Supervisory Vocational Rehab Counselor

Duties
The primary duties of this position include but are not limited to:
Directs the Veteran Readiness and Employment (VRE) Program, which performs technical, administrative, and professional work.Serves as the Regional Office's professional and technical expert in conducting, administering, and advising in the areas of education, training, testing, evaluation, counseling, rehabilitation, psychology, job development, job placement, and entitlement.Provides administrative and technical direction and professional leadership to a professional and technical staff of Counseling Psychologists, Rehabilitation Counselors, Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists, Employment/Program Specialists, and support staff as well as providing oversight of contractors.Oversees a team of Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors (VRCs) and other staff in the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Regional Office (RO), RO Out-based office locations, VetSuccess On Campus (VSOC) school sites, or Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) locations on military installations.Develops short- and Long-term plans to assure work is accomplished in a timely manner, is of acceptable quality, and accomplishes the changing initiatives and emphasis established by VA Central Office managers, as well as local management policy changes and procedural modifications.Ensures that his/her staff provides expert and high-quality services to the Veterans with a service-connected disability such as vocational counseling and consultation; counseling interventions; and superb case management.Responsible for managing allocated budgetary resources and for authorizing and supervising the expenditure of funds such as staff travel, beneficiary travel, tools, supplies, equipment, revolving fund loans, tutoring or reader services, individual instructor fees, tuition, and subsistence allowances.Provides counseling, training, and employment services to all eligible beneficiaries within the State of Indiana through two full-time offices. Activities and services provided by the VR&E Program directly .and significantly impact a wide range of agency activities. The VR&E Program deals with the direct payment of benefits to veterans and dependents as well as providing payment for educational programs which can typically cost many thousands of dollars.Provides the Regional Office Director's full-time assistant, the Assistant Director, who is authorized, a clear line of authority.Directs the Veteran Readiness and Employment Program, which encompasses between 1650 and 1700 participants at any point in time. The program administers approximately $10 million in expenditures from the Rehabilitation Benefits Account. VR&E Officer exercises significant responsibility in dealing with other Division. Chiefs, higher level VR&E program officials, officials of Veterans Service Organizations, officials of other local, state, and federal agencies, officials of institutions of higher learning, and community. based contract service providers. Establishes division goals and objectives as well as related priorities to assure program and Regional Office mission and objectives are accomplished.Meets with senior managers at the Regional Office, State or Labor representatives, focal VA Medical Centers, Outpatient Clinics, and other facilities. Incumbent must frequently contact high-ranking civilian managers, supervisors, and technical staff regarding contracting of services. Other professional contacts are with physicians, psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, social workers, program and administration officials with VA and other local, state, and federal agencies. Given the interrelated nature of the various contracted services, state and federal Vocational Rehabilitation programs, the level of these contacts has a decided impact on the successful performance of the work.Decision Making: Develops short- and Jong-term plans to assure work is accomplished in a timely manner, is of acceptable quality, and accomplishes the changing initiatives and emphasis established by VA Central Office managers, as well as local management policy changes and procedural modifications. Takes a variety of personnel-related actions such as hearing/resolving grievances or complaints, proposes disciplinary and adverse actions, evaluates performance of rehabilitation professionals; decides on nonroutine training needs, approves expenses relative to employee travel and overtime; recommends within-grade increases, awards, bonuses; and recommends changes in position classification.Requirements Conditions of EmploymentYou must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this jobSelectees are subject to a background/suitability investigationSelective Service registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959Selectees are required to service a one-year supervisory probationary period if not previously completed in a Federal position. Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:08/26/2024.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. For a GS-14 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-13 level. 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.
If you are a current VBA employee seeking reassignment or change to lower grade via this vacancy announcement, you must currently hold the GS-14 (or higher) and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least GS-14.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.
The Supervisory Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor series requires that all applicants meetboth the Basic Requirement per the Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR) AND the Specialized Experience described below:INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENTS (IOR): To qualify for the VRC position, candidates must meet the following basic requirements:
a. EDUCATION: Successful completion of a master's degree (or higher) in rehabilitation counseling, rehabilitation services, clinical rehabilitation counseling, counseling psychology, mental health counseling, career counseling or social work from an accredited college or university.**NOTE: ALL transcripts (not diploma) MUST have a conferred date. Failure to submit a transcript without a conferred or graduation date will result in non-consideration for the position.**
b. INTERNSHIP OR EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT: The required (1) supervised internship or (2) post-master's degree experience is described as follows:
(1) Supervised Internship: The education in paragraph 3a 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) Experience: One-year post-master's degree experience in direct delivery of professional vocational rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities.OR
c. GRANDFATHERING PROVISION: Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors employed within the VBA on the effective date of (July 28, 2023) 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:

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.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.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.SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-13). 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 employment and vocational rehabilitation programs;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; and understanding and clearly explaining to veterans, the benefits and services available through the VR&E program.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 Office of Personnel Management's group coverage qualification standards, associated individual occupational requirements (IOR), and individual qualification standards covering white collar occupations in the Federal competitive service can be found here.Education
A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to be credited towards qualifications. Provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
All education claimed by applicants will be verified upon appointment. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript to receive credit.
Additional informationWork Schedule: Regular office hours; Monday to Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pmTitle/PD#: Supervisory Vocational Rehab Counselor GS - 14; PD 38428APhysical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Typically, the employee may sit comfortably to do the work. However, there may be some walking; standing; bending; carrying of light items such as papers, books, small parts; driving an automobile, etc. No special physical demands are required to perform the work.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 or change to lower grade. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.
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.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), ." Help

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 benefitsEligibility 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 EvaluatedYou 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. Applicants who do not fully address the specialized experience needed for the position (as described above in the job announcement) in their resume or who do not possess the education to substitute for it will not be referred for consideration.
After you have met the minimum qualifications, you will be rated on the following competencies based on your application for this position:
Planning and Evaluating - Organizes work, sets priorities, and determines resource requirements; determines short- or long-term goals and strategies to achieve them; coordinates with other organizations or parts of the organization to accomplish goals; monitors progress and evaluates outcomes.Administration and Management - Knowledge of planning, coordination, and execution of business functions, resource allocation, and production.Analysis and Problem Solving - Applies the process of discovery that involves the diagnosis of a problem or issue, identification and gathering of relevant information, formulation and evaluation of alternative solutions or courses of action, and selection or recommendation of the preferred solution or course of action.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.Management and Organizational Information - Identifies a need; gathers, organizes, and maintains information; determines its importance and accuracy, and communicates it by a variety of methods.
If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job-related information, which may include, but is 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.Notice to Applicants: It is the policy of the Government not to deny employment simply because an individual has been unemployed or has had financial difficulties that have arisen through no fault of the individual. Information about an individual's employment experience will be used only to determine the person's qualifications and to assess his or her relative level of knowledge, skills, and abilities. Although an individual's personal conduct may be relevant in any employment decision, including conduct during periods of unemployment or evidence of dishonesty in handling financial matters, financial difficulty that has arisen through no fault of the individual will generally not itself be the basis of an unfavorable suitability or fitness determination.