Supervisory Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor.

Veterans Benefits Administration; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Veterans Benefits Administration in Albuquerque administers the Assistant Veterans Readiness and Employment Officer role, guiding a professional staff of VR&E counselors and specialists. The AVREO ensures achievement of production, accuracy, cost, and customer-satisfaction goals while adapting to veterans' needs within the jurisdiction.

The position involves advising on education, training, counseling, job development, and placement under Chapter 31, coordinating with universities, and

Qualifications

• One year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-12.
• Experience in assessments of veterans' employability.
• Ability to interpret benefits and services under VR&E.

Responsibilities

• Supervises VR&E staff at the Regional Office and out-based locations.
• Gathers and interprets data addressing service concerns and recommends actions.
• Develops multi-year plans for scheduling in-service and contracted work.
• Ensures contracting activity complies with regulatory requirements.

Job description

Duties

Serves as the Assistant Veteran Readiness and Employment Officer (AVREO), in the Albuquerque Regional Office, providing administrative and technical direction and professional leadership to a professional and technical staff of Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors, Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists and clerical staff in the Regional Office and its out-based locations. The AVREO ensures that performance goals in the areas of production, accuracy, cost, customer satisfaction, and employee development are achieved. Must be responsive to the dynamic nature of the Veteran and beneficiary populations and their needs within the jurisdictional area. Recommends acquisition of resources to improve delivery of services to meet established program goals. In the absence of the Veteran Readiness and Employment Officer (VREO), will function as the Acting VREO Officer exercising all appropriate duties and responsibilities.

• Supervises Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) staff at out-based locations and within the Regional Office. The AVREO is responsible for the administration and workflow of the VR&E Division program.
• Facilitates operations with major public and private universities, community colleges, and vocational/technical institutes in the state to resolve training issues.
• Serves as a technical representative in developing, awarding, implementing, and evaluating contracts to provide professional counseling, evaluation, case management, employment, and traumatic brain injury (TBI) services.
• Gathers and interprets a wide range of data addressing service concerns and is able to recommend appropriate action based on that data.
• Works closely with division teams in planning, designing, and carrying out programs, projects, studies, or other work to support the mission.
• Evaluates the work performance of subordinates, make recommendations to fill division positions, receive employee complaints, approve employee travel, recommend awards and determine alternative courses of action to reduce work backlogs and barriers to production.
• Develops multi-year plans for scheduling in-service and contract work. The incumbent provides supervision of contract quality reviews and ensures that all contracting activity in the out-based offices or under the division control is consistent with regulatory requirements.
• Possess extensive knowledge about Department of Veterans Affairs laws, regulations, policies, and procedures and their proper utilization and application and must be aware of the full scope of benefits and services available through the Department of Veterans Affairs and other agencies or sources.
• Serves as the professional and technical expert to advise higher management in areas of education, training, psychology, testing, evaluation, counseling, rehabilitation, job development, and job placement in this capacity is responsible for implementing the counseling, training, and related rehabilitation services under Chapter 31 and other VA rehabilitation, educational, and training programs as well.
• Assists the VR&E Officer by providing professional and technical expertise in all phases of rehabilitation activities, including counseling, case management, rehabilitation plan development, and job development and placement.

Work Schedule

Full-time, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM- 4:30 PM

Telework

This position is eligible for situational (ad hoc) telework only. The selectee is required to report to the official duty station each scheduled workday. Telework may be approved only on a case-by-case basis with supervisory approval. Routine or recurring telework is not authorized for this position.

Virtual

This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#

Assistant Veterans Readiness and Employment Officer, 37136A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives

Not Authorized

Financial Disclosure Report

Required

Bargaining Unit

No

Requirements

Conditions of employment

Required

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the Agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the Agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Additional Conditions of Employment are as follows:

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary or trial period.
• You may be required to serve a Supervisory probationary period if not previously completed in a Federal position.
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:10/29/2026.

TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENT

As a current Federal, GS employee you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

• For a GS-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12.
• If you are a current VBA employee requesting reassignment or change to lower grade via this vacancy announcement, you must currently hold the GS- 13 or higher and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least GS-13.

GS-13 Grade Level

Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level or higher.

Specialized Experience: is defined as at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-12) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as work that involves: (1) Experience in conducting assessments of veteran's employability, (2) Involvement in the development of appropriate vocational goals and subsequent objectives outlined in rehabilitation plans, (3) Providing case management services to veterans while pursuing their rehabilitation plans (e.g. personal contact regarding achievement of vocational goals, referral for medical or ancillary services, and responding efficiently to veteran's concerns), (4) Experience interpreting the benefits and services, to veterans, available through the VR&E program.

Volunteer Experience: 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.

Full vs. Part-Time Employment: Full-time employment is considered to be at least 35 hours per week. Part-time experience will be credited on a pro-rated basis; when including part-time employment in your resume you must specify the average hours worked per week.

Physical Requirements: The work normally involves mental rather than physical exertion. The work is mostly sedentary; however, there may be some walking, standing, and carrying of light items. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at

Education

There is no education substitution for the GS-13 grade level. ** However, this position has a positive education requirement, therefore official transcript(s) must be submitted with your application, for verification.

• 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:

Degree: behavioral or social science; or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

OR

Combination of education and experience that provided the applicant with knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

OR

Four years of appropriate experience that demonstrated that the applicant has acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

Additional information

VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.