What are the responsibilities and job description for the Supervisory Chaplain position at US Department of Veterans Affairs?
This position is located within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMC), and Chaplain Service (CS). The position provides services within various settings, including Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs), Inpatient Clinics, Outpatient Clinics, and domiciliary throughout the United States.
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/ . RESPONSIBILITIES: Major duties include, but are not limited to:
Serves as Chaplain professional providing comprehensive, religious ministry services to Veteran patients according to their specific needs and desires.
Carries out a ministry which is highly integrated into VHA's Chaplain program.
Provides thorough guidance and advice to Chaplain Service management staff, other Chaplains, and other stakeholders.
May serve at a facility in a clinical setting, or a small healthcare system, satellite outpatient clinic, other federal agency, or Community Based Out-patient Clinic (CBOC) where there is limited access to on-site supervision.
Provides extended and intensive pastoral counseling as an integral part of the treatment program with patients facing complex, ethical, moral, and spiritual issues.
Serves as a Chaplain representative and a fully recognized member of an interdisciplinary treatment team (IDT).
Ensures equity of access, service, and benefits to Veterans and provides the highest quality of care. Provides leadership, direction, orientation, coaching, in-service training, staff development, and continuing education programs.
Leads various complex and sensitive projects, task groups, and assignments to obtain pertinent high-level information needed for Chaplain Service management officials.
Provides effective counseling services to patients and staff. Conducts regular rounds of hospital wards where patients are critically ill.
Ministers to newly admitted, pre- and post-operative patients, the critically ill, and the families of concerned Veteran patients.
Collaborate with treatment team professionals to discuss the recommended course of action, and other informed advice to attain the necessary therapeutic goals for the patient.
Engages community resources to meet the religious needs of patients that cannot be met by chaplain staff.
Completes various complex Chaplain related administrative assignments, projects, and reports; and independently develops and implements programs and curricula.
Provides expert guidance and advice to other VHA Chaplains as needed.
Work Schedule : 7:30am-4:00pm, Monday-Friday.
Telework : Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement # : 62650F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives : Not authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.
QUALIFICATIONS: To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.
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 : Applicants must possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational qualifications as evidenced by a graduate-level theological degree from a college, university or theological school accredited by a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
NOTE: For applicants who do not possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational degree, an approved educational equivalency review from a nationally recognized board certification body for chaplains is acceptable.
Ecclesiastical Endorsement : In accordance with 38 C.F.R. § 17.655, ecclesiastical endorsement is a condition of employment as a VA chaplain. An individual must possess and maintain a full and active ecclesiastical endorsement to be employed as a VA chaplain. Applicants must have an ecclesiastical endorsement, dated within the past 12 months. Ecclesiastical endorsements must be from the official national endorsing authority of the applicant's/employee's faith group or denomination. Ecclesiastical endorsement is a written official statement, by the official national endorsing body of the faith group or denomination, certifying that the applicant is in good standing with the applicant's faith group or denomination; and stating that the individual is, in the opinion of the endorsing body, qualified to perform the full range of ministry required in the VA pluralistic setting. Loss of endorsement will result in removal from the GS-0060 Chaplain series and may result in termination of employment. The National Chaplain Service maintains a list of approved endorsing organizations that can be found here: https://www.patientcare.va.gov/chaplain/Ecclesiastical_Endorsement.asp .
Board Certification : Certification. Applicants must be a Board-Certified Chaplain certified by BCCI ® or a U.S. certifying body that has a reciprocity agreement with BCCI ®. Board Certification that requires 4 units of CPE is qualifying. The National Chaplain Service maintains a list of approved certifications found on the National VA Chaplain Service SharePoint.
Association of Certified Christian Chaplains - https://certifiedchaplains.org/
Association of Professional Chaplains®(APC®) - www.professionalchaplains.org
National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC) - www.nacc.org
Neshama Association of Jewish Chaplains (NAJC) - www.najc.org
National Association of Veterans Affairs Chaplains (NAVAC) - https://www.navac.net/
Spiritual Care Association - https://www.spiritualcareassociation.org/
Note: Provisional or Associate or other status as a candidate for board certification does not meet the board certification requirement for the FPL GS-11 or above
Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be submitted to a current affiliate agency of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) at https://www.naces.org/members and be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program
English Language Proficiency : Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 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).
Grade Determinations :
Supervisory Chaplain, GS-12.
Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-11).
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
(a) Knowledge of administrative, personnel, resource management and strategic planning for chaplaincy and chaplain pastoral education programs.
(b) Ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties which include responsibility for assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff and recommendation of awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions.
(c) Skill in interpersonal relationships including conflict resolution and ability to work collaboratively with managers from other departments.
(d) Ability to develop local policy, productivity, and clinical practice standards.
(e) Ability to align local chaplaincy services and programming with the strategic goals and objectives of all levels of the agency, department, or organization.
(f) Ability to ensure compliance with chaplaincy practice, policy and accreditation standards across the continuum of health care.
(g) Skill in providing consultation to facility leadership, managers and other staff on all religious expression and spiritual care
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/ .
Physical Requirements: This position requires the Chaplain to meaningfully engage with Veteran patients and family members by walking and moving within the healthcare setting or with the incumbent using an assistive device. The Chaplain is required to speak, hear (hearing aid permitted) and work closely with others.
SALARY: QuantitativeValue EMPLOYMENT TYPE: Other