Supervisory Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor

Summary

This position is located in the Vocational Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Division of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA).The position supervises VR&E staff and is responsible for the administration and workflow of the division. The incumbent exercises technical and oversight responsibility for subordinate employees for the VR&E Division.

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Overview

• Accepting applications

• Open & closing dates

06/12/2024 to 06/20/2024

• Salary

$88,520 - $115,079 per year

Salary shown is the basic pay without locality pay. Once selections are made the locality pay will be added to the salary based on the duty location.

• Pay scale & grade

GS 13

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Locations

11 vacancies in the following locations:

• Montgomery, AL 1 vacancy

• Charlotte, NC 1 vacancy

• Fayetteville, NC 1 vacancy

• Jacksonville, NC 1 vacancy

• Show more locations (7)

• Raleigh, NC 1 vacancy

• Columbia, SC 1 vacancy

• Clarksville, TN 1 vacancy

• Hampton, VA 1 vacancy

• Norfolk, VA 1 vacancy

• Richmond, VA 1 vacancy

• Roanoke County, VA 1 vacancy

• Remote job

No

• Telework eligible

Yes-as determined by the agency policy.

• Travel Required

Occasional travel

• You may be expected to travel for this position.

• Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

• Appointment type

Permanent

• Work schedule

Full-time

• Service

Competitive

• Promotion potential

13

• Job family (Series)

0101 Social Science

• Supervisory status

Yes

• Security clearance

Other

• Drug test

No

• Position sensitivity and risk

Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

• Trust determination process

Suitability/Fitness

• Announcement number

IMP-12444394-24-SDM

• Control number

795460300

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This job is open to

• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.

• Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of this agency.

Clarification from the agency

This vacancy is open ONLY to current, permanent Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) employees and Veterans Affairs (VA) T5 Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) eligible.

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Duties

Major Duties of this position are, but not limited to:

• Serves as a first level supervisor for the VR&E personnel located at the Regional Office or out based facility, providing advice and guidance on unusual or unprecedented problems. The work supervised is vital to the processes through which VBA directly serves the public.

• Responsible for interviewing and recommending selection of employees to the VR&E Officer. Is also responsible for training and monitoring performance of employees within the unit. Prepares performance ratings, assist on preparing division reports, resolves disciplinary and performance problems, and assesses the ongoing training needs of the employees supervised at the out based locations.

• Reviews and provides consultation and supervision regarding the most difficult cases, using expertise, training, and experience beyond the journeyman level of line VR&E Counselors. This also includes broad expertise of divisional operations to provide supervision and management of the Employment Coordinator and Program Specialist positions.

• Provides quality assurance, contributing to the development of reports, such as Strategic Oversight and Analysis Review (SOAR) quarterly reports, congressional and AVA inquiries and white papers. The SVRC is supervised and accountable to the VR&E Officer, with consultation of the Assistant VR&E Officer.

• Collects data and prepares accurate reports and analysis as required by the VR&E Officer, including systematic analysis of operations (SAO's) and reports on special projects. Identifies and recommends to the VR&E Officer changes needed for improvement of operations or service and acts as directed. The incumbent prepares a budget for travel funds for employees under their supervision and monitors the use of travel funds.

• Provides technical support and supervision as needed for accomplishing the work of the unit. Analyzes, interprets, and managerially enforces the application of laws, regulations, and rules as they affect policies, procedures and methods of operations. Also performs administrative and personnel management functions relative to staff supervised as directed.

Compressed/Flexible Schedule: Monday

• Friday

Telework: Available, per agency guidelines.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description Title/PD#: Supervisory Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor/ 039814A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Physical Requirements: The work normally involves mental rather than physical exertion.

Bargaining Unit Position: This is NOT a bargaining unit position.

Financial Disclosure Report: This position Requires a Financial Disclosure.

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job

• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required

• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959

• You may be required to serve a probationary and/or supervisory period

• Subject to background/security investigation

• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/20/2024.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also 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. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials.

BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: Satisfactory completion in an accredited college or university of all the requirements for a Master's degree in rehabilitation counseling, including an internship; or a Master's degree in counseling psychology or a related field, including at least 30 semester hours of course work in such areas as foundations of rehabilitation counseling, human growth and development, counseling theories and techniques, vocational assessment, career development, job placement, case management, and medical/psycho-social aspects of disability. Total graduate study must have included or been supplemented by a supervised internship. For Master's degree programs without a supervised internship/practicum, substitution is allowed for successful professional experience following completion of the Master's degree. Experience suitable for substitution must be one full year in direct delivery of vocational rehabilitation services to adults with disabilities in rehabilitation programs, other than those in correctional facilities. The experience or internship/practicum must have been supervised by a professional in vocational rehabilitation or a closely related professional field that typically has oversight for vocational rehabilitation programs.

NON QUALIFYING EXPERIENCE: Vocational rehabilitation experience obtained prior to completion of the requirements for the Master's degree is not qualifying.

There is no substitution of work experience for the basic educational requirement. Substitution of work experience only applies to the internship requirement. It does not replace or substitute the basic educational requirement of a Master's degree.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

GS-13

• Specialized Experience at the GS-13: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade, GS-12 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as 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 veteran concerns). Experience in training; and understanding and clearly explaining to veterans, the benefits, and services available through the VR&E program.

Or

• Education: There is no education substitute at this grade level

Supervised Internship - you must describe the duties and responsibilities performed during your supervised internship. Include the dates of the internship(s), where the internship(s) was performed, number of hours completed, and the name/title/phone number of the individual that supervised your internship.

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.

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.

Physical Requirements: The work is mostly sedentary in an office setting.

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/.

Education

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.

Additional information

VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

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.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

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• Benefits

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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 window

Learn 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 WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Customer Service

• Works with clients and customers (that is, any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces, including the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside the Government) to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services.

• Leadership: Inspires, motivates, and guides others toward goal accomplishment; coaches, mentors, and challenges subordinates; adapts leadership styles to a variety of situations; models high standards of honesty, integrity, trust, openness, and respect for the individual by applying these values to daily behaviors

• Writing: Uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling to communicate thoughts, ideas, information, and messages in writing.

• Reasoning: Identifies rules, principles, or relationships that explain facts, data, or other information; analyzes information and makes correct inferences or draws accurate conclusions.

• Technical Competence: Understands and appropriately applies procedures, requirements, regulations, and policies related to specialized expertise (for example, engineering, physical science, law, or accounting); maintains credibility with others on technical matters.

• Oral Communication: Expresses ideas and facts to individuals or groups effectively; makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others; facilitates an open exchange of ideas.