The Supervisory Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (SVRC), supervises Veteran Readiness & Employment staff at locations and/or within the Veterans Benefits Administration- Los Angeles Regional Office. The SVRC is responsible for administration and work load management within the Division, reporting issues to the Assistant Veteran Readiness & Officer to assure that goals in the areas of timeliness, accuracy, cost, customer satisfaction and employee development are met.

Duties

Major Duties: The SVRC Functions as first level supervisor for the VR&E personnel located at the Regional Office or out based facility, providing advice and guidance on unusual or unprecedented problems. The work supervised is vital to the processes through which VBA directly serves the public. The SVRC is responsible for interviewing and recommending selection of employees to the VR&E Officer. Is also responsible for training and monitoring performance of employees within the unit. Prepares performance ratings, resolves disciplinary and performance problems, and assesses the ongoing training needs of the employees supervised at the out based locations. The SVRC must demonstrate a commitment to equal employment opportunity principles. The SVRC needs a wide breadth of knowledge and expertise regarding VR&E protocols, regulations, and laws. The SVRC will review and provide consultation and supervision regarding the most difficult cases, using expertise, training, and experience beyond the journeyman level of line VR&E Counselors. This also includes broad expertise of divisional operations to provide supervision and management of the Employment Coordinator and Program Specialist positions. The SVRC is responsible for reviewing files for quality assurance, contributing to the development of reports, such as Strategic Oversight and Analysis Reviews (SOAR's), quarterly reports, congressional and IRS inquiries and white papers. The SVRC is supervised and accountable to the VR&E officer, with consultation of the assistant VR&E officer. The SVRC collects accurate data relating to the various work activities in the Regional Office and/or out based offices, analyzes fluctuations, short- and long-term trends and achievements and/or failures in customer expectations. The incumbent prepares accurate reports and analysis as required by the VR&E officer, including SOAR's, and reports on special projects. The incumbent establishes internal controls to prevent fraud, waste, abuse and misappropriation of government funds and property. Identifies and recommends to the VR&E officer changes needed for improvement of operations or service and takes action as directed. The incumbent prepares a budget for travel funds for employees under their supervision and monitors the use of travel funds. The SVRC provides clinical supervision and technical support and supervision as needed for accomplishing the work of the unit. Analyzes, interprets, and managerially enforces the application of laws, regulations, and rules as they affect policies, procedures and methods of operations. Also performs administrative and personnel management functions relative to staff supervised as directed. Enforces and manages performance expectations for staff, which are clearly communicated through the formal employee performance management system. Observes workers' performance and demonstrates and conducts work performance critiques. Provides formal and informal feedback and periodically evaluates employee performance. Exercises supervisory authorities and responsibilities involving work assignments and reviews, as well as the administrative and personnel management functions relative to the staff supervised. Supports transitional processes required involving the selected components to the work division to meet balanced scorecard goals. Resolves informal complaints and grievances. Develops performance improvement plans, recommending personnel actions as necessary. Provides advice and counsel to employees related to work and administrative matters, effects disciplinary measures as appropriate, to the authority delegated in this area. Reviews and approves/disapproves leave request. Assures that subordinates training is current, and fully complies with the provisions of safety regulations. Recommends awards and motivational activities. Fifty percent of the position is directed at exercising direct supervisory and managerial tasks. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7am-3:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Telework: Yes - as determined by the agency policy. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: 02750A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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, 01/16/2024. 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 by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-0101-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12 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. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and education as described below: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-12). Specialized experience is defined as one (1) full year of performance of technical assignments affecting the entire field of VA's Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (VR&E) division. Your resume/application must support your response. To meet the specialized experience, your resume should reflect: Experience in conducting assessments of veteran's employability. 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. Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR)/Education Requirement: To qualify for the VRC position, candidates must meet the following basic requirements. 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. 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. To qualify for this grade level you must have a Master's Degree in Rehabilitation counseling that includes an internship. 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. Competencies: Knowledge of Strategic goals and Analyzation: Extensive knowledge and understanding of the strategic goals of the Department's programs in order to analyze existing regulations, policies and procedures; originate or revise regulations, policies, and procedures; perform program evaluations; and provide expert advice in the solution of complex problems. Knowledge of Veterans Benefits: Comprehensive knowledge of policies as it relates to Veterans educational benefit determinations. Communication: Ability to establish and maintain effective communication (oral and written) with persons both at all organizational levels and with officials of other departments and agencies on policy, technical and administrative matters. Supervision: Ability to manage and/or supervise (plan, organize, direct, control, review, etc.) the work activities of subordinates. 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: 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; Accomplish the quality and quantity of work expected within set limits of cost and time; Plan own work and carry out assignments effectively; Communicate with others effectively both orally and in writing in working solutions to problems or questions relating to the work; Understand and further management goals as these affect day-to-day work operations; AND Develop improvements on, or design new work methods and procedures. 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. Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary although some slight physical effort may be required. 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

Positive Education Requirement: Master's Degree in Rehabilitation counseling that includes an internship.

OR
Master's Degree in counseling psychology (or related field) that included an internship in rehabilitation counseling and was supplemented by at least 30 semester hours of coursework in the majority of the following areas: foundations of rehabilitation counseling, human growth and development, counseling theories and techniques, vocational assessment, career development, job placement, case management, and medical/psycho-social aspects of disability.

OR
Master's Degree listed in 1 or 2 WITHOUT rehabilitation counseling internship. Where the internship was substituted for professional experience following completion of a master's degree. [Experience suitable for substitution must be one full year in direct delivery of vocational rehabilitation services to adults with disabilities in rehabilitation programs, other thank those in correctional facilities. The experience or internship/practicum must have been supervised by a professional in vocation rehabilitation or closely related professional field that typically has oversight for vocational rehabilitation programs.] In addition to the Positive Education requirements (Basic Requirement) listed above, applicants must have one year 52 weeks of specialized experience at the next lower grade level (GS-12) to qualify. To receive proper credit for your work experience, please be sure to include the dates of employment as well as the hours worked for each position in your resume. (i.e., 12/16/13 - 10/15/16, 40 hrs. per week.)

Please also be sure to address the Specialized Experience with specific details in your resume. We cannot make assumptions regarding your experience.

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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Los Angeles Regional Benefit Office Federal Building, 11000 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90024 US
• Name: Corey Smith
• Phone: 515-323-7575
• Email: [email protected]