Summary The Occupational Therapy Section Chief at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care System (SFVAHCS) provides supervision, administrative management and planning, programming, and develops OT services throughout the SFVAHCS. The SFVAHCS is a complex, @type 1A, tertiary system, affiliated with the University of California, San Francisco, and clinical education agreements with accredited OT educational programs and the largest funded research program in the Veterans Health Administration. Responsibilities Major duties include: Program Development and Management/Leading Change: Provide coordination and delivery of OT services throughout the San Francisco VA Healthcare System. Develop an annual budget that meets demands for operating supplies, small equipment, and other needs as they arise. Assess work conditions to facilitate safety and efficiency, i.e.: enforce infection control policy, assure completion of and compliance with all health and safety educational programs, ensure completion of crash cart safety checks and that work environments are clean and orderly. Assure that all formal records are accounted for, categorized, and disposed of, per Records Management requirements, by collaborating with the Program Support Specialist. Guide the OT Section to successful completion of external audits by being familiar with standards and translating pertinent standards to OT staff. Human Resources/Leading People: Recruit with support of the HR Specialist, write interview questions, assemble panels, conduct interviews, and select applicants for new and vacant positions, following HR guidelines and using the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Hiring process. Conduct orientation and competency reviews, monitor, and evaluate performance, impose disciplinary actions and recommend performance rewards. Write and update as necessary performance standards, functional descriptions, competencies, and the local OT Scope of Practice. Monitor staff clinical privileges (local scope of practice, state licensure, and national certifications) and ensure that they are current. Performance Improvement: Identify areas of improvement through the review and analysis of complex data. Review literature and best practices from other services or sites, solicit ideas from staff and subject matter experts (SMEs) and analyze current processes for errors, redundancies and/or opportunities to standardize and/or focus training and education efforts. Identify and implement specific strategies for improvement and reassess for effectiveness. Collaborate with PT, Rehab Leadership and/or other services on shared joint performance improvement projects. Clinical Duties: Provide direct occupational therapy clinical care, including evaluations, treatment planning, treatment implementation, and regular review of response to OT, leading to modification of treatment goals and plans, discharge from OT and/or referral to other services. Consult on unusual or complex cases or those without precedent. Record clinical information in the electronic medical record and complete other required tasks, such as encounter completion or DME ordering in a timely and accurate manner. Professional Stewardship: Collaborate with other Rehabilitation Sections and Rehabilitation Leadership regarding areas of joint concern. Incorporate VHA, VISN, and SFVAHCS mission, vision, values, and strategic plan into the development of OT programming. Contribute to SFVAHCS mission via participation on the facility's committees, teams, and work groups, representing OT and/or the Rehabilitation Service. Transmit to employees Whistleblower and Whistleblower retaliation protection rights. Participate formally and/or informally in VISN work groups, communities of practice and committees to provide expertise and work effort. Professional Education: Facilitate clinical fieldwork opportunities for OT trainees from accredited OT programs by overseeing the OT Clinical Education Specialist in the maintenance of OT school contracts, scheduling and onboarding trainees, updating the fieldwork manual and other fieldwork duties. Provides consultation for trainees who are struggling with the fieldwork requirements or who may need more challenging experiences. Promote professional staff growth through regular learning needs assessments, in-services, expectations for participation in educational events, maintaining a competency program and providing opportunities for guidance to individual staff members. Maintain competence in clinical, administrative and leadership skills through participation in learning opportunities. Seek learning opportunities that are creative, unique and engaging for self and staff. Provide in-services and other learning opportunities for OT and Rehab staff and learners from other departments. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: 8:00am-4:30pm Monday-Friday or as determined by supervisor. Telework: Not available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 662-05905F 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. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. 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). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 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 trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. 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: 1. United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. 2. English Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 3. Education and/or Experience: The individual must meet at least one of the following requirements below: Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and two (2) years of experience as an occupational therapist; NOTE: The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) January 1, 2005 decision that the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) would only accredit master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy. OR Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and two (2) full years of graduate education in a related field; NOTE: The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the AOTA January 1, 2005 decision that ACOTE would only accredit master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy. OR Master's Degree or higher in occupational therapy. Individuals must be a graduate of a degree program in occupational therapy approved by the ACOTE or predecessor organizations. This is inclusive of an internship (supervised fieldwork experience required by the educational institution). ACOTE is the only accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Degree programs may be verified by contacting the American Occupational Therapy Association website or at their office address: American Occupational Therapy *Foreign Graduates: Graduates of foreign occupational therapy programs meet the requirements if they have a current, full, active and unrestricted license to practice occupational therapy in a state, territory or Commonwealth of the United States (i.e., Puerto Rico), or in the District of Columbia. 4. Certification: Candidates must possess a current National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certification as an OT. 5. State Licensure: Candidates must possess a full, current, and unrestricted state license, to practice occupational therapy in a state, territory or Commonwealth of the United States (i.e., Puerto Rico), or in the District of Columbia. Grandfathering Provision: All persons employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series that are also performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of this occupation. Employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: They may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the full performance level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. If an OT who was retained under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee will lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. OTs initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard, must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. OTs who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Grade Determinations: Supervisory Occupational Therapist, GS-14 Education, Experience, and Licensure: Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 level and directly related to the position being filled. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs: Knowledge of evidence-based practices and clinical practice guidelines in multiple professional areas to use these resources to guide the program staff in providing clinically appropriate treatment interventions. Skill in interpersonal relationships and conflict resolution in dealing with employees, team leaders, and administrators. Ability to manage resources for a large, integrated service including not only occupational therapy, but also other focused rehabilitation, ancillary, or other health care services. Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing with a group of professional staff. Ability to translate extensive rehabilitation knowledge into cogent and useful policy in complex facilities and/or across multiple sites. Skill in providing clinical and administrative oversight and supervision of multidisciplinary rehabilitation programs in complex facilities and/or across multiple sites. Ability to collaborate with strategic planning committees at local, VISN or national levels for new ventures addressing patient care delivery systems, facilities management, and system reorganizations. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-14. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-14. Education 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/. 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. 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. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
