Worker-Service Chief- GS-14
-Experience/Education
One year of experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level. The chief social work service must evidence possession of supervisory and management skills. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills in administration, demonstrating progressively more professional competency skills and judgment. May have certification or other post-master's degree training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship, or equivalent supervised professional experience.
-Licensure/Certification
The chief social worker must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure.
AND
-Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities-KSAs
In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
- Skill in providing the full range of supervisory duties across multiple service divisions/sections, which would include responsibility for assignment of work to be performed, performance evaluation, selection of staff, and recommendations of awards, advancements, and when appropriate, disciplinary actions.
- Skill in applying legal, ethical, and professional standards to social work practice.
- Skill in developing, maintaining, and managing social work services in multiple divisions/sections.
- Ability to ensure compliance with social work practice, policy, and accreditation standards across the continuum of health care.
- Skill in providing consultation to facility leadership, managers, and other staff on social work qualification standards, practice, competency, productivity, and continuing education requirements
- Skill in administrative oversight to ensure compliance with social work licensure requirements.
Assignment
At the GS-14 grade level, size, scope, significance and impact are greater than the GS-13 grade level. The chief social worker responsibility includes management of large, complex, social work services within the organization. The chief social worker is the highest level professional position at the facility with responsibility for the professional practice of all facility social workers and provision of social work services. The chief social worker provides supervision to social work service, with multiple sections or programs across the health care delivery system as well as an assistant chief and supervisors. Social work service includes staff members of different grades, as well as multiple disciplines, various treatment sites and at locations close to and distant from the medical center. The chief social worker has full responsibility for managing and supervising all aspects of social work service operations including clinical practice, program management, education, human resource management and supervision of the service.
Preferred Experience: Manager Experience
References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G39
Physical Requirements: Duties are performed in an office setting and/or on hospital wards and clinics where there is exposure to communicable diseases common of the client population. May require off site visits to agencies or home visits.
Education
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
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.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
- License
- Resume
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to 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
- License
- Other (1)
- Other (2)
- Other (3)
- Resume
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
- Transcript
Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 07/15/2024 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12464637.
- To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
- Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USA JOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USA JOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USA JOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.
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