Supervisory Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor

Clarification from the agency

This vacancy announcement is open ONLY to current, permanent Salt Lake City, UT, VBA Regional Benefit Office employees and current/former VA employees who are CTAP eligible.

As a Supervisory Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (SVRC) for the Salt Lake City VA Regional Office, Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Division, located either in out-based VR&E office, the Supervisory VRC (SVRC) is responsible for providing supervisory oversight to VR&E bargaining unit staff under the direct supervision of the Veteran Readiness and Employment Officer (VREO) and ultimately under the VR&E Officer. These duties include, but are not limited to the following:

-Reviews VR&E claimants' records to ensure compliance with regulations and procedures, and to promote among staff members high quality of performance in entitlement determinations, evaluation, planning, case management, and rehabilitation and placement services (organizational awareness).

-Plans work to be accomplished by subordinates, adjusts short-term priorities, prepares schedules for completion of work; assigns work to subordinates based on priorities, evaluates work performance of subordinates Prepares performance ratings, resolves disciplinary and performance problems, and assesses the on-going training needs of the employees (managing human resources).

-Communicates by giving advice, counseling, or provides instructions to employees on both work, personnel, and administrative matters (communication).

-Reviews electronic records and provides feedback for quality assurance, instructions to staff, contributes to the development of reports, congressional responses, inquiries, and special projects (written communication).

-Responsible for administrative actions affecting VR&E activity and provides advice, counsel, and provides instruction to individual employees and team on both technical and administrative matters (teamwork).

Performs other duties as assigned.

Promotion Potential: This position full performance level GS-13.

Work Schedule: Full time, 8:00am - 4:30pm Monday through Friday
Compressed/Flexible: Agency Discretion
Telework: Available, as determined by the agency policy
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description Title/PD#: Supervisory Vocational Rehab Counselor, 39814A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Required

Conditions of employment

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year Supervisory probationary 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 probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Additional Conditions of Employment are as follows:

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary or trial period
• 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 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.
• If you receive a conditional offer of employment you will be required to complete an Optional Form-306 Declaration for Federal Appointment (OF-306).
• A 1-year supervisory probationary period may be required
• All federal employees are required to have federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choice.

Qualifications

1. TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENT: As a current Federal, GS employee you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

• For a GS-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12 level.
• Your SF-50 reflecting when you entered your highest grade and step (e.g., Within Grade Increase, Promotion, Appointment, etc.) in order to verify time-in-grade requirements.

Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

Applicants must demonstrate that they meet the Basic Requirements and Minimum Qualification requirements as noted below.

2. BASIC REQUIREMENTS: To be eligible for this position, candidates must meet the following basic requirements:

1. 1. Supervised Internship: The education in the Basic Requirements above must have included a supervised internship in rehabilitation counseling or case management specialization. The internship must have been supervised by a professional in vocational rehabilitation or a closely related professional field that typically has oversight for vocational rehabilitation programs.

OR

2. 2. Experience: One-year post-master's degree experience in direct delivery of professional vocational rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities.
3. Grandfathering Provision: VRCs employed in VBA on the effective date, July 28, 2023, of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including certifications that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply:
4. 1. VRCs who are grandfathered into the GS-0101 occupational series may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance level of a career ladder or changed to a lower grade within the occupation or placed in a supervisory or managerial position.
   2. VRCs who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of this qualification standard may not be extended or reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of this standard.
   3. If VRCs who are grandfathered under this provision leave the occupation, they lose protected status and must meet the full qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation.
   4. Minimum Qualifications for this GS-0101-13 Supervisory Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor position: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-12 working with employment and vocational rehabilitation programs; possessing knowledge and expertise in the procedures for vocational and rehabilitation law; administering counsel in the areas of career development, job placement, psychology, rehabilitation and counseling; and providing individual and group training, orientation, consultation and guidance within specialization of rehabilitation counseling practice to develop, improve and maintain programming.

3. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: In addition to the time-in-grade and education/internship requirements, you must also meet the following grade-specific qualification requirements. Creditable experience must have been obtained post-graduate and be directly related to the duties to be performed to qualify to work as a professional VRC.

To qualify at the GS-13 grade level: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level or higher. Specialized experience is defined as one (1) full year of performance of technical assignments affecting the entire field of VA's Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E) division. Your resume/application must support your response. To meet the specialized experience, your resume should reflect:

• Experience in conducting assessments of veteran's employability;
• Involvement in the development of appropriate vocational goals and subsequent objectives outlined in rehabilitation plans;
• Providing case management services to veterans while pursuing their rehabilitation plans (e.g. personal contact regarding achievement of vocational goals, referral for medical or ancillary services, and responding efficiently to veterans concerns);
• Experience in training, understanding, and clearly explaining to veterans, the benefits and services available through the VR&E program.

Education: Applicants may not substitute education for the experience at the GS-13 level.

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.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Volunteer Experience: 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; religious; 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.

Full vs. Part-Time Employment: Full-time employment is considered to be at least 35 hours per week. Part-time experience will be credited on a pro-rated basis. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: The position is primarily in an office setting. Some travel may be necessary on occasion for training, meetings, or customer interactions.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at http://://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

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 WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

Supervisory/Managerial Abilities:

Candidates must also demonstrate experience or training they possess, or have the potential to develop the qualities of successful supervision as follows:

• Assign to and review work of subordinates, train and work effectively with subordinates from a variety of backgrounds and with different levels/areas of training;
• Accomplish the quality and quantity of work expected within set limits of cost and time;
• Plan own work and carry out assignments effectively;
• Communicate with others effectively both orally and in writing in working solutions to problems or questions relating to the work;
• Understand and further management goals as these affect day-to-day work operations; AND
• Develop improvements on, or design new work methods and procedures.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Leadership
• Oral Communication
• Writing
• Analytical Reasoning
• Technical Competence

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12971874Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package to include the documents detailed below. Your resume and supporting documentation will be verified. Failure to submit the documents as specified may result in loss of consideration for this job announcement.

• Resume detailing specialized experience and competencies as they relate to this position.
  • For each position in your resume, you must specify the start and end dates (month/year) and a description of duties. If the position was Federal, you should also indicate the grade level. Resumes containing a general summary of all positions held, not specifying start/end dates, and/or not including documentation supporting Federal grade level(s) are insufficient to determine basic qualifications.
• Your most recent APPOINTMENT SF-50. The most recent Appointment or Conversion SF-50 proving status. This SF-50 should identify your appointing legal authority, position title, series, grade, step, salary, tenure, and type of service (Competitive or Excepted).
• Your SF-50 reflecting when you entered your highest grade and step (e.g., Within Grade Increase, Promotion, Appointment, etc.) in order to verify time-in-grade requirements.
• Current VBA Employees: If you are seeking a reassignment/change to lower grade, you must submit a copy of your most recent appointment SF-50 and an SF-50 that reflects when you entered your highest grade and step as described above.
• Transcript if you are using education to qualify

Additional Documents accepted:

• Most recent Performance Appraisal (VA Form 0750)
• Award SF-50s
• Documentation to be considered under non-competitive eligibility (if applicable) such as a member-4 DD-214, civil service preference letter, or Schedule A letter.
• CTAP documentation - RIF notice, SF-50 showing VA employee, and performance appraisal

Next steps