Supervisory Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor

Summary

The incumbent of this position will serve as a Supervisory Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor for the Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Division in the Boston Regional Office. The position supervises VR&E staff and is responsible for the administration and workflow of the division. The incumbent exercises technical and oversight responsibility for subordinate employees for the VR&E Division.

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Duties

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Major Duties:

• Serves as a first level supervisor for VR&E personnel located at the Boston Regional Office or out based facility, providing advice and guidance on unusual or unprecedented problems.
• Responsible for interviewing and recommending applicants to the VR&E Officer.
• Trains and monitors performance of employees within the unit. Prepares performance ratings, assists on preparing divisional reports, and resolves disciplinary and performance problems. Assesses the ongoing training needs of employees under supervision.
• Reviews and provides consultation and supervision regarding the most difficult cases using expertise and training.
• Provides quality assurance and contributes to the development of reports such as Strategic Oversight and Analysis Review (SOAR) quarterly reports, congressional and AVA inquiries, and White Papers. The SVRC is supervised and accountable to the VR&E officer, with consultation of the Assistant VR&E officer.
• Collects data and prepares accurate reports and analysis as required by the VR&E officer including systematic analysis of operations (SAO's) and reports on special projects. Identifies and recommends to the VR&E officer changes needed for improvement of operations or services and acts as directed. Prepares a budget for travel funds for employees under their supervision and monitors the use of travel funds.
• Provides technical support and supervision as needed for accomplishing the work of the unit. Analyzes, interprets, and enforces the application of laws, regulations, and rules as they affect policies, procedures, and methods of operations. Also performs administrative and personnel management functions relative to staff supervised as directed.

Work Schedule : Full time, Monday through Friday 8:00am-4:30pm

Compressed/Flexible Schedule : Available

Telework : Yes. Ad-hoc telework may be permitted in accordance with agency policy. Employees are required to report to their assigned duty station unless telework has been explicitly approved in advance by their supervisor. Eligibility for ad-hoc telework may be addressed during the interview process. Telework is a discretionary privilege, not a right, and may be granted or denied based on performance, operational needs, and other relevant considerations. Approval is not guaranteed and may be changed or revoked at any time.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position

Position Description Title/PD#: Supervisory Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor; 39814A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Financial Disclosure Report : Required

Bargaining Unit: No

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year supervisory probationary 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 supervisory probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Additional Conditions of Employment are as follows:

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• 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 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.

Qualifications

As a current Federal, GS employee you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement.: 06/26/2026

1. 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-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12 level.
• If you are requesting a reassignment or change to lower grade via this vacancy announcement, you must currently hold the GS-13 (or higher) and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least GS-13.

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-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12 level. The grade may have been in any occupation and must have been held in the Federal service. A SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. You must provide a copy of your most recent SF-50 that indicates proof of status (career, career-conditional, or excepted service), time-in-grade requirements have been met, and identifies your position title, series, grade, step, salary, tenure, and type of service. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate possession of time-in-grade requirements. In this instance, you must also submit your most recent Promotion or Within Grade Increase SF-50, or a Promotion or Within Grade Increase SF-50 that indicates the highest grade/step previously held . DO NOT submit Award SF-50s and/or General Adjustment SF-50s as they cannot be used to verify time-in-grade.

2. BASIC REQUIREMENTS : To be eligible for this position, candidates must meet the following basic requirements:

a. Education: 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.

AND

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

1. 1. 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.

OR

1. 1. Experience: One-year post-master's degree experience in direct delivery of professional vocational rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities.
2. 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:
3. 1. 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.
   2. 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.
   3. 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.

Reference: Additional information on the qualification requirements for this position can be located on the OCHCO VA Qualifications Standards website found here.

3. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: In addition to the time-in-grade and education/internship requirements, you must also meet the following grade-specific qualification requirements. Creditable experience must have been obtained post-graduate and be directly related to the duties to be performed to qualify to work as a professional VRC.

NOTE: If work experience is credited for the basic requirement, that experience cannot also be used for qualifying at the GS-13 level.

GS-13 Grade Level : In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements stated above, one year of post-graduate level professional vocational rehabilitation counseling experience, equivalent to the GS-12 level is required.

• Specialized Experience: One year of specialized vocational rehabilitation experience in a federal, state, and/or private vocational rehabilitation setting equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level. Examples of specialized experience include:
  
  
  • Working with employment and vocational rehabilitation programs; possessing knowledge and expertise in the procedures for vocational and rehabilitation law.
  • Administering counsel in the areas of career development, job placement, psychology, rehabilitation, and counseling.
  • Provide individual and group training, orientation, consultation, and guidance within specialization of rehabilitation counseling practice to develop, improve, and maintain programming.

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.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at

Education

There is no authorized substitution of education, for the specialized experience required at the grade level GS-13.

Additional information

VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

The 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 (have a final rating of 85 or more) for this vacancy. Information about CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members : Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

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 (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP),

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. (

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

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.

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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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.