Chaplain (Clinical Pastoral Educator)

Veterans Health Administration • Augusta, GA

9d • Onsite

About The Position

The Chaplain (Clinical Pastoral Educator) works in the Chaplain Service Department at the VA Augusta Health Care System in Augusta, Georgia, within the Veterans Health Administration’s Southeast Network. The role provides religious ministry and clinical pastoral education services to Veteran patients and CPE students in healthcare settings.

The Chaplain manages the daily operations of the CPE Center, develops and implements program policies and curricula, and serves as educator of record for students in an assigned area. The position provides educational supervision, administrative oversight, recruitment and selection of students, and monitoring of educational outcomes and accreditation compliance. It maintains required educator and student records, center portfolios, and other accreditation documentation, and coordinates approval of allied health trainee positions with the Office of Academic Affiliations.

The role also provides intensive pastoral counseling to patients facing complex ethical, moral, or spiritual concerns; serves as a senior spiritual-care resource and liaison for Veterans, students, caregivers, and staff; and participates as a senior representative on interdisciplinary treatment teams. The Chaplain collaborates with clinical and community stakeholders, evaluates program effectiveness, applies research and best practices, and provides leadership, coaching, staff development, and continuing education.

Requirements

• Master of Divinity degree or equivalent graduate-level theological degree from an appropriately accredited institution, or an approved educational equivalency review from a nationally recognized chaplain board-certification body.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Current, full and active ecclesiastical endorsement from the official national endorsing authority of the applicant’s faith group or denomination; the endorsement must be dated within the past 12 months and maintained during employment.
• Board-certified Chaplain certification from BCCI or a U.S. certifying body with a reciprocity agreement with BCCI; certification requiring four units of CPE is qualifying.
• CPE Educator certification from an agency whose CPE training units are recognized by BCCI or a U.S. certifying body with a reciprocity agreement; certification must be from the same accrediting body as the program where the position is filled.
• One year of directly related, creditable experience equivalent to the GS-11 level.
• Ability to independently educate all levels of CPE students and plan, organize, and implement all levels of a CPE program.
• Knowledge and skill in complying with accreditation standards, processes, and practices, including timely and professional submission of program reports, center portfolios, fees, and dues.
• Articulate, professional, and cohesive written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to recruit, interview, and select students for a CPE program.
• Knowledge of professional ethics for certified educators and the history of CPE.
• Ability to apply theoretical understanding and competence in administering and conducting all levels of CPE programs.
• Knowledge of emerging trends and research in pastoral education.
• Knowledge of diverse conceptual frameworks for developing educational curricula.
• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated limited exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Registration with Selective Service, if applicable to the applicant.
• Ability to pass a background/security investigation and pre-employment physical evaluation, complete onboarding requirements, and participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Ability to complete a one- or two-year trial period.

Nice To Haves

• Certification as a Clinical Pastoral Educator from a VA-approved professional organization recognized by the Department of Education, such as the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE).
• Experience providing educational supervision for CPE Level 1 and CPE Level 2 students.
• Experience providing educational supervision for students seeking to become CPE Educators.
• Experience adhering to CPE accreditation standards and processes, including submitting required program reports, center portfolios, fees, and dues on time and professionally.
• Proficiency in electronic health record documentation, particularly spiritual assessments and reassessments, and experience teaching Joint Commission documentation timeliness standards to CPE students.

Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive religious ministry services and training to Veteran patients and students according to their needs.
• Manage the CPE Center’s daily operations and develop and implement program policies and procedures.
• Serve as the certified educator of record for CPE students in an assigned area, providing administrative oversight and programmatic resources and monitoring educational outcomes.
• Develop and deliver educational curricula that are measurable, outcome-oriented, evidence-based, and designed to meet board certification competencies.
• Maintain educator evaluations, student records, center portfolios, and CPE accreditation documentation, including applicable off-site satellite and placement contracts.
• Seek approval for allied health trainee positions through the Office of Academic Affiliations.
• Recruit, interview, and select students for the CPE program and ensure required documentation is completed for compliance.
• Provide students with clinical learning opportunities to develop professional caring skills and hands-on spiritual care experience with hospitalized patients.
• Provide extended and intensive pastoral counseling to patients facing complex ethical, moral, or spiritual issues.
• Monitor CPE Center program effectiveness, evaluate and modify service patterns, and lead or participate in clinical team research.
• Develop and implement methods to measure the effectiveness of the Chaplain educational program and use evaluation results to improve services and education systems.
• Seek best practices, primary research, and research literature relevant to ministry specialty and spiritual-care practice.
• Provide leadership, direction, orientation, coaching, in-service training, staff development, and continuing education.
• Serve as a senior Chaplain education resource, spiritual advisor, and liaison for the spiritual needs of Veteran patients, students, caregivers, and staff.
• Represent Chaplain services as a fully recognized member of an interdisciplinary treatment team and advise and collaborate with senior treatment-team members.
• Participate in consultative discussions and conferences with treatment professionals, providing senior-level Chaplain input.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to evaluate and review CPE Center program progress.
• Coordinate with community organizations and other stakeholders to provide spiritual care and educational outreach.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package; specific benefits depend on position eligibility and are not detailed in the announcement.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior federal employment or military service, subject to request and approval.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior