SummaryThe VA Northern California Healthcare System (NCHCS) is a highly complex Level1a VA Facility and provides diverse services including extensive primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary care in inpatient, outpatient, residential and community settings. The NCHCS multi-site system includes 2 major medical facilities in Sacramento and Martinez, Ca with the residential facilities Martinez, Ca; 10 Community Based outpatient Clinics.
DutiesHelp
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.; Tour of duty subject to change to meet the needs of the Agency
Telework: This position may be ad-hoc eligible for Telework
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 09347F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
The position serves as the GS-14 Social Worker (Program Manager) (Assistant Chief) for Social Work Service (SWS).
Major duties for the position include, but are not limited to:
- The Program Manager supports the Chief of Social Work in the activities involved in running the Social Work Service and maintaining a leadership role in the professional standards for all medical center social workers.
- The Social Worker Program Manager will oversee assigned programs within Social Work Service and serves as a liaison to other Service or care-lines within the organization related to social work and focus on and support Care Coordination & Integrated Case Management
(CCICM) SW Geriatrics Programs as well as be the Chief's alternate and back-up. - An enterprisewide framework that supports practice standards for all roles within the Veteran Health Administration (VHA) involved in provision of case management and/or care coordination services to Veterans.
- The incumbent makes decisions regarding work problems presented by social work supervisors.
- The position collaborates with others in negotiating, deciding upon, and/or coordinating social work-related changes affecting other programs.
- The SWS Program Manager advises service line managers on problems involving the relationship of social work activities to the various units and programs.
- Makes selections for supervisory and non-supervisory positions, hears group grievances and significant employee complaints, reviews serious disciplinary cases (i.e., those proposing suspensions and removals), and disciplinary problems involving key employees.
- The individual consults with specialists regarding training needs and decides types of training problems related to the identified problems of the supervised wards/units.
- Assists in a variety of areas to ensure that staff has the optimal resources to carry out their responsibilities effectively and efficiently including training, education and equipment.
RequirementsHelp
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.
- Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
- You may be required to serve a trial period.
- Subject to background/security investigation.
- Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
- Must pass pre-employment physical examination
- Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
QualificationsBasic 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 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 GS-0185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to advanced practice social work at the master's degree level. Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/.
- 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).
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 Manager) GS-14- Experience and Education. One year of experience equivalent to the GS- 13 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency. 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/Certification. Individuals assigned as social worker program manager 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 the following KSAs:
- Skill in large scale program coordination and administration across multiple sites, which includes consultation, negotiation, and monitoring.
- Ability to translate management goals and objectives into well-coordinated and controlled work operations.
- Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems and to develop and implement solutions that result in sound operation of the program.
- Ability to collaborate with internal and external partners to further program goals and enhance patient centered care.
- Ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties which would includeresponsibility for assignment of work to be performed; performance evaluations; selection of staff, training, and recommendation of awards, advancements, and when appropriate, disciplinary action.
- 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.
- Skill in developing policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program and in participating in national program development.
- Ability to collaborate with internal VHA partners, locally and on a national level, as well as external community partners to further program goals and enhance patient centered care.
References: See Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) website for VA specific qualification standards: VA Qualifications Standards - Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO).
EducationNote: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
Additional informationReceiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
BenefitsHelp
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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
