Social Worker (Service Chief)

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Coatesville (Chester County); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs seeks a Chief of Social Work to oversee social work practices at the Coatesville facility. This leadership position entails supervising staff, ensuring compliance with professional standards, and providing consultation across multiple divisions. Candidates must possess a Master's degree in Social Work and be licensed to practice, with a preference for those with supervisory experience and knowledge of veteran services.

Qualifications

• Masters in Social Work from an accredited institution required.
• Must be licensed to practice at the master's level.
• 5 years supervisory experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Acts as a consultant for social work practices across service divisions.
• Supervises and evaluates staff performance.
• Manages complex social work service operations in a healthcare setting.

Skills

Supervision

Management

Consultation

Legal understanding

Behavioral Health knowledge

Education

Master's degree in Social Work

Job description

The Chief of Social Work acts as a professional practice consultant and is the contact point for the Veterans Integrated Services Network and Office of Social Work Service, Veterans Health Administration, Central Office. The Chief of Social Work provides facility-level continuity regarding social work practice issues and participates in the executive management functions in all areas, including inpatient and outpatient programs in Coatesville and the Community Based Outpatient Clinics.




Duties

VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

The Chief, Social Work serves as a consultant to subordinates, peers and administration. The incumbent designates service priorities and objectives, supervises, and evaluates Social Workers and other staff assigned, and is responsible for supervising and evaluating the performance of the assigned staff.

Requirements

Qualifications
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 : You must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)
• Education: You must possess 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. Note: A doctoral degree in Social Work may NOT be substituted for the master's degree in Social Work.
• License or Certification:* You must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level.

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).

Grandfather Provision. A Social Worker employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (9/10/2019) who did not meet all the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply:

Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.

Employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/ registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/ certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels.

Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.

Employees who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation.

Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.

Grade Determinations:

Social Worker (Service Chief), GS-0185-14

• Licensure Requirement: You must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure.
• Experience Requirement: You must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level. Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to: responsibility for management of small to moderately complex social work service within a healthcare organization; provides supervision to social work service staff members of different grade or experience levels; supervision may include multiple disciplines, treatment sites that are limited and in close proximity to the medical facility, and programs are with limited administrative oversite responsibility; full responsibility for managing and supervising all aspects of social work service operations including clinical practice, program management, education, human resource management and supervision. Experience must demonstrate possession of supervisory and management skills as well as advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency.
• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, you must demonstrate the following KSAs:

Skill in providing the full range of supervisory duties across multiple service divisions/sections, which would include responsibility for assignment of work to be performed, performance evaluation, selection of staff, and recommendations of awards, advancements, and when appropriate, disciplinary actions.

Skill in applying legal, ethical, and professional standards to social work practice.

Skill in developing, maintaining, and managing social work services in multiple divisions/sections.

Ability to ensure compliance with social work practice, policy, and accreditation standards across the continuum of health care.

Skill in providing consultation to facility leadership, managers, and other staff on social work qualification standards, practice, competency, productivity, and continuing education requirements.

Skill in administrative oversight to ensure compliance with social work licensure requirements.

Preferred Experience:
A). 5 years of supervisor experience
B). 4 years of experience in a specialty
C). 3 years of experience in leadership
D). Experience working with vulnerable Veteran population
E). Knowledge and/or experience with homeless programs

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: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination