Social Worker (Program Coordinator)

Summary

This position is eligible for Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

Duties

The incumbent serves as GS-12 Program Coordinator in the Compensated Work Therapy/Transitional Residence Program at homes located within the community of North Chicago, IL. The Program Coordinator is responsible for all administrative and clinical duties of the program, providing treatment to Veterans who are homeless and/or diagnosed with mentalillness, substance use disorder, or comorbid conditions. Duties: Manage the Transitional Residence (TR) program budget, including fund control points, and ensure accurate tracking of expenditures. Prepare, review, and maintain required budget reports, financial documentation, and statistics for facility, VISN, and national use. Track program accounts, reconcile invoices, maintain balances, and ensure timely entry of financial transactions. Monitor, collect, and track Veteran program fees, coordinate payroll deductions, and ensure proper payment processes for residents working in the community. Purchase supplies and equipment for TR houses and maintain documentation in accordance with VA procurement procedures. Coordinate with fiscal, logistics, and contracting offices to ensure compliant procurement, proper fund control point usage, and adherence to federal acquisition requirements. Participate in contract development, monitor contract status, and ensure alignment with VA contracting standards and budget formulation processes. Generate work orders for repairs, safety issues, and facility maintenance for all TR properties. Coordinate environmental management needs such as carpet cleaning, pest control, garbage services, and resolution of general facility hazards. Conduct routine house inspections (minimum every two weeks) to ensure compliance with safety, cleanliness, and regulatory standards, including those from Joint Commission, SOARS, and CARF. Maintain readiness for internal and external inspections by ensuring houses and residents meet all environmental and safety standards. Participate in or support Environment of Care rounds, respond to deficiencies, develop corrective actions, and track their completion. Monitor the readiness of safety equipment such as AEDs and Narcan kits. Conduct chemical inventory to ensure Material Data Safety Sheets (MDS) are available and accurate. Support implementation of emergency procedures (fire, hazardous materials issues, outages) and coordinate corrective actions when safety concerns arise. Select, train, and mentor house managers for TR residences. Provide ongoing guidance to house managers regarding nightly bed checks, weekly cleaning rosters, emergency response, and resident accountability. Work closely with house managers to maintain consistent standards for safety, structure, cleanliness, and therapeutic environment. Maintain and submit required program statistics to national evaluation centers. Participate in monthly TR/CWT calls and represent the program in national or community settings as needed. Update policies, procedures, and operational guidelines as necessary to improve program efficiency and maintain compliance with evolving national standards. Program Administration and Case Coordination Oversee resident intake, orientation, tenancy agreements, conflict resolution, and ongoing resident monitoring. Administer residency processes, including rent collection, rent calculation, and property oversight. Community Collaboration Collaborate with community-based agencies, housing partners, and service providers to support resident goals. Make and coordinate referrals, ensuring appropriate linkage to internal and external resources. Crisis Intervention & Safety Planning Provide crisis intervention, follow-up support, safety planning, and advocacy for residents experiencing psychiatric, medical, or interpersonal crises. Resident Programming Facilitate group meetings, support groups, recreational activities, educational sessions, and life-skills programming. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 10543F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial 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 trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications

Basic Requirements: Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g this part). 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). Grade Determinations: Social Worker (Program Coordinator), GS-12 Experience and Education. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency. Candidate 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/Certification. Individuals assigned as social worker program coordinator must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of program coordination and administration which includes consultation, negotiation, and monitoring. (b) Knowledge and ability to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program. (c) Ability to supervise multidisciplinary staff assigned to the program. (d) Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s). (e) Ability to provide training, orientation, and guidance within clinical practice. Preferred Experience: Knowledge of purchasing, the VA purchase card program, fund control point utilization and management, and government contracting his highly desired. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS12. Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required.

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/. How You Will Be Evaluated

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment. 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. The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members. Other Information

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. 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. 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. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.