Supervisory Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor

Summary

The Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Officer (VREO) oversees a team of Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors (VRCs) and other staff in the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Regional Office (RO), RO Out-based office locations, VetSuccess On Campus (VSOC) school sites, or Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) locations on military installations.

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Duties

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Specific duties include:

1. Manages broad-based and multi-faceted programs through a team of supervisors and team leaders.
2. Directs and supervises the administration of work involving eligibility criteria, vocational exploration, conducting assessments of both the local labor market, plan development based on appropriate vocational goals, examination of medical information, making legally binding entitlement decisions, award adjustments, award authorization, and case management services.
3. Frequent collaboration and referrals are maintained with employers, school officials, medical and rehabilitation officials, contractors, state employment service personnel, and other community resources.
4. Provides advice and recommendations to meet major goals and assists with the assessment of priorities.
5. Makes decisions related to assigning and allocating program resources and directing and reviewing personnel within the assigned staff complement to accomplish the changing initiatives and emphasis established by Central Office Program Managers.
6. Provides internal policy direction and supervision of the RO VR&E staff through on-site visits and inspections, review, and analysis of standard or specifically requested data and individualized or telephonic and written communication.
7. Review personally the most difficult and complex cases and elements such as fraud, high-cost programs, independent living cases to include home adaptation, category one and two self-employment cases, re-entrance into a rehabilitation program cases, retroactive induction cases, and extension of entitlement cases.
8. Assumes final responsibility for proper interpretation and uniform application of laws, regulations, and instructions in conformance with mandatory policies, procedures, and practices, reconciling divergent opinions.
9. Responsible for the interview and selection of candidates for appointment, promotion, or reassignment.
10. Utilizes judgment and independence when brokering partnerships with school officials, Vet Centers, military installations, federal, state, and local agencies to identify specific Servicemember and Veteran needs and deliver appropriate services.
11. Provides management and direction to staff on a wide range of rehabilitation counseling and case management services provided to veterans with service-connected disabilities.
12. Gives advice, counsel, or instruction to individual employees on both work and administrative matters and is responsible for ensuring disciplinary actions are properly taken and employees are properly rewarded.

Work Schedule : Full Time, Monday - Friday, hours to be determined by hiring office.

Compressed/Flexible: May be available as determined by the hiring office.

Telework : This position is eligible for situational (ad hoc) telework only. The selectee is required to report to the official duty station each scheduled workday. Telework may be approved only on a case-by-case basis with supervisory approval. Routine or recurring telework is not authorized for this position.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD# : Supervisory Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor; PD38427A

Relocation Incentives : Authorized. Relocation expenses and services (Permanent Change of Station - PCS) are authorized for this recruitment. PCS is the relocation of a household due to government convenience in connection with the transfer between duty stations or facilities. In consideration of the payment of expenses for travel and transportation, the selectee agrees to remain in federal service for twelve (12) months following the date of transfer. Failure to complete all conditions of the obligated service may result in repayment of travel/transportation expenses. Click here for more information.

Financial Disclosure Report: Required - Selectee will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-450, under 5 CFR 2634.904(a) prior to entering on duty and annually thereafter.

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 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 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.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selectees are required to service a one-year supervisory probationary period if not previously completed in a Federal position.
• 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.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:07/24/2026.

BASIC REQUIREMENT:

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.

B. Internship or Experience Requirement. The required (1) supervised internship or (2) post-master's degree experience is described as follows:

• Supervised Internship: The education in paragraph 1a must have included a supervised internship in rehabilitation counselling 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

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

C. Grandfathering Provision. VRCs employed in the Veterans Benefits Administration (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:

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

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.

• For a GS-15 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-14 level.
• If you are a current VBA employee outside of the commuting area seeking reassignment or change to lower grade via this vacancy announcement, you must currently hold the 15 (or higher) and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least GS-15.

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.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, applicants must meet the specialized experience listed below.

GS-15 Grade Level:

• Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience at the next lower grade level (GS-14) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is documented experience that has provided comprehensive knowledge of Vocational Rehabilitation programs. Specifically, documented concepts, principles, and theories of testing and evaluation, rehabilitation, job development and placement, and demonstrated comprehensive experience in all the following:
  1. Conducting assessments of both the local labor market, and employability.
  2. Active involvement in the development of appropriate vocational goals and subsequent objectives outlined in rehabilitation plans.
  3. Providing case management services to customers while pursuing their rehabilitation plans (e.g., personal contact regarding achievement of vocational goals, referral for medical or ancillary services, and responding effectively to rehabilitation concerns); and
  4. Written and oral communication skills in explaining the benefits and services available through the rehabilitation program, equivalent to the GS-14 grade level.
  Candidates must also have demonstrated in their work experience or training that they possess, or have the potential to develop, the qualities to successfully supervise subordinates/teams and to share responsibility for directing and supervising the administrative work necessary to manage a successful program operation.
  Supervisory/Managerial Abilities: Candidates must also demonstrate experience or training they possess, or have the potential to develop, the qualities of successful supervision as follows:
  1. Assign to and review work of subordinates, train and work effectively with subordinates from a variety of backgrounds and with different levels/areas of training;
  2. Accomplish the quality and quantity of work expected within set limits of cost and time;
  3. Plan own work and carry out assignments effectively;
  4. Communicate with others effectively both orally and in writing in working out solutions to problems or questions relating to the work;
  5. Understand and further management goals as these affect day-to-day work operations and;
  6. Develop improvements in, or design new work methods and procedures.

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; religions; 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; when including part-time employment in your resume you must specify the average hours worked per week.

Physical Requirements: This work normally involves mental rather than physical exertion. This position is primarily sedentary with some walking, standing, bending, stooping and carrying of lightweight items (i.e. folders, claims files).

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

Education

The required education under this single-agency standard is the 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.

Awarded/Conferred master's degree is required and must be reflected on transcripts submitted at the time of application. Transcripts (unofficial and/or official) must show evidence of a supervised internship and must also show that the degree has been awarded/conferred and the date awarded.

An unofficial or official copy of your transcripts must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to be credited towards qualifications. Provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

All education claimed by applicants will be verified upon appointment. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript to receive credit.

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 (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more 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 ICTAP and 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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.