We're Looking for a skilled Social Worker Program Coordinator in the Veterans Health Administration based in East Orange, New Jersey. 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: Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS0185 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 http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. Loss of Licensure or Certification. Once licensed or certified social workers must maintain a full valid and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment. Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 Employee Occupational Health Services. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f). 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). Creditable Experience. The candidate must have knowledge of current professional social work practices. To be creditable the experience must have required the use of knowledge skills abilities and other characteristics associated with current professional social work practice. The experience or education must be postMasters of Social Work (MSW) degree. Experience and education satisfying this requirement must be active professional practice which is paid/nonpaid employment as a professional social worker as defined by the appropriate state licensing board. Quality of Experience. Experience is only creditable if it is obtained following graduation with a masters degree in social work and if it includes work as a professional social worker directly related to the position to be filled. Qualifying experience must also be at a level comparable to social work experience at the next lower level. PartTime Experience. Parttime experience is creditable according to its relationship to the fulltime work week. For example one week of fulltime credit is equivalent to two weeks of parttime work. Fellowships or PostGraduate Training. Fellowship and postgraduate training programs are typically in a specialized area of clinical practice i.e. group or family practice. Training as a fellow or postgraduate may be substituted for creditable experience on a yearforyear basis. Practicum in a VA Setting. A VHA practicum experience may not be substituted for experience as the practicum (field placement) is completed prior to graduation with a masters degree in social work. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Social Worker (Program Coordinator) GS13: Experience/Education. One year of experience equivalent to the GS12 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment demonstrating progressively more professional competency. Candidates 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. Licensure/Certification Individuals assigned as social worker program coordinator 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: (a) Skill in coordinating and implementing one or more specialty program(s) across the facility. (b) Skill in local policy and practice development procedures and/or practice guidelines for the program as prescribed by the program handbook or national directive. (c) Skill in organizing work setting priorities meeting multiple deadlines and evaluating assigned program area(s). (d) Ability to collaborate with internal and external partners to further program goals and enhance patient centered care. (e) Ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties including assignment of work to be performed performance evaluations and selection of staff training and recommendation of awards advancements and when appropriate disciplinary action. (f) Ability to oversee the fiscal matters of the functions supervised (including fund controls contracts and equipment expenditures) forecast resource and equipment needs and administer the allocated budget. (g) Knowledge of organizational structure and impact on program operations. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39 September 10 2019 Preferred Experience: applicant with a valid unrestricted drivers license and experience with Veterans with Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders Multiple Sclerosis and ALS interfacing with VA and non VA agencies dealing with issues pertaining to SCI/D ALS MS and leadership skills is preferred. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is a GS13.

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.