Summary The incumbent serves as the Administrative Officer to the Chief of Social Work Service at the West Texas VA Health Care System (WTVAHCS). Social Work Service provides a full range of clinical, social and administrative services: Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV), Transition and Care Management (TCM), Spinal Cord Injury/Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI/SCI), Caregiver Support Program (CSP), Intimate Partner Violence Awareness Program (IPVAP), and Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT). Responsibilities Administration and Management Providing overall administration of the service Coordinating, creating and advising in the development of new education and operation programs and policies Developing both long- and short-range plans based on knowledge of policy and reviewing of issues and available data Responsible for ensuring completion of all suspense for the Service Assisting Chief of Social Work in development of Service goals and objectives Facilitating administrative and personnel activities related to professional development Orienting new staff to the Service and coordinating all required resources and information required for new employees, including provider FPPE/OPPE Ensuring all Social Work Service personnel have been instructed in and comply with operational, safety, personnel, and conduct requirements Ensuring staff remain current and compliant with professional and VA mandated certifications, licensures, and training requirements Maintaining personnel records and identifying discrepancies and incorrect information in personnel files Applying EEO principles and requirements to all personnel management actions and decisions, and ensuring all personnel are treated in a manner free of discrimination Resource Management Serving as the technical expert regarding operational problems and personnel administrative issues Preparing documents and justifications for resource requests, reviewing/editing recruitment announcements for accurate and timely submission to local Human Resources Functioning as liaison between the Social Work Service, Medical Staff Office and Credentialing & Privileging Preparing and submitting documentation pertaining to recruitment, promotions, position classification, training counseling, disciplinary actions, and grievances Calling to the attention of management any problems that require HRMS intervention or correction Providing advice on solving complex personnel-related problems Keeping managers informed on the status of on-going personnel actions and recruitment efforts Conducting workload analysis with managers to determine appropriate staffing levels to meet the demand of internal and community referrals Providing advice and making recommendations to Chief, Social Work Service regarding distribution of workload Detailed analysis of workflow and work methods is used to support recommendations Utilizing various programs such as File-Man, ProClarity, and DSS to capture and analyze data for workload and staffing reviews and comparisons, i.e., analyze supply and demand of workload within Social Work Service Program Development Analyzing data from a variety of sources, program specific productivity tracking systems, and patient satisfaction surveys Developing, analyzing, evaluating, advising on or improving the effectiveness of work methods and procedures, organizations, manpower utilization, distribution of work assignments, delegation of authority, management controls, information and documentation systems, and similar functions of management Providing guidance and direction to both administrative and licensed staff within Social Work Service regarding VHA Directives/Policies, Medical Center Policies (MCP) and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) Drafting, interpreting and implementing Social Work Service policies and procedures Making recommendations for improved efficiency, effectiveness and performance measures Communications Serving as a designee for Chief of Social Work as attendant to various committees (i.e., ad hoc committees, multidisciplinary team conferences, Medical Executive Board, Clinical Service Chief Meeting, Space Committee and Emergency Preparedness Task Force) when appropriate Assisting in development, annual review and implementation of Emergency Preparedness Plan for Social Work Completing other duties as assigned. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: Ad-hoc. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Administrative Officer/PD007900 and PD11730 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. 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. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. 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. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 03/03/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. For a GS-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade 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 and/or education as described below: GS-7 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include overseeing timekeeping within the Service; knowledge of a full range of administrative and management functions, policies, practices, procedures and controls for human resources, purchasing, supply and property management, records management, inventory management, financial management and budget, supervision of employees and related administrative areas in order to obtain and maintain for support services, human and financial resources, equipment and software, computer and office equipment, space, training, etc.; ability to extract data and generate reports and information. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 1 full year of graduate level education (such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work) or superior academic achievement (Transcripts Required). S.A.A. is based on: class standing: applicants must be in the upper third f the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses., grade-point average: a-3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or b-3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum, or honor society membership as outlined by the Association of College Honor Societies. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education above a bachelor's degree. (Transcripts Required) GS-9 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include knowledge of administrative concepts, principles and practices enough to foresee problems and perform studies designed to evaluate procedures/processes; develop and recommend ways to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and timeliness of work operations. knowledge of health care service administration, continuous quality improvement; data analysis; healthcare principles, theories and practices; budgeting, planning, administration, and labor/union relationships, or other key administrative support functions to analyze and evaluate broad and difficult problems; knowledge of a full range of administrative and management functions' policies, practices, procedures and controls for human resources, purchasing, supply and property management, records management, inventory management, financial management and budget, supervision of employees and related administrative areas in order to obtain and maintain for support services, human and financial resources, equipment and software, computer and office equipment, space, training, etc.; Knowledge of management analysis principles and concepts to evaluate and implement necessary improvements. Skill in applying analytical and evaluative techniques to the identification, consideration, and resolution of issues or problems concerning the efficiency, effectiveness and cost of program operations and ability to identify problems and potential problem areas based on daily observance or studies; ability to analyze and measure the effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity of the administrative programs and clinical operations and to develop written and oral recommendations for improvement. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LL.B. or J.D. in a related field that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. (Transcripts Required) OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond 18 semester hours of graduate level education. (Transcripts Required) For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Education A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application. Note: 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/. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Additional Information Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. Receiving Service Credit for 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. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. 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. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.
