**PCS (BVO) Relocation Expenses AND a $21,000 Relocation Incentive is authorized for this vacancy. A three year (3-yr) service agreement is required.** The documents required for applying to job announcements has been updated. Please review the "Required Documents" section very carefully - failure to follow the guidelines will result in loss of consideration for this job announcement. One Vacancy to be filled in Sioux Falls, SD; Rapid City, SD; OR Fargo, ND

Duties

The Supervisory Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Officer-VREO) oversees a team of Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors (VRCs) and other staff in the VBA Regional Office, Regional Office Out-based office locations, VetSuccess On Campus school sites, and Integrated Disability Evaluation System locations on military installations. The VREO provides management/direction to staff on a wide range of rehabilitation counseling/case management services provided to Veterans with service-connected disabilities. The VREO provides leadership and direction to the VR&E staff and coordinates activities with other divisions in the Regional Office and the VA Medical Centers. The VREO supports the principles of quality improvement and is committed to assuring timely products of high quality are provided to Servicemembers, Veterans, and their families. Duties include, but are not limited to: 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; Directs and supervises the administration of work involving eligibility criteria, vocational exploration, conducting assessments of both the local labor market, plan development based on appropriate vocational goals, examination of medical information, making legally binding entitlement decisions, award adjustments, award authorization, and case management services; Makes decisions related to assigning and allocating program resources and directing and reviewing personnel within the assigned staff complement to accomplish the changing initiatives and emphasis established by Central Office program managers; Provides administrative expertise in all phases of rehabilitation activities, including counseling, case management, rehabilitation plan development, and job development and placement; Oversees and in some situations, approves the entitlement and authorization of full range of monetary assistance to include: subsistence allowance, reimbursement to service-providers, special transportation allowances, payment for books, supplies, and other equipment, advances from the Revolving Fund Loan, and payment of tuition and fees. Meets with senior managers at the Regional Office, State or Labor representatives, local 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 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. Promotion Potential: This position is being announced at the full performance level. Work Schedule: Standard 5 day, 8 hours, full time (40 hours a week) 8:00am to 4:30pm schedule; Hours may vary to effectively carry out the mission. Compressed/Flexible Schedule: As determined by Station Policy Telework: As determined by Station Policy Virtual: This is NOT a virtual position Position Description Title/PD#: Supervisory Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (Vocational Rehab and Employment Officer-VREO); 38428A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Required-Selectee will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-450, under 5 CFR 2634.904(a) prior to entering on duty and annually thereafter.

Requirements

• 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 supervisory/managerial probationary 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: 09/11/2023 1. 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. 2. Individual Occupational Requirement - EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: 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. 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. 4. MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: In addition to the time-in-grade and education requirements, you must also meet the following specialized experience requirements. NON-QUALIFYING EXPERIENCE: Vocational rehabilitation experience obtained prior to completion of the requirements for the master's degree is not qualifying. If one year of work experience is substituted for an internship, that year cannot also be used for qualifying. 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. Qualifying experience must also be equivalent to professional vocational rehabilitation counseling experience at the next lower level (GS-13). Specialized Experience: documented experience that has provided comprehensive knowledge of Vocational Rehabilitation programs. Specifically, proficiency in VA Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment programs 1) competence with employment and vocational rehabilitation programs; 2) technical knowledge and expertise in the procedures for vocational and rehabilitation law; 3) comprehension to administer and counsel in the areas of counseling, rehabilitation, psychology, career development, and job placement entitlements; 4) documented experience to control budgetary resources for approving and monitoring financial expenditures. Candidates must also have demonstrated in their work experience or training that they possess, or have the potential to develop, the qualities to successfully supervise subordinates/teams and to share responsibility for directing and supervising the administrative work necessary to manage a successful program operation. 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: 1) 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; 2) Accomplish the quality and quantity of work expected within set limits of cost and time; 3) Plan own work and carry out assignments effectively; 4) Communicate with others effectively both orally and in writing in working out solutions to problems or questions relating to the work; 5) Understand and further management goals as these affect day-to-day work operations; and 6) Develop improvements in, or design new work methods and procedures. 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; 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. 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; when including part-time employment in your resume you must specify the average hours worked per week. Physical Requirements: This work normally involves mental rather than physical exertion. This position is primarily sedentary with some walking, standing, bending, stooping and carrying of lightweight items (i.e. folders, claims files).

Education

A legible transcript must be submitted with your application. It must include your coursework and date of conferral of a Masters degree in vocational rehabilitation (or related) field.

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.

Contacts

• Address Sioux Falls Regional Benefit Office 2501 W 22nd St Sioux Falls, SD 57105 US
• Name: Mindy Marion
• Phone: (303) 236-6184
• Email: [email protected]