Social Worker Assistant Chief

Description:

This is a working administrative Social Work Service (SWS) position. The Assistant Chief is an Assistant Chief, Social Work Service (SWS) with full authority and responsibility for providing administrative support to the Chief, SWS. In that capacity the Assistant Chief assists with the overall planning, organizing, directing, and evaluating Social Work within Sheridan VA Health Care System (SVAHCS).

Requirements:

*** This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT & will remain open until August 3rd, 2026. The initial cutoff date for referral of eligible applications will be February 13th, 2026. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as needed basis until positions are filled. ***

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 :

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 independently practice social work at the master's degree level. Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/.

English Language Proficiency . Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

GS 13 Social Worker- Assistant Chief -Grade Determinations : In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

Experience - One year of experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills in administration, demonstrating progressively more professional competency skills and judgment. 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 -. The assistant service chief must evidence possession of supervisory and management skills, must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities- In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of administrative and supervisory duties which includes personnel actions, clinical supervision, consultation, negotiation with other departments, and quality improvement.
• Knowledge of legal, ethical, and professional standards applicable to social work practice.
• Ability to develop, maintain, and oversee social work programs in all settings.
• Knowledge of social work practice, policy, and accreditation standards across the continuum of health care.
• Skill in providing consultation to facility leadership, managers, and other staff on social work qualification standards, practice, competency, productivity, and continuing education requirements.

Preferred Experience:

• The candidate must possess evidenced supervisory and management skills, be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and be qualified to provide supervision for licensure.
• Proficiency in personnel actions, clinical supervision, consultation, negotiation with other departments, and quality improvement is essential.
• Strong understanding of the legal, ethical, and professional standards related to social work practice. Program Development & Oversight: Ability to develop, maintain, and manage social work programs in various settings.
• Deep knowledge of social work practice, policy, and accreditation standards across the continuum of health care.
• Competence in providing consultation to facility leadership, managers, and other staff on social work qualification standards, practice, competency, productivity, and continuing education requirements.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/ .


Physical Requirements: This position provides direct services to patients and their families through casework. Incumbents must be physically and mentally able to efficiently perform the essential functions of the position without hazard to themselves or others. Normal work of the position requires visual acuity (with the ability to read typewritten characters without strain, corrective lenses permitted), keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially moderate levels of lifting and carrying (15-44 pounds). The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Must complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment. The incumbent may be required to travel and operate a Government vehicle and maintain a valid license.