Social Worker (Program Coordinator)

Major duties include but are not limited to:

• The incumbent oversees the daily operation of the program develop policies and procedures for program operation and prepare reports and statistics for facility VISN and national use.
• They may be responsible for the programs budget developing and monitoring staff compliance with practice standards and guidelines on documentation workload data entry ethical practice and service delivery.
• The incumbent assumes the supervisory and administrative responsibility for the management of the assigned social worker supervisors who function within various units in the VA Hospital. As the social work coordinator the incumbent assists in overseeing program operations and evaluations identifying areas for improvement gathering relevant data assessing the data developing and implementing ideas for improvement and evaluating efficacy of improvement efforts.
• Performs the administrative and personnel management function relative to staff supervised. Incumbent will have established guidelines and performance expectations for staff clearly communicated through the formal employee performance management system.
• Incumbent supervises employees to accomplish the work of the organization unit.
• Exercises supervisor authorities and responsibilities involving work assignment and review as well as the administrative and personnel management functions relative to the staff supervised.
• In addition the incumbent uses sound judgment in the interpretation of trends and patterns; the application of guidelines; and the recommendation of program enhancements.
• The incumbent performs program analysis development review research design and contact work as possible with various agencies (public DOD state etc.).
• Performs work related to the review monitoring analysis planning and assessment of various programs.
• Incumbent assures that subordinates are trained and fully comply with the provisions of the safety regulations.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8AM-4:30PM CST. Work Schedule is subject to change based on agency need.
Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized.
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave 13 days of sick leave 11 paid Federal holidays per year). Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work experience or military service experience.
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth adoption or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment full time employees with a total family income below $144000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Telework: Ad-hoc.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 61424F
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.

• 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 ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers 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.
• 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 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.

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.
• Education: Must hold a masters 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 masters degree in social work.
• Licensure: Must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the masters degree level.

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).Grandfathering Provision. The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all title 38 hybrid qualification standards. Please review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/registration requirements that apply to this occupation.

1. All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title series and grade held including positive education and licensure or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all of the basic requirements in this standard but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it the following provisions apply:
2. Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure or certification may be reassigned promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
3. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
4. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all of the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.(5) If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.
5. If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.

NOTE: If social workers covered under the grandfathering provision of the 1991 Federal law regarding licensure or certification of VHA social workers leave the GS-0185 social work series they lose the grandfathering protection. If they choose to return at a later date to the GS-0185 series they must be licensed or certified to qualify for employment as a social worker.

Grade Determinations:Social Worker (Program Coordinator) GS-12

• Experience and Education: 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. Examples of specialized experience at the GS-11 include but are not limited to: 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 patients strengths weaknesses coping skills and psychosocial acuity.
• Licensure/Certification: Individuals assigned as social worker program coordinator 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 the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs (must be clearly demonstrated in your resume):
  • Knowledge of program coordination and administration which includes consultation negotiation and monitoring.
  • Knowledge and ability to write policies procedures and/or practice guidelines for the program.
  • Ability to supervise multidisciplinary staff assigned to the program.
  • Skill in organizing work setting priorities meeting multiple deadlines and evaluating assigned program area(s).
  • Ability to provide training orientation and guidance within clinical practice.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard please visit full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is the GS-12.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 Employee Occupational Health Services.