Supervisory Chaplain

Summary This position is located within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) - Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMC) - Chaplain Service (CS). The position provides services within various settings - including Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs) - Inpatient Clinics - Outpatient Clinics - and domiciliaries. The CS provides pastoral counseling and treatment to Veteran patients - patient's families - and staff in various inpatient and outpatient settings. Qualifications 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 PolicyEnglish Language ProficiencyChaplains must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005 - part II - chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3jEducation: Applicants must possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational qualifications as evidenced by a graduate-level theological degree from a college - university or theological school accredited by a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and recognized by the U.S. Department of EducationClinical Pastoral Education (CPE)Applicants must have completed four units of CPE from a CPE center that is accredited by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of EducationEcclesiastical EndorsementIn accordance with 38 C.F.R17.655 - ecclesiastical endorsement is a condition of employment as a VA chaplainAn individual must possess and maintain a full and active ecclesiastical endorsement to be employed as a VA chaplainApplicants must have an ecclesiastical endorsement - dated within the past 12 monthsEcclesiastical endorsements must be from the official national endorsing authority of the applicant's/employee's faith group or denominationEcclesiastical endorsement is a written official statement - by the official national endorsing body of the faith group or denomination - certifying that the applicant is in good standing with the applicant's faith group or denominationand stating that the individual is - in the opinion of the endorsing body - qualified to perform the full range of ministry required in the VA pluralistic settingBoard CertificationApplicants must be a Board Certified Chaplain certified by the Board of Chaplaincy Certification Inc(BCCI) or nationally recognized certification body that utilizes the BCCI Common Qualifications and Competencies for Professional Chaplaincy or a certifying organization that has a reciprocity agreement with BCCIGrade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidatesSupervisory Chaplain GS-13 ExperienceAt this level - the candidate must possess one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level that is directly related to the position to be filledAND In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities iKnowledge of administrative - personnel - and resource management and strategic planning for chaplaincy and chaplain pastoral education programsiiAbility to provide the full range of supervisory duties - which include responsibility for assignment of work - performance evaluations - selection of staff and recommendation of awards - advancements and disciplinary actionsiiiSkill in interpersonal relationships - including conflict resolution and ability to work collaboratively with managers from other departmentsivAbility to develop local policy - productivity and clinical practice standardsvAbility to align chaplaincy services and programming with the strategic goals and objectives of the facility - Veterans Integrated Service Network and VHAviAbility to ensure compliance with chaplaincy practice - policy and accreditation standards across the continuum of health careviiSkill in providing consultation to facility leadership - managers and other staff on all religious expression and spiritual careReference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. Duties The incumbent serves as Chaplain professional performing supervisory and senior clinical assignments for the VHAThe incumbent provides comprehensive religious - spiritual - and pastoral care to all persons that are commensurate with the needs - desires - and voluntary consent of the Veteran - caregiver - or staffThe incumbent addresses the spiritual component of health and wellness in every patient care setting to ensure that pastoral care is fully integrated into all aspects of chaplain servicesProvides thorough guidance and advice to Chaplain Service management staff - other Chaplains - and other stakeholdersProvides supervision for the chaplaincy program of a major faith ministry which is highly integrated into VHA's Chaplain programManages and supervises the full spectrum of chaplaincy service operationsSupervises non-supervisory and supervisory professional staff at the GS-12 level or belowManages a moderately complex to very complex chaplain service program with identified specialty chaplains working in (Hospice and Palliative Care - Suicide Prevention - Mental Health Residential and Outpatient programs - Substance Use Disorder Clinics - Cancer Treatment Clinics - Women's Health Clinics - Spinal Cord Injury Clinics - etcPerforms supervisory and non-supervisory assignments consisting of significant scope - complexity - difficulty - and varietySupervises the professional practice of all facility chaplains and provides chaplaincy services and programmingManages and oversees all religious and spiritual care and provides counsel to facility leadership concerning religious expressionDevelops local policy - productivity - and clinical practice standardsOversees pastoral ministry - including intensive pastoral counseling - close integral working relationships with other staff disciplines - and active community liaisonServes as an active participant and a key administrative staff member of the organization with VHA's leadershipDevelops one or more subprograms (training - research - community relationships - or religious education if in relationship to the intensive overall treatment program) - to advance the religious program and the mission of the medical facilityWorks in difficult environmental settings that require considerably more than a working knowledge of the behavioral sciencesand understands and effectively addresses highly sensitive issues Provides supervision with full responsibility for assignment of work - performance evaluations - selection of staff - recommendation of awards - advancements - and disciplinary actionsInterviews candidates for positions in the unitand recommends appointment - promotion - or reassignment to such positionsProvides emotional support and counseling using empathy and strong interpersonal skills to effectively connect with people of all agesProvides thorough spiritual leadership - offers prayers and provides overall religious services for Veteran patients - patient families - staff - and communityConducts regular rounds of hospital wards where patients are critically illMinisters to newly admitted - pre- and post-operative patients - the critically ill - and the families of concerned Veteran patientsMaintains records and appropriately documents chaplaincy care services in the Electronic Health Record Management (EHRM) system/Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) through either service approved template or Subjective - Objective - Assessment - and Plan (SOAP) note formatProvides pastoral counseling on medical and ethical matters - including moral injury - problems of conscience - family or marital difficulties - terminal diagnoses - or crisesConducts and arranges for religious worship services in chapels and at other locations for patients that are unable to attend regular chapel servicesAll other duties as assignedWork Schedule: 7:30 am to 4:00 pm Compressed/Flexible: Not authorizedTelework: AvailableVirtual: This is not a virtual positionFunctional Statement #: 06554F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorizedPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.