Deputy Director (Mental Health), National Center for Warrior Independence - Psychology Program Mgr

US Department of Veterans Affairs; Veterans Administration (CA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Psychology Program Manager (GS-14) in California. The role requires a doctoral degree in psychology from an APA/PCSAS/CPA accredited program, an APA/CPA accredited internship, and full licensure to practice in the U.S.

Experience in leading psychology staff and implementing clinical guidelines is essential. Responsibilities include organizing workflows, ensuring evidence-based care, and achieving program goals within a VA medical facility.

Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in psychology from an APA/PCSAS/CPA accredited program; specialty aligned with job.
• Alternatively, doctoral degree plus APA/CPA accredited re-specialization program or equivalent internship.
• Must hold full, current license to practice psychology in U.S. or District of Columbia.

Responsibilities

• Organize work, set priorities, delegate tasks, and meet deadlines.
• Apply evidence-based practices and clinical guidelines to guide staff.
• Translate goals into coordinated work operations and monitor performance.

Skills

Organizational skills

Leadership

Communication

Decision making

Staff supervision

Time management

Interpersonal skills

Education

APA/PCSAS/CPA accredited psychology PhD

Internship accredited by APA/CPA

License to practice psychology in U.S.

Alternative credentials (1951–1978 degree or grandfathering)

Job description

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. Psychologists must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j
• Education. Have a doctoral degree in psychology from a graduate program in psychology accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA), the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS), or the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) at the time the program was completed. The specialty area of the degree must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. OR
• Have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and, in addition, successfully complete a re-specialization program (including documentation of an approved internship completed as part of the re-specialization program) meeting both of the following conditions:(a) the re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program; and (b) the specialty in which the applicant is retrained must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. OR
• Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature.
• Internship. Have successfully completed a professional psychology internship training program that was accredited by APA or CPA at the time the program was completed and that is consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed; OR
• New VHA psychology internship programs that are in the process of applying for APA accreditation are acceptable in fulfillment of the internship requirement, provided that such programs were sanctioned by the VHA Central Office Program Director for Psychology and the VHA Office of Academic Affiliations at the time that the individual was an intern; OR
• VHA facilities that offered full-time, one-year pre-doctoral internships prior to PL 96-151 (pre-1979) are considered to be acceptable in fulfillment of the internship requirement; OR
• Applicants who completed an internship that was not accredited by APA or CPA at the time the program was completed may be considered eligible for hire only if they are currently board certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology in a specialty area that is consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. OR
• Applicants who have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature may fulfill this internship requirement by having the equivalent of a one-year supervised internship experience in a site specifically acceptable to the candidate's doctoral program. If the internship experience is not noted on the applicant's official transcript, the applicant must provide a statement from the doctoral program verifying that the equivalent of a one-year supervised internship experience was completed in a site acceptable to the doctoral program.
• Licensure. Hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice psychology at the doctoral level in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia.

Grade Determinations

GS-14 Psychology Program Manager
Experience: At least 3 years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-13 level.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

• Ability to organize work, set priorities, delegate tasks, and meet multiple deadlines.
• Knowledge of and ability to utilize evidence based practices and clinical practice guidelines appropriately and ability to guide staff in using these tools.
• Ability to deal effectively with individuals or groups.
• Skill in managing and directing the work of others to accomplish program goals and objectives.
• Ability to translate management goals and objectives into well-coordinated and controlled work operations.
• Ability to establish and monitor production and performance priorities and standards.
• Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems and to develop and implement solutions that result in sound operation of the 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).

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-14.

Physical Requirements:

Lift lifting (under 15 pounds); light carrying (under 15 pounds); reaching above shoulder; hearing (aid permitted); ability to ambulate across the medical facility; emotional stability.