The Western NY VA Healthcare system is currently seeking a current, permanent WNY VA employee to serve as a Supervisory Social Worker for the Geriatric and Extended Care Team at the Buffalo NY location.

Duties

This Supervisory Social Worker position is located at VA Western New York Healthcare System within the Geriatrics Extended Care (GEC) Service. The Supervisory Social Worker is full time position with administrative, supervisory, and clinical oversight for all Social Work Staff within Geriatrics and Extended Care. S/he performs Administrative and Clinical services across continuum of care. The incumbent independently supervises a group of employees performing work at the GS11 and GS12 level and provides administrative, technical, and clinical supervision necessary for accomplishing the work of the service. The incumbent performs the administrative and personnel management function relative to staff supervised within established guidelines and performance expectations for staff, clearly communicated through the formal employee performance management system. The incumbent will report to the Care Line Manager but practices independently, exercising initiative and independent judgment in day-to-day activities, performing the administrative and personnel management function relative to staff supervised. Supervision/consultation is of an administrative and professional nature; with the Social Work Executive providing guidance on policy and direction of Social Work Services. In unusual and/or complex administrative and clinical problems, the incumbent initiates consultation with the Chiefs and Service Leads as well as with other authoritative resources at the Medical Center (following proper chain-of command), such as Regional Counsel, Business Services, Fiscal, and Human Resources. His/her work is reviewed for technical adequacy and conformance with procedures and practices applicable to facility level and national policy. Duties include but are not limited to: Observes workers' performance; demonstrates and conducts work performance critiques, provides informal feedback and periodically evaluates employee performance. Coordinates the work responsibilities of clinical staff assigned to Medical Social Work. Acts as consultant to other team/staff members on the psychosocial treatment of patients treated in specialty areas, rendering professional opinions based on experience and expertise and role modeling effective social work practice skills. Is knowledgeable in and promotes Recovery Oriented Care Principles, Evidence Based Practice for Social Work, and patient centered care practice with Social Work Staff. Participate in committee assignments, as deemed necessary by Social Work Service and Care Line Leadership. May serve on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility, VISN, and/or VA Central Office levels. Works to resolves informal complaints and grievances. Develops work improvement plans and personnel actions as necessary. Effects disciplinary measures as appropriate to the authority delegated in this area. Supervises employees to accomplish work of the organization unit. Exercise's supervisor authorities and responsibilities involving work assignment and review, as well as the administrative and personnel management functions relative to the staff supervised. Performs work related to the review, monitoring, analysis, planning, and assessment of Medical Social Work programs. In regard to direct, clinical patient care responsibilities, the incumbent will exercise their approved clinical privileges to screen; assess; and development or contribute to social work treatment plans for Veterans assigned to the Supervisor. Provides clinical training supervision to graduate social work students. Reviews and approves or disapproves leave requests in coordination with other programs All other duties assigned Work Schedule: Full-time. Days. Monday - Friday (7:30 am - 4:00 pm) Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 23945-F VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Social Work: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Social-Worker-Career-Flyer.pdf

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: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Education: Have a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Graduates of schools of social work that are in candidacy status do not meet this requirement until the School of Social Work is fully accredited. A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the master's degree in social work. Verification of the degree can be made by going to http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work. License or Certification: Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-0185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. Loss of Licensure or Certification. Once licensed or certified, social workers must maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment. Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations - Supervisory Social Worker, GS-12: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Education and Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills in a specialty area or in administration demonstrating progressively more professional competency and judgment. Candidate may have certification or other post-master's degree training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship, or equivalent supervised professional experience. AND, Licensure/Certification. Individuals assigned as social worker program coordinator must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure. AND, Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs - Knowledge of program coordination and administration which includes consultation, negotiation, and monitoring. Knowledge and ability to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program. Ability to supervise multidisciplinary staff assigned to the program. Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s). Ability to provide training, orientation, and guidance within clinical practice. Preferred Experience: 1-2 Years of Supervisory experience preferred Experience with VHA Referral and Discharge process preferred Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is 12. Physical Requirements: Work is sedentary but also demands standing, walking, bending, twisting, and carrying light items. Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.

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 VA Western New York Healthcare System 3495 Bailey Avenue Buffalo, NY 14215 US
• Name: Sean Dixon
• Phone: 585-284-4127
• Email: sean.dixon@va.gov