Social Service Representative

We're Looking for a skilled Social Service Representative in the Veterans Health Administration based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Read through the job description to see if it matches your current experience.

The Successful Applicant

To qualify for this position applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement 08/12/2025. TimeInGrade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet timeingrade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS8 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS7. The grade may have been in any occupation but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF50 that shows your timeingrade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF50 has an effective date within the past year it may not clearly demonstrate you possess oneyear timeingrade as required by the announcement. In this instance you must provide an additional SF50 that clearly demonstrates oneyear timeingrade. Note: TimeInGrade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include but are not limited to: experience in a program of direct social welfare services that required the application of program policy and operations knowledge in providing social welfare services and/or assisting social workers. Qualifying specialized experience for this position is having knowledge of VA structure services resources and responsibilities in order to be able to refer to them in the performance of their duties basic knowledge of and skill to recognize and address resource needs and provide assistance to problems of patients and the proper resources for resolution of the problem to facilitate patient care basic interviewing skills and understanding of human dynamics and personality development as they relate to age specific and cultural issues of clients served. Skill and ability to recognize cultural sensitivities and needs ability to operationalize broad and specific directives and mission statements into concrete effective actions for homeless and housing assistance needs skill to effectively deal with individuals who may be difficult and/or hostile ability to operationalize broad and specific directives and mission statements into concrete effective actions for homeless and housing assistance needs and the ability to develop and maintain effective relationships with others including being culturally aware and accepting of possible cultural triggers. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Intervention Oral Communication Patient Care Psychology Teamwork 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. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 3540 hours of work per week. Parttime experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: Work may involve a significant amount of walking when visiting Veterans at home or in the community. Work may occasionally cause exposure to physically and emotionally stressful situations brought about by agitated or emotionally disturbed Veterans. Work will require the ability to operate a motor vehicle after successfully completing relevant and proper training and certification. Work is performed in the community clinic administrative offices administrative offices and on occasion in the hospital. There may be frequent personal and telephonic interruptions with continual demands placed on the individual for their time and input involving numerous activities. Occasionally the incumbent may be exposed to inclement weather. The incumbent may at times also be faced with difficult or sometimes hostile behaviors. All positions involving Federal motor vehicle operation carry the additional medical requirements specified in 5 CFR part 930 subpart A. For more information on these qualification standards please visit the United States Office of Personnel Managements website at https://www.opm.gov/policydataoversight/classificationqualifications/generalschedulequalificationstandards/.

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.