Supervisory Vocational Rehab Counselor.

About the role

Directs the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VRE) Program, which performs technical, administrative, and professional work. Serves as the Regional Office's professional and technical expert in conducting, administering, and advising in the areas of education, training, testing, evaluation, counseling, rehabilitation, psychology, job development, job placement, and entitlement. Provides administrative and technical direction and professional leadership to a professional and technical staff of Counseling Psychologists, Rehabilitation Counselors, Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists, Employment/Program Specialists, and support staff as well as providing oversight of contractors.

Responsibilities

• Oversees a team of Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors (VRCs) and other staff in the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Regional Office (RO), RO Out-based office locations, Vet Success On Campus (VSOC) school sites, or Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) locations on military installations.
• Develops short- and long-term plans to assure work is accomplished in a timely manner, is of acceptable quality, and accomplishes the changing initiatives and emphasis established by VA Central Office managers, as well as local management policy changes and procedural modifications.
• Ensures that his/her staff provides expert and high-quality services to the Veterans with a service-connected disability such as vocational counseling and consultation; counseling interventions; and superb case management.
• Responsible for managing allocated budgetary resources and for authorizing and supervising the expenditure of funds such as staff travel, beneficiary travel, tools, supplies, equipment, revolving fund loans, tutoring or reader services, individual instructor fees, tuition, and subsistence allowances.
• Provides counseling, training, and employment services to all eligible beneficiaries within the State of Utah through two full-time offices.
• Provides Regional Office Director's full-time assistant, Assistant Director, who is authorized, a clear line of authority.
• Directs the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program. VR&E Officer exercises significant responsibility in dealing with other Division Chiefs, higher level VR&E program officials, officials of Veterans Service Organizations, officials of other local, state, and federal agencies, officials of institutions of higher learning, and community-based contract service providers.
• Establishes division goals and objectives as well as related priorities to assure program and Regional Office mission and objectives are accomplished.
• Meets with senior managers at the Regional Office, State or Labor representatives, focal VA Medical Centers, Outpatient Clinics, and other facilities. Incumbent must frequently contact high-ranking civilian managers, supervisors, and technical staff regarding contracting of services. Other professional contacts are with physicians, psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, social workers, program and administration officials with VA and other local, state, and federal agencies.
• Develops short- and long-term plans to assure work is accomplished in a timely manner, is of acceptable quality, and accomplishes the changing initiatives and emphasis established by VA Central Office managers, as well as local management policy changes and procedural modifications.
• Takes a variety of personnel-related actions such as hearing/resolving grievances or complaints, proposes disciplinary and adverse actions, evaluates performance of rehabilitation professionals; decides on nonroutine training needs, approves expenses relative to employee travel and overtime; recommends within-grade increases, awards, bonuses; and recommends changes in position classification.

Requirements

Basic Requirements: Successful completion of a master's degree (or higher) in rehabilitation counseling, rehabilitation services, clinical rehabilitation counseling, counseling psychology, mental health counseling, career counseling, or social work from an accredited college or university.

Internship or Experience Requirement: The required supervised internship or post-master's degree experience is described as follows:

• Supervised Internship: The education in the Basic Requirements above must have included a supervised internship in rehabilitation counseling or case management specialization. The internship must have been supervised by a professional in vocational rehabilitation or a closely related professional field that typically has oversight for vocational rehabilitation programs.
• Experience: One-year post-master's degree experience in direct delivery of professional vocational rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities.

Grandfathering Provision: VRCs employed in VBA on the effective date, July 28, 2023, of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including certifications that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply:

• VRCs who are grandfathered into the GS-0101 occupational series may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance level of a career ladder or changed to a lower grade within the occupation or placed in a supervisory or managerial position.
• VRCs who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of this qualification standard may not be extended or reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of this standard.
• If VRCs who are grandfathered under this provision leave the occupation, they lose protected status and must meet the full qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation.

Qualifications

Time-in-Grade Requirement: As a current Federal GS employee you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-14 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-13 level. If you are a current VBA employee requesting a reassignment or change to lower grade via this vacancy announcement, you must currently hold the GS-14 (or higher) and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least GS-14.

Specialized Experience (GS-14): In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements stated above, one year of post-graduate level professional vocational rehabilitation counseling experience, equivalent to the GS-13 level is required. Specialized experience is defined as experience in Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment programs: 1) expertise with employment and vocational rehabilitation programs; 2) possessing knowledge and expertise in the procedures for vocational and rehabilitation law; 3) the expertise to administer and counsel in the areas of counseling, rehabilitation, psychology, career development, and job placement entitlements; 4) the expertise to control budgetary resources for approving and monitoring financial expenditures. Education cannot be used to substitute specialized experience for the GS-14.

Volunteer Experience: 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; religious; 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.

Full vs. Part-Time Employment: Full-time employment is considered to be at least 35 hours per week. Part-time experience will be credited on a pro-rated basis. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: The position is primarily in an office setting. Some travel may be necessary on occasion for training, meetings, or customer interactions.

Education: A transcript must be submitted with your application.

Pay & Schedule

• Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm MST
• Telework: This position is not eligible for telework.
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Relocation expenses are authorized.
• Financial Disclosure Report: Required
• Bargaining Unit: No

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a supervisory probationary period
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's license or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.