The Veterans Benefits Administration has a wide network of field locations where personnel provide Servicemembers, Veterans, their dependents, and survivors with information, advice and assistance regarding the availability and procurement of benefits under laws and regulations administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs and other agencies. One of the long-standing services is Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E), which provides services under the prog of CH 31,36, 35, 108.

Duties

(1) 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. (2) Provides administrative expertise in all phases of rehabilitation activities, including counseling, case management, rehabilitation plan development, and job development and placement. (3) May review personally the most difficult and complex cases and elements such as fraud, high-cost programs, independent living cases to include home adaptation, self-employment cases, re-entrance into a rehabilitation program cases, retroactive inductions, and extensions of entitlement. (4) Provides internal policy direction and supervision of the RO VRE staff through on-site visits and inspections, review and analysis of standard or specifically requested data, and individualized or telephonic and written communication. (5) Maintains knowledge of special incentives and hiring preferences for Veterans and ensures that outreach is conducted. (6) Understands and is sensitive to the objectives of the EEO program and promotes workforce diversity through recruitment, coaching, and developmental activities, consistent with the merit system principles. Work Schedule: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Compressed/Flexible: Available Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Supervisory Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor/38427A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Relocation expenses are authorized for this position. Relocation incentive may be authorized up to $25,000. Financial Disclosure Report: 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 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, 11/13/2023. 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-15 position you must have served 52 weeks at the 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. 2. INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT (IOR)/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 a. 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. 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. GS-15: Basic educational requirement AND Specialized Experience: In addition to meeting the Basic educational Requirements stated above, one year of post-graduate level professional vocational rehabilitation counseling experience, equivalent to the GS-14 level is required. Specialized experience is experience that has provided an advanced and detailed knowledge of VA's Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Program. Specifically, an in-depth knowledge of testing and evaluation, rehabilitation, job development and job placement, knowledge of Chapters 18, 30, 31, 34, and 35 of Title 38 USC and demonstrated comprehensive experience in all of the following: 1) Conducting assessments of both the local labor market, and Veteran employability. 2) Active involvement in the development of appropriate vocational goals and subsequent objectives outlined in rehabilitation plans. 3) 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) 4) Written and oral communication skills in explaining the benefits and services available through the VR&E program to Veterans. 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; and6) Develop improvements in, or design new work methods and procedures. 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. Awarded/Conferred Master's Degree is required and must be reflected on transcripts. Transcripts (unofficial and/or official) must show evidence of a supervised internship and must also show that the degree has been awarded/conferred and the date awarded. Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary although some slight physical effort may be required. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: 1. TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE: Applies Federal, State and Local laws, regulations, policies, guides, procedures and judicial determinations applicable to Veterans benefits and related rehabilitation services under Chapters 18, 30, 31, 34, and 35, and other chapters of Title 38, U.S. Code. 2. HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT: Builds and manages workforce based on organizational goals, budget considerations and staffing needs. Ensures that employees are appropriately recruited, selected, appraised and rewarded; takes action to address performance problems. Manage multi grade level workforce and various work situations. 3. LEADERSHIP: Develops and leads employees work activities toward meeting organization mission/goals, identify patterns in (VR&E) operations to develop solutions to enhance productivity/service, encourages an inclusive workplace, support constructive resolution of conflicts. 4. ANALYTICAL REASONING: Analyzes (i.e. review and evaluate), comprehend and apply decisions based on data or complex information, weighs relevance and accuracy of information, generates and evaluates alternative solutions, makes recommendations or final determinations. 5. COMMUNICATION: Clearly and concisely expresses information to individuals or groups, fully considering audience and nature of information, makes clear and convincing oral presentations, listens to others and responds appropriately. 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. 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

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.

Contacts

• Address Columbia Regional Benefit Office 6437 Garners Ferry Rd Columbia, SC 29209 US
• Name: Joyce Love
• Phone: (601) 364-7247
• Email: [email protected]