The incumbent serves as the Director of the Vocational Rehabilitation Service (VRS) and has full managerial responsibility for this section. VRS serves disabled and homeless veterans through the provision of vocational services leading to employment, schooling, retraining, and/or independent community adjustment. The incumbent will be responsible for directing, controlling, coordinating, planning, implementing, and monitoring vocational rehabilitation programs and activities.

Duties

Major duties include, but are not limited to: Provides direct supervision to those employees administering to Incentive Therapy, Compensated Work Therapy, Supported Employment, and general vocational rehabilitation plans. Negotiates agreements for new assignments and work environments, develops new position descriptions, conducts vulnerability and sensitivity assessments, sets pay scales, and ensures effective payroll procedures. Plans budgets and oversees the Administrative Officer's manipulations of Fund Control Points; billing, process, and tracking of patient earnings. Provides direction to 25-30 supervisors of IT and CWT participants relative to timekeeping, performance evaluation, competency reviews, accommodation, monitor of individual employment barriers, and development of workers towards employability levels. Obtains proper medical clearances, conducts searches, and makes placements of patients in appropriate, constructive, work. Makes regular contacts with patients and supervisors throughout IT/CWT assignments to ensure proper orientation and training, progress on rehabilitative goals, adherence to safety expectations, and to intercede between patient and supervisor when problems arise. Oversees the implementation and nurturing of national CWT initiatives that enhance vocational rehabilitation services to special populations of veterans (such as those with chronic homelessness and/or Serious Mental Illness). Responsible for disseminating the Supported Employment model and Homeless Veteran Supported Employment model to existing and future CWT programs within the VISN. Initiates and coordinates, without prior specific instruction or supervision, the clinical, administrative, and training aspects of the evidence-based vocational rehabilitation programs at all the medical centers within the VISN. Designates, trains, and monitors the performance of a subordinate Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist who acts as the Supported Employment Trainer for VISN 20. Mentoring VISN 20 staff on any/all matters relative to Incentive Therapy, Compensated Work Therapy, and Transitional Work Experience. Assumes responsibility for the more difficult patients or those with the most complex vocational rehabilitation needs and plans. Accomplishes thorough vocational intakes and assessments, either in person or by delegation, including client histories, resources, barriers, strengths/weaknesses, personal preferences, and desired goals. Reviews all available medical records to determine the status of medical, psychiatric, and addiction concerns and consults with clinicians regarding readiness/clearance for work therapy, employment, or schooling. Identifies schooling and training resources needed to address individual deficiencies or barriers and assists clients with applications and access. Counsels and guides workers and students through difficult transitions or rough spots in the adjustment to work, schooling, and training. Establishes and maintains critical relationships with community agencies, organizations, employers, and providers, who can support the VRS mission, or which might play a role in furthering an individual veteran's vocational plan. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:00am - 3:30pm Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Supervisory Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist/PD209760 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet time-in-grade requirements and specialized experience within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement, 11/14/2024. 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 within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. 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. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet the Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR). An IOR is a basic requirement that must be met in order to qualify for the GS 1715 occupational series. Education must be accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained. To qualify for this occupational series, applicants must have one of the following listed below: Undergraduate and graduate education Major study -- vocational rehabilitation, vocational or educational counseling, or other fields related to the position (Transcript required). OR, Specialized experience (for positions above GS-5): 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. In addition to meeting the Individual Occupational Requirement requirements, applicants may qualify based on experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Knowledge of the principles and theoretical concepts of vocational rehabilitation. Manages/leads a vocational rehabilitation program. Providing direct supervision to staff and delegating work. Developing and meeting budgetary plans and overseeing fund control points. Conducting presentations/ and or trainings on various aspects of Vocational Rehabilitation. Providing a variety of vocational assessments and rehabilitation techniques to individuals with severe and multiple disabilities. Creating a network of training and employment resources for clients served. Overseeing the overall planning, direction, and timely execution of the program and recommending solutions to difficult situations. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month & year starting and ending dates AND hours worked per week. SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR (SCREEN-OUT) - A Selective Placement Factor (SPF) has been identified for this position. Selective Placement Factors (SPF) are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for the position. Applicants who do not meet the SPF are ineligible for further consideration. The SPF for this position is: Maintain a valid state issued Driver's License and a safe driving record. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)LeadershipPlanning and Evaluating 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. Physical Requirements: Much of the work will be performed in office and sheltered work settings, with adequate lighting and climate control. Role requires regular movement and interaction at various locations throughout the Medical Center, indoors and outdoors in the metropolitan Portland/Vancouver area, at schools, employers, agencies and through four states. The managerial and mentoring roles require a significant amount of traveling to/from internal work sites, metro community resources, and within the VISN 20 region. Occasional assistance will be given to the sheltered workshop to rearrange workstations and assist in the loading and unloading of supplies and product. 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

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Contacts

• Address VA Portland Health Care System 3710 Southwest US Veterans Hospital Road Portland, OR 97239 US
• Name: Gabriella Granderson
• Phone: (281) 928-2981
• Email: [email protected]