Social Worker Assistant Chief

We're Looking for a skilled Social Worker Assistant Chief in the Veterans Health Administration based in Washington, District of Columbia. Read through the job description to see if it matches your current experience.

The Successful Applicant

Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Noncitizens 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 http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work. Licensure. 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 http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. Physical Requirements. In addition to the below must have the mental emotional and physical ability to satisfactorily perform the duties of the proposed assignment and pass the requisite laboratory and other screening as required. English Language Proficiency. Must be proficient in spoken and written English. 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). Grade Determinations: Social Worker (Deputy Chief) GS13 1) Experience and Education. 1 year of experience equivalent to the GS12 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 postmasters 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. Examples of assignments and KSAs at the GS12 grade level include but are not limited to: Assignment: Senior Social Worker: Typically practice in a major program area such as but not limited to: Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center or Polytrauma Network Site a Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Center or a national VHA referral center such as a national Center for PostTraumatic Stress Disorder or a national Transplant Center or other program areas of equivalent scope and complexity. Collaborates with the other members of the treatment team. Provides leadership direction orientation coaching inservice training staff development and continuing education programs for assigned social work staff. Serve on committees work groups and task forces at the facility VISN and national level or in the community as deemed appropriate by the supervisor Social Work Executive or Chief of Social Work Services. KSAs: Skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations. Knowledge in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in the specialty area utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients in the service delivery area as well as role modeling effective social work practice skills Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the social work profession and to write policies procedures and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area. Assignment: Supervisory Social Worker: Personnel management responsibilities for a small to moderate sized professional and nonprofessional staff. Responsible for the professional and administrative management of an area in a social work service in a care/product line or multiple facilities. They provide direct clinical services with or without program coordination responsibilities. KSAs: Ability to independently organize work set priorities and meet multiple deadlines Knowledge of supervisory duties which includes clinical supervision consultation negotiation with other departments and quality improvement Ability to ensure provision of clinical social work services Ability to provide staff training and development Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees team leaders and managers. 2) Licensure/Certification. Evidence of 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. 3.) 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. Serves as a full assistant to the chief social work service for both administrative and professional practice. Share with the chief full responsibility for managing and supervising all aspects of social work service operations. 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 is responsible for supporting these functions per the direction of the chief. In the absence of the 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. Preferred Experience: A minimum of three years of supervisory/management experience in a clinical setting References: VA Handbook 5005 Part II Appendix G39 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS13. Physical Requirements: The physical demands of this position involve active listening reading observing and evaluating verbal and nonverbal behavior walking speaking bending carrying light items such as paper books small parts writing reports writing clinical notes using office equipment such as computers telephones fax machines photocopy machines and possibly driving an automobile. Some work is performed in a clinical setting that exposes the incumbent to the communicable disease common of the homeless population. Strenuous physical activity is not required.

What’s on Offer

The role offers excellent opportunities for top performers to further develop their competencies as a social worker and improving the lives of people.