The incumbent serves as the Supervisory Chaplain performing supervisory & senior clinical assignments for the Chaplain Service. He/she provides comprehensive religious, spiritual, & pastoral care to all persons that are commensurate with the needs, desires, & voluntary consent of the Veteran, caregiver, or staff. He/she addresses the spiritual component of health & wellness in every patient care setting to ensure that pastoral care is fully integrated into all aspects of chaplain services.

Duties

Provides religious ministry services to veteran patients according to specific needs and desires. Provides thorough guidance and advice to Chaplain Service management staff, other Chaplains, and other stakeholders. Manages moderately complex to very complex chaplain service program with identified specialty chaplains working in (Hospice & Palliative Care, Suicide Prevention, Mental Health Residential and Outpatient Programs, Substance Use Disorder Clinics, Cancer Treatment Clinics, Women's Health Clinics, Spinal Cord Injury Clinics, etc.) Develops one or more subprograms (training, research, community relationships, or religious education if in relationship to the intensive overall treatment program). Plans work to be accomplished by subordinates, establishes and adjusts short-term priorities, and prepares schedules for completion of work. Supervises all administrative functions of the department, such as clinical practice, program management, education, human resource management, budget management, development of policy and clinical practice standards. Tracks and maintains budget for all Chaplain Service programs. Maintains records, supplies, and religious equipment for the assigned program. Ensures compliance with chaplaincy practice, policy, and accreditation standards across the continuum of health care. Provides consultation to facility leadership, managers, and other staff on all religious expression and spiritual care. Establishes performance and productivity metrics and productivity outcomes, organizational plans, and staff development issues. Administers ordinances, rites, or sacraments; prepares and delivers sermons; arranges for the atmosphere and symbolism of worship; and conducts funeral services when needed. Provides religious instruction for patients through various means, such as individual or group discussion, Bible classes, instructional classes, and tutoring for courses completed by correspondence. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00 am until 4:00 pm Compressed/Flexible:Not Available Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 51624F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

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: Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Education: Applicants must possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational qualifications as evidenced by a graduate-level theological degree from a college, university or theological school accredited by a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. NOTE: For applicants who do not possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational degree, an approved educational equivalency review from a nationally recognized board certification body for chaplains is acceptable. Foreign Education. To be creditable, theological or related education completed outside the U.S. must be submitted to a current affiliate agency of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) listed at https://www.naces.org/members. Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE): Applicants must have completed four units of CPE from a CPE center that is accredited by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Ecclesiastical Endorsement: An individual must possess and maintain a full and active ecclesiastical endorsement to be employed as a VA chaplain. Applicants must have an ecclesiastical endorsement, dated within the past 12 months. Ecclesiastical endorsements must be from the official national endorsing authority of the applicant's/employee's faith group or denomination. Ecclesiastical endorsement is a written official statement, by the official national endorsing body of the faith group or denomination, certifying that the applicant is in good standing with the applicant's faith group or denomination; and stating that the individual is, in the opinion of the endorsing body, qualified to perform the full range of ministry required in the VA pluralistic setting. Loss of endorsement will result in removal from the GS-0060 Chaplain series and may result in termination of employment. The National Chaplain Service maintains a list of approved endorsing organizations that can be found here: https://www.patientcare.va.gov/chaplain/Employment_Information_and_Resources.asp Board Certification: Applicants must be a Board Certified Chaplain certified by the Board of Chaplaincy Certification Inc. (BCCI) ® or nationally recognized certification body that utilizes the BCCI ® Common Qualifications and Competencies for Professional Chaplaincy or a certifying organization that has a reciprocity agreement with BCCI ®. Grade Determinations: Supervisory Chaplain, GS-13 Experience. At this level, the candidate must possess one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level that is directly related to the position to be filled. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above; the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. Knowledge of administrative, personnel, and resource management and strategic planning for chaplaincy and chaplain pastoral education programs. 2. Ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties, which include responsibility for assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff and recommendation of awards, advancements and disciplinary actions. 3. Skill in interpersonal relationships, including conflict resolution and ability to work collaboratively with managers from other departments. 4. Ability to develop local policy, productivity and clinical practice standards. 5. Ability to align chaplaincy services and programming with the strategic goals and objectives of the facility, Veterans Integrated Service Network and VHA. 6. Ability to ensure compliance with chaplaincy practice, policy and accreditation standards across the continuum of health care. 7. Skill in providing consultation to facility leadership, managers and other staff on all religious expression and spiritual care. References: VA Handbook 5005/135 September 24, 2020 PART II APPENDIX G67 Physical Requirements: See VA Handbook 5019.

Education

IMPORTANT: 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center 3701 Loop Road East Tuscaloosa, AL 35404 US
• Name: Amber Higgins
• Phone: (205) 933-8101 X333587
• Email: [email protected]