Social Worker (Program Coordinator)

Veterans Health Administration • Richmond, VA

1d

About The Position

This position serves as the High Reliability Specialist program manager for High Reliability Organization (HRO) activities at the Central Virginia VA Health Care System, a Complexity Level 1 A health care system. Reporting to the Chief of Strategic Initiatives, the incumbent coordinates the planning, implementation, evaluation, sustainment, and continuous improvement of HRO initiatives across the system.

The incumbent develops and implements HRO-related policies, procedures, educational programs, and performance-improvement strategies consistent with Veterans Health Administration, Veterans Integrated Service Network, and National Center for Patient Safety guidance. The role promotes integration of HRO principles into operational and clinical processes and facilitates collaboration among internal and external stakeholders to improve quality, safety, efficiency, and Veteran-centered care.

Serving as the facility subject matter expert on HRO principles, patient safety, systems thinking, and organizational reliability, the incumbent evaluates organizational performance trends, analyzes complex data, identifies improvement opportunities, and leads initiatives supporting system-wide learning and sustainment of best practices. Recommendations may influence facility-wide policy, operational priorities, resource utilization, and strategic planning. The position is full-time, with a Monday–Friday schedule from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Occasional travel may be required.

Requirements

• Master's degree in social work from a school fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education; a doctoral degree cannot substitute for the master's degree.
• State licensure or certification to independently practice social work at the master's degree level.
• One year of experience equivalent to GS-12, demonstrating advanced practice skills in a specialty area or administration and progressively higher professional competency and judgment.
• Ability to coordinate and implement one or more specialty programs across a facility.
• Skill in local policy and practice development, procedures, and practice guidelines for the program.
• Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program areas.
• Ability to collaborate with internal and external partners to advance program goals and patient-centered care.
• Ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties, including work assignments, performance evaluations, staff selection and training, and recommendations regarding awards, advancement, and discipline.
• Ability to oversee fiscal matters, forecast resource and equipment needs, and administer an allocated budget.
• Knowledge of organizational structure and its impact on program operations.
• Must be a U.S. citizen, except where VA policy permits appointment of a non-citizen when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Must pass a pre-employment physical evaluation or examination and comply with applicable Employee Health requirements, including seasonal influenza vaccination.
• Must complete required background/security investigation, onboarding, and application documentation; applicants in testing-designated positions are subject to pre-appointment urinalysis.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period, subject to written certification for continued employment.
• Position requires visual acuity, hearing, clear communication, and manual dexterity sufficient for administrative, analytical, and program management duties; ability to manage competing priorities and respond to organizational needs.

Nice To Haves

• Certification or other post-master's degree training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university, including a defined curriculum or course of study and internship, or equivalent supervised professional experience.
• For supervisory social workers, advanced-practice licensure or certification and the ability to provide supervision for licensure.
• Experience leading system-wide strategic initiatives in a complex healthcare organization.
• Experience advising executive leadership on strategy, operations, and organizational performance.
• Experience applying advanced business, administrative, and program management principles.
• Experience leading organizational change and enterprise performance-improvement efforts.
• Experience analyzing performance data and developing executive-level recommendations.
• Eligibility under the applicable grandfathering provision, for qualifying current VHA employees.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate planning, implementation, evaluation, sustainment, and continuous improvement of High Reliability Organization initiatives across the health care system.
• Develop and implement HRO-related policies, procedures, educational programs, and performance-improvement strategies in accordance with VHA, VISN, and National Center for Patient Safety guidance.
• Promote integration of HRO principles throughout operational and clinical processes.
• Facilitate collaboration among internal and external stakeholders to improve quality, safety, efficiency, and Veteran-centered care.
• Serve as the facility subject matter expert on HRO principles, patient safety, systems thinking, and organizational reliability.
• Evaluate organizational performance trends, analyze complex data, and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Lead initiatives that support system-wide learning and sustainment of best practices.
• Coordinate and implement specialty programs across the facility; develop local policy, procedures, or practice guidelines; organize work, set priorities, meet deadlines, and evaluate program areas.
• Collaborate with internal and external partners to further program goals and enhance patient-centered care.
• Provide supervisory duties, including assigning work, conducting performance evaluations, selecting and training staff, and recommending awards, advancements, or disciplinary action when appropriate.
• Oversee fiscal matters of supervised functions, including fund controls, contracts, and equipment expenditures; forecast resource and equipment needs; and administer the allocated budget.
• Make recommendations that may influence facility-wide policy, operational priorities, resource utilization, and strategic planning.

Benefits

• 37–50 days of annual paid time off, including annual leave, sick leave, and 11 paid Federal holidays.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment, in connection with birth, adoption, or foster-care placement of a child.
• Eligible full-time employees may qualify for a childcare subsidy after 60 days of employment, subject to family-income, child-eligibility, and maximum-benefit limits.
• Traditional federal pension, with five-year vesting, and federal 401(k) with up to 5% in VA contributions.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs may be carried into retirement.
• Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to request and approval.

What This Job Offers

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