The Community Employment Specialist is assigned to the Housing First Program, which falls under the Care Management and Social Work Service, and works under the administrative and clinical supervision of the Housing First Coordinator. The Community Employment Specialist carries out all duties related to obtaining and maintaining competitive employment for homeless or at-risk of homelessness Veterans who are referred by a homeless program provider or self-present for employment services.

Duties

*** Bargaining Position *** The Vocational Development Specialist will also have knowledge of community and VA medical center resources related to vocational assistance and be an expert at determining which combination of vocational services will best meet the employment needs of the Veteran requesting services. Collects and organizes data on Veterans served as required. Assess Vocational Needs The Community Employment Specialist conducts an interview to determine the nature and level of intervention that may be required to assist the Veteran in obtaining employment. Based on the initial assessment and his/her expertise in vocational development, the Specialist provides the Veteran with a range of service options that will meet both his/her immediate and long-term employment needs. This assessment is based upon the Veteran's employment and educational history, current barriers to employment, interests and skills. The assessment is intended to be brief, focused and interactive in nature and to guide the development of an initial employment plan including the resolution of potential barriers to employment. Provide Direct Services and Referrals The Community Employment Specialist provides both direct and indirect services including but not limited to: access to job listings; resume preparation; vocational counseling; negotiations with employers for reasonable accommodations; assistance with completion and submission of job applications; coordination of and transportation to job interviews, interview skills training; job development and job placement. The level and types of services provided should be determined by the Employment Specialist in collaboration with the Veteran where the end result is competitive employment, employment maintenance or improved job status. There is not a specific prescriptive formula for the provision of these vocational services as they are intended to be offered based on the individualized needs of the Veteran such that some individuals may request and receive a singular service (e.g. resume preparation) whereas another may require job development and placement in order to achieve an improved employment outcome. The focus of services is on employment rather than therapeutic work. If a more intensive vocational intervention is required in order for the Veteran to move toward competitive employment, the Employment Specialist will assist the Veteran in obtaining a referral to the nearest Compensated Work Therapy Program (CWT). In some cases, based on the Veteran's preferences and needs, the Employment Specialist may make a referral to an alternative agency, e.g. Department of Labor (DOL) to assist the Veteran in finding employment and gain entry into vocational training programs. The Employment Specialist also works closely with VBA to determine the Veteran's eligibility for VR&E services. The rationale for all such referrals will be clearly documented in the Veteran's medical record. Document and Collaborate The Employment Specialist documents al vocational interventions, goals, objectives and outcomes through the writing of an individualized employment plan and actively participates in the implementation of this employment plan. Employment objectives should be an active and ongoing component of the employment plan. She/he attends and participates in treatment team meetings, contributes actively to the strategies and support plans for all clients served by the team, and communicates strategies developed for job acquisition and retention to the treatment team. The Community Employment Specialist is also expected to collaborate with existing community partners and employers and to demonstrate unique expertise in the ability to forge new relationships with such entities. The Specialist is very knowledgeable of the local job market well beyond familiarization with Internet job sites. He/she receives and records information from employers regarding employment opportunities participates in job fairs and may take a leadership role in coordination employment fairs and similar events for homeless Veterans. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual/remote position. Position Description/PD#: Vocational Development Specialist - Community Employment Specialist / PDHA504-00713-A and PD504-2086-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/15/2024. 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-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9. 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 the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. 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. Individual Occupational Requirements. Candidates must meet one of the following: Education. Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- vocational rehabilitation, vocational or educational counseling, or other fields related to the position. or Specialized Experience. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: Work that required obtaining and applying occupational information for people with disabilities, knowledge of the interrelationships of the involved professional and specialist services, and skill in employing the methodology and techniques of counseling to motivate and encourage individuals served by the program. Experience that demonstrated knowledge of the vocational rehabilitation problems characteristic of the disabled, including familiarity with available resources and skill in identifying, evaluating, and making effective use of such resources to serve individuals with disabilities; or of the disadvantaged, including knowledge of adjustment problems of the educationally or culturally disadvantaged, familiarity with available adult education and training resources, and ability to recognize problem areas needing special attention. Experience in vocational guidance or teaching in a recognized vocational rehabilitation program or school, developmental or supervisory work in programs of vocational rehabilitation or training programs for the disadvantaged, or personnel or employment placement work that provided extensive knowledge of the training and adjustment requirements necessary to place persons having disabilities or social adjustment problems. AND You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-9 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include experience with identifying the conditions needed for successful job placement for individuals who are chronically homeless, homeless, formerly homeless, or at-risk of homelessness and who may have poor or incomplete employment histories; and knowledge of techniques for negotiating with prospective employers to provide opportunities for homeless Veterans and to create environments that maximize the chances for success. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LL.B. or J.D., if related. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. (Transcript Required) OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond 18 semester hours of graduate level education. (Transcript Required) GS-11 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-9 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include strong background in and knowledge of individualized and customized job placement strategies; extensive experience identifying the conditions needed for successful job placement for individuals who are formerly homeless, homeless or a-risk of homelessness and who may have poor or incomplete employment histories; knowledge of techniques for negotiating with prospective employers to provide opportunities for homeless Veterans and to create environments that maximize the chances for success; strong background in and knowledge of networking with federal, state, and community agencies and employers. Experience which supports experience in with interpersonal and communication skills in order to be able to effectively communicate with Veterans and their families, employers, and community agencies; basic counseling and motivational interviewing skills; strong writing and communications skills, including experience with writing resumes, cover letters and other professional correspondence; and, must have working knowledge of MS Word or comparable word processing software to execute several office automation functions such as storing and retrieving electronic documents and files, activating printers, inserting and deleting text, formatting letters, reports and memoranda, and transmitting and receiving e-mail. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. (Transcript Required) OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond a master's degree. (Transcript Required) You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Clerical Critical Thinking Customer Service Veteran and Customer Focus 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, but does require intermittent driving, standing and walking. A valid driver's license is required. The work requires that the incumbent drive on a regular basis as a significant amount of their time may be spent in the community meeting with Veterans, employers and other community agency representatives. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

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.

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

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/.

One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement.

Contacts

• Address Thomas E Creek VA Medical Center 6010 Amarillo Boulevard, West Amarillo, TX 79106 US
• Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
• Email: [email protected]