Social Worker Assistant Chief

Summary

This is a working administrative Social Work Service (SWS) position. The Assistant Chief is an Assistant Chief - Social Work Service (SWS) with full authority and responsibility for providing administrative support to the Chief - SWS. In that capacity the Assistant Chief assists with the overall planning - organizing - directing - and evaluating Social Work within Sheridan VA Health Care System (SVAHCS).

Qualifications

*** This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT & will remain open until August 3rd - 2026. The initial cutoff date for referral of eligible applications will be February 13th - 2026. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as needed basis until positions are filled. *** 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 Policy
• Education
• Have a master's 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 master's degree in social work
• Verification of the degree can be made by going to 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 GS-0185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level
• Current state requirements may be found by going to
• 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)
• GS 13 Social Worker- Assistant Chief -Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• Experience - One year of experience equivalent to the GS-12 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 post-master's 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-
• The assistant service chief must evidence 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
• 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
• Preferred Experience: The candidate must possess evidenced supervisory and management skills - be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level - and be qualified to provide supervision for licensure
• Proficiency in personnel actions - clinical supervision - consultation - negotiation with other departments - and quality improvement is essential
• Strong understanding of the legal - ethical - and professional standards related to social work practice
• Program Development & Oversight: Ability to develop - maintain - and manage social work programs in various settings
• Deep knowledge of social work practice - policy - and accreditation standards across the continuum of health care
• Competence in providing consultation to facility leadership - managers - and other staff on social work qualification standards - practice - competency - productivity - and continuing education requirements
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit
• Physical Requirements: This position provides direct services to patients and their families through casework
• Incumbents must be physically and mentally able to efficiently perform the essential functions of the position without hazard to themselves or others
• Normal work of the position requires visual acuity (with the ability to read typewritten characters without strain - corrective lenses permitted) - keen hearing - clear distinctive speech - and manual dexterity
• This position requires potentially moderate levels of lifting and carrying (15-44 pounds)
• The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium - dementia - or psychiatric disorders
• The incumbent must be a mature - flexible - sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations - able to shift priorities based on patient needs
• Must complete annual Employee Health requirements - such as annual TB screening or testing - as a condition of employment
• The incumbent may be required to travel and operate a Government vehicle and maintain a valid license.

Duties

• VA Careers - Social Work: Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Establishes work schedules - assigns work to include: assigning cases - special assignments/projects - committee membership
• Responsible for developing an annual budget plan
• Approves purchase orders - invoices - and oversees contracts that are under their area of responsibility
• Establishes expectations for performance (i.e
• workload - productivity goals - meeting program benchmarks - evaluates performance and takes corrective and/or disciplinary action as needed with subordinate employees
• Responsible to monitor performance measures that are directly and indirectly impacted by the services provided by programs and program staff under their area of responsibility
• Oversees the professional practice of licensed and provisionally licensed staff - to include peer review - OPPE - FPPE - Scope of Practice and Credentialing/Privileging
• Develops policies - SOPs and other processes to ensure that National - VISN and local VHA regulations - handbooks and directives are adhered to
• Evaluates processes and takes the initiative to redesign processes to make work more efficient - flexible and Veteran centered
• Anticipates needs for their service - tracks and trends resource utilization and allocates resources accordingly
• Acts as an expert - educates - advises - and provides consultation
• Assists the Chief - SWS and other care line service chiefs in managing the work of social workers - particularly with respect to problems crossing service lines and activities which require joint action
• Participates with the Chief - SWS in service staff meetings and professional staff meetings to manage the overall direction of the profession in keeping with goals and priorities prescribed by the Medical Center
• Collaborates with the Chief - SWS and with other social workers to develop/update and implement practice guidelines - to ensure social work professional practice meets or exceeds established policies and community standards
• Program Responsibilities Completes assessments - develops treatment plans - provides case managements - and may provide individual - and group therapeutic interventions
• Intervenes to facilitate compliance or corrective actions and - when appropriate - develops - facilitates - and monitors plans of correction
• Provides services and program oversight - according to the rules - regulations - and directives including verification of veteran status and eligibility for participation in the program
• Engages in coordination with community agencies - organizations - and groups to learn of services or resources available for homeless veterans as well as provides current information on services and benefits available in the VA for Veterans.
• Works with VA Medical Center multi-disciplinary teams and community agencies to strive for developing more effective and efficient ways of delivering healthcare services to veterans
• Serves on Medical Center or Healthcare System - VISN - and/or National VA committees or task forces
• Academic Teaching and/or Training: Provides clinical supervision to various disciplines and levels of training - including trainees seeking licensure
• Provides leadership guidance and consultation to staffs of units to which assigned
• Offers consultation to colleagues and students
• Demonstrates the ability to teach and mentor staff and students in the special area of practice and to provide supervision for licensure or specialty certifications
• Work Schedule: 07:30 AM to 4 PM - Monday-Friday Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)Telework: This position is authorized for telework - situational (ad hoc) and has NOT been authorized as virtual or remote
• Location negotiable may be discussed during the interview process to meet the Return To Office requirement
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 60194-O Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.

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