Supervisory Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist

Summary

This Supervisory Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist leads Vocational Rehabilitation and Community-Based Compensated Work Therapy programs, including Supported Employment, Transitional Work, Community-Based Employment Services, and Supported Education. The incumbent supervises staff, manages workloads, operations, and data; ensures accreditation compliance; provides training; and partners with care teams, community agencies, and employers to help Veterans obtain and retain suitable employment.

Duties

Major duties include but are not limited to: Supervise, mentor, and provide advanced guidance to Vocational Rehabilitation staff. Direct efforts to identify and reduce barriers to competitive employment for Veterans. Develop and maintain integrated, community-based vocational rehabilitation services. Align team activities with the organization's mission, vision, values, goals, and work plans. Provide training, consultation, and education on best practices and individualized services. Assign, balance, and monitor workloads based on priorities, employee skills, and specialization. Manage quality-management activities, performance measures, program indicators, and local metrics. Monitor program effectiveness, productivity, documentation, and compliance. Support accreditation and oversight reviews, including NEPEC and The Joint Commission, as applicable. Coordinate corrective actions when compliance gaps are identified. Interview participants in medical centers, CBOCs, telemedicine settings, and community locations. Analyze interviews and Vocational Assessment Profiles. Identify participants' vocational interests, goals, skills, abilities, and employment objectives. Develop individualized vocational assessments and plans of care. Develop and maintain professional relationships with community employers, agencies, and businesses. Identify employment opportunities that match participants' abilities, interests, limitations, accommodations, and goals. Collaborate with employers to develop workplace modifications and accommodations. Rapidly engage participants after referral and schedule initial consultations within two business days. Develop suitable employment opportunities using job-finding and job-carving techniques. Provide ongoing support following temporary work placement or competitive employment, including assistance with workplace problem-solving, job performance, interpersonal relationships, accommodations, and job retention. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm. Telework: 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 Ad-hoc telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Supervisory Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist/ PD636-707430. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/16/2026. 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 by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. 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. You may qualify based on your experience as defined (or outlined) below: Experience: Work that required obtaining and applying occupational information for people with disabilities, knowledge of the interrelationships of the involved professional and specialist services, and skill in employing the methodology and techniques of counseling to motivate and encourage individuals served by the program. Experience that demonstrated knowledge of the vocational rehabilitation problems characteristic of the disabled, including familiarity with available resources and skill in identifying, evaluating, and making effective use of such resources to serve individuals with disabilities; or of the disadvantaged, including knowledge of adjustment problems of the educationally or culturally disadvantaged, familiarity with available adult education and training resources, and ability to recognize problem areas needing special attention. Experience in vocational guidance or teaching in a recognized vocational rehabilitation program or school, developmental or supervisory work in programs of vocational rehabilitation or training programs for the disadvantaged, or personnel or employment placement work that provided extensive knowledge of the training and adjustment requirements necessary to place persons having disabilities or social adjustment problems. GS-12: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-11) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience include what is stated above as well as: overseeing vocational rehabilitation programs and related services; supervising, leading, and managing staff, workloads, performance, compliance, and administrative activities; developing individualized assessments and service plans to determine the support needed by patients; developing community-based employment opportunities and maintaining effective relationships with patients, staff, interdisciplinary teams, employers, and community partners; providing accurate guidance and communicating effectively in accordance with VA policies, procedures, laws, regulations, and accreditation requirements; monitoring patient and program performance through case reviews, data analysis, and required reports; and making complex program and staffing decisions while ensuring the proper and effective use of program and sub-program funds. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Conflict Management Influencing/Negotiating Manages Resources Partnering Planning and Evaluating 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. Physical Requirements: The work is general active with light physical effort s