Social Worker Assistant Chief

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

The Social Worker - Assistant Chief resolves complex issues presented by subordinate supervisors and collaborates with leadership to coordinate social work-related program changes. This role advises Managers and Chiefs on how social work functions align with facility units and programs develops social work procedures and ensures effective delivery of services across inpatient and outpatient settings. The position also provides or ensures staff provide consultation and assistance to community agencies to enhance social services for Veterans in the community.
This position requires advanced practice licensure and the ability to provide clinical supervision for staff pursuing licensure.

Duties:

• Makes decisions regarding work problems presented by subordinate social work supervisors.
• Collaborates with others in negotiating deciding upon and coordinating social work-related changes affecting other programs.
• Advises Managers and Chiefs on problems involving the relationship of social work activities to the various units and programs.
• Selects candidates for supervisory and non-supervisory positions.
• Addresses group grievances serious employee complaints and reviews disciplinary cases including proposed suspensions and removals.
• Consults with specialists to identify training needs and determines appropriate staff training in collaboration with the Chief of Social Work.
• Develops social work procedures and ensures delivery of social work services in inpatient and outpatient programs.
• Provides or ensures staff provide consultation and support to community health and welfare agencies to enhance social services for Veterans.
• Develops and monitors standards of clinical practice and standards of care including care guidelines manuals and professional practice guides.
• Develops and enforces standard operating procedures for clinical care interventions and creates patient education materials for Social Work.
• Recommends staffing needs oversees staff orientation and ensures ongoing professional development.
• Evaluates and consults on the social work role in various programs and directs interventions to resolve administrative issues.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• 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 drivers licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Must have a current valid unrestricted state drivers license.
• Must provide clean driving record report from the DMV during the pre-employment process
• Must be able to independently operate Government Vehicle.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the Required Documents section of this announcement.

• 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.

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.
• Education: Have a masters 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 masters degree in social work. Verification of the degree can be made by going tohttp:// to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work.
• Licensure: 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 masters degree level. Current state requirements may be found by going tohttp:// 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:
  
  Social Worker (Assistant Chief) GS-13
  
  Experience and Education: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills in administration demonstrating progressively more professional competency skills and judgment. Individual may have certification or other post-masters 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.
  Licensure/Certification: The assistant service chief must demonstrate effective supervisory and management skills hold advanced-practice licensure or certification and be qualified to provide clinical supervision required for licensure.
  Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities: In addition to the experience above the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
  • Knowledge of administrative and supervisory duties which includes personnel actions clinical supervision consultation negotiation with other departments and quality improvement.
  • Knowledge of legal ethical and professional standards applicable to social work practice.
  • Ability to develop maintain and oversee social work programs in all settings.
  • Knowledge of 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.
  
  Preferred Experience: At least five years of supervisory experience within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) demonstrating proficiency in leading social work staff managing program operations coordinating interdisciplinary activities and applying VHA policies and procedures in a leadership capacity.
  
  Reference: For more information on this qualification standard please visit full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13.
  
  Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing lifting carrying sitting stooping bending puling and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.
  
  Work Environment: 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: 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:

  Additional information

  During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.
  
  This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
  
  This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
  
  VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38 and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
  
  If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
  
  Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicants criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations Security and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

  Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government passionate about the ideals of our American republic and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

  Review our benefits

  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.