Supervisory Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor

Summary

This position is located within the Veteran Readiness and Employment Division (VR&E). The incumbent of this position will serve as a Supervisory Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor for the Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Division in the 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.

Duties

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The Supervisory Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (SVRC) is located within the Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Division, in the Seattle 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 through subordinate employees for the VR&E Division.

Duties include:

• Perform initial evaluation, transferable work skills analysis, employability assessment, entitlement determination, rehabilitation planning, problem solving counseling, adjustment counseling, case documentation, and administration and interpretation of vocational testing when appropriate.
• Analyze and interpret laws, regulations, and rules as they affect the establishment of new policies, procedures, and methods of operation. Gather and interpret a wide range of data addressing service concerns. Recommend appropriate action based on the data. Interview claimants in-person or over the telephone to elicit information essential to resolve a concern or obtain necessary evidence so that a pending claim may be properly adjudicated.
• Responsible for administrative actions affecting VR&E activity and personnel administration and actions. Provide advice, counsel, and instruction to individual employees on both technical and administrative matters.
• Responsible for interviewing and recommending selection of employees; training and monitoring performance of employees; preparing performance ratings; resolving disciplinary and performance problems; and assessing the on-going training needs of the employees supervised at the out-based locations.
• Plan team workload, set and adjust short-term priorities. Prepare schedules for completion of work; assign work; evaluate work performance; give advice, counsel, and/or instruct employees on both work and administrative matters; interview candidates for positions in the unit; recommend appointments, promotions, or reassignments; hear and
• Resolve complaints and grievances; recommend awards or bonuses; effect disciplinary measures for minor infractions; recommend other actions in more serious cases.
• Recommend the use of overtime, training, and travel. Further the goals of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) by taking positive steps to assure the accomplishment of affirmative action objectives, and by adhering to nondiscriminatory employment practices regarding race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or handicap. Specifically, incumbent initiates nondiscriminatory practices and affirmative action for the area under his/her supervision.
• Plan and assign work priorities for their subordinates.
• Responsible for reviewing Quality Assurance files and contributing to the development of reports and papers. Assure all performance goals are achieved and that actions are taken based on these indicators. Assess office issues, client/organizational needs, and directives. Ensure that professional, technical, and administrative quality/timeliness of service meets both organization goals and cost-effective use of resources to accomplish assigned outcomes.
• Act as a program consultant to other federal and state rehabilitation agencies . As such, facilitate operations with universities, community colleges, and vocational/technical institutes within the state. Serve as technical representative in developing, awarding, implementing, and evaluating contracts to provide professional counseling, evaluation, case management, and employment services. Coordinate intra and inter-state transfer of cases, and consult with VR&E Officers throughout the field.

Promotion Potential: This position is at full performance level

Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday 7:00am-4:00pm

Compressed/Flexible Schedule: Not available

Telework: Yes - as determined by the agency policy.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position

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

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Bargaining Unit: No

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may 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 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
• You may be required to serve a supervisory probationary period
• 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.: 05/28/2026

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. 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.

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.

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. 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

2. 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 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:

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:

Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-12). Specialized experience is defined as one (1) full year of performance of technical assignments affecting the entire field of VA's Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E) division. Your resume/application must support your response. To meet the specialized experience, your resume should reflect:

• Experience in conducting assessments of veteran's employability;
• Involvement in the development of appropriate vocational goals and subsequent objectives outlined in rehabilitation plans;
• Providing case management services to veterans while pursuing their rehabilitation plans (e.g. personal contact regarding achievement of vocational goals, referral for medical or ancillary services, and responding efficiently to veterans concerns);
• Experience in training, understanding, and clearly explaining to veterans, the benefits and services available through the VR&E program.

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 http://://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application. It must include your coursework and date of conferral of a Masters degree in vocational rehabilitation (or related) field. 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.

Note: You may submit unofficial transcripts when applying. However, if you are selected for the position, you will be required to provide an official transcript or a statement from the institution (e.g., from the registrar, dean, or other appropriate official) or equivalent documentation prior to the start date.

Additional information

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 http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

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