Supervisory Social Worker (Assistant Service Chief)

VA Careers - Licensed Clinical Social Worker: Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Major duties include but are not limited to:

• Incumbent is responsible for making decisions regarding work problems presented by subordinate social work supervisors and staff.
• Collaborates with others in negotiating deciding upon and/or coordinating social work-related changes affecting other programs.
• Advises Social Work Chief Care Line Managers/Chiefs on problems involving the relationship of social work activities to the various units and programs.
• Makes selections for supervisory and non-supervisory positions hear group grievances and serious employee complaints review serious disciplinary cases (i.e. those proposing suspensions and removals) and disciplinary problems involving key employees.
• Develops and monitors standards of clinical practice/standards of care for Social Work including development of care guidelines manuals and guides to professional practice.
• The Assistant Chief is responsible for working with Human Resources and the Resource Management Board providing necessary documents and information regarding staff vacancies and hiring needs of the Service.
• Briefs management orally and in writing on a regular basis concerning matters related to Social Work Service in order to provide information required to make effective decisions for program planning.

• 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.
• 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 to 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 to 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 evidence possession of supervisory and management skills must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level and must be able to provide supervision 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.
  • Assignment. For all assignments above the full performance level the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope complexity (difficulty) and variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. This position is restricted to those serving as a full assistant to the chief social work service for both administrative and professional practice. These individuals share with the chief full responsibility for managing and supervising all aspects of social work service operations. At the GS-13 grade level individuals are typically assigned as assistant chief of a large complex social work service within the organization that offers social work services at VHA facilities with one or more divisions. While the chief has full management and supervisory responsibility for clinical practice program management education human resource management and supervision and organizational stewardship for the social work program the assistant chief is responsible for supporting these functions per the direction of the the absence of the social work chief the assistant chief has full management and supervisory responsibility for the social work program. The assistant chief provides supervision to a moderate social work service and staff members of different grades that may include multiple disciplines; treatment sites are limited and in close proximity to the medical center and programs are with limited administrative oversite responsibility. Such facilities may offer specialty care and services and may be affiliated with academic institutions. The assistant chief develops and maintains a system of internal reviews that ensure service programs operate at a satisfactory level of performance and are in compliance with regulations. The assistant chief has responsibility for utilization of resources and budget. They make selections assign personnel and serve as a mentor to help employees develop their full potential.
  Preferred Experience:
  1. Must be a LCSW
  2. Minimum 3 years supervisory experience in Social Work setting
  
  Reference: For more information on this qualification standard please visit Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 Employee Occupational Health Services.
  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

  Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
  
  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.

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  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.