Chaplain

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; North Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Chaplain Service seeks a GS-12 chaplain to provide professional spiritual care across VA Medical Centers and clinics.

The incumbent will support Veterans, their families, and staff in diverse settings, delivering counseling, crisis intervention, and pastoral care with professional oversight. Required qualifications include a Master of Divinity or equivalent, ecclesiastical endorsement within 12 months, and board certification by a recognized body.

Qualifications

• Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational qualification as evidenced by graduate-level theological degree.
• Ecclesiastical endorsement dated within the past 12 months from the official endorsing body.
• Board Certification as a Chaplain by BCCI® or a US body with reciprocity; 4 units of CPE is qualifying.
• Loss of credential requires removal from duties and possible separation from employment.
• Foreign education must be evaluated to be equivalent to a U.S. program by NACES.

Responsibilities

• Provide pastoral counseling and spiritual care to Veterans, families, and staff in varied inpatient/outpatient settings.
• Deliver ministry within VA facilities and communities through assessment, counseling, and crisis support.
• Maintain current ecclesiastical endorsement and board certification as required; participate in supervision and professional development.
• Develop and implement chaplaincy programs, policies, and best practices to improve spiritual care services.

Skills

Pastoral care

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Conflict mediation

Policy writing

Education

Master of Divinity

Job description

This position is located within the Dept of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMC), and Chaplain Service (CS). The position provides services within various settings, including Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs), Inpatient & Outpatient Clinics, and domiciliary throughout the US. The CS provides pastoral counseling and treatment to Veteran patients, patient's families, and staff in various inpatient and outpatient settings.

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 in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• 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. (Copy of transcripts required)
• Ecclesiastical Endorsement. In accordance with 38 C.F.R. § 17.655, ecclesiastical endorsement is a condition of employment as a VA chaplain. 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 Copy of endorsement required)
• Board Certification
  • Certification: Applicants must be a Board‑Certified Chaplain certified by BCCI ® or a U.S. certifying body that has a reciprocity agreement with BCCI ®. Board Certification that requires 4 units of CPE is qualifying. The National Chaplain Service maintains a list of approved certifications found on the National VA Chaplain Service SharePoint. (Copy of board certification required) Note: Provisional or Associate or other status as a candidate for board certification does not meet the board certification requirement for the FPL GS-11 or above.
• Loss of Credential. Management officials, in collaboration with HR Office staff must immediately relieve employees who fail to maintain any of the required certifications (board certification, ecclesiastical endorsement, or when applicable a speciality certification) of the duties and responsibilities associated with this occupation which may also result in separation from employment.
• Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be submitted to a current affiliate agency of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) at https://www.naces.org/members and be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program.

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

Chaplain, GS-12

• Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade.
• AND
• Specialty Certification.
  • Specialty certification is demonstrated advanced practice and/or specialization in chaplaincy beyond the board certification and is required for the GS-12 grade level. Specialty certification from a professional chaplain certifying body that is directly related to the assignment is qualifying for a senior chaplain assignment.
• AND
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs).
  • Ability to apply relevant theories and methodologies to their ministry specialty.
  • Ability to integrate specialized psychological and sociological theory with an advanced approach to spiritual care.
  • Skill to seek out primary research and research literature that informs the ministry specialty and one's spiritual care practice.
  • Skill in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of chaplain practice and services in the specialty area, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes.
  • Ability to mediate conflict, hold various emotions and diffuse moral distress among staff and complex crisis situations.
  • Ability to provide specialized consultation, teaching and mentoring to colleagues and students on advanced spiritual care interventions in the service delivery area.
  • Ability to apply advanced clinical knowledge to write policies, procedures and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area.
• Assignment. For all assignments above the FPL, the higher-level duties must be of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity, and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.

Preferred Experience

Extensive experience in providing spiritual care within Mental Health, hospice, and palliative care contexts. Ability to offer empathetic support and guidance to patients, families, and staff during critical times. Strong interdisciplinary collaboration skills to work effectively with healthcare teams. Demonstrated understanding of diverse cultural and religious backgrounds to offer inclusive support. Effective communication and active listening skills to address the spiritual and emotional needs of individuals.

Reference

For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.

Physical Requirements

See VA Directive and Handbook 5019