Social Worker (Program Manager) - Mental Health & Behavioral Science Service Line Manager

Veterans Health Administration • Prescott, AZ

5d

About The Position

The Social Worker (Program Manager) oversees the Mental Health & Behavioral Science service line, managing and directing professional and administrative activities and ensuring high-quality, safe, efficient, Veteran-centered care. The role leads program operations, staffing, policy and clinical standards, quality and risk management, performance review, process improvement, and coordination across care settings and partner services. It also plans and leads clinical program development, including telehealth and evidence-based practice, and uses operational and financial analysis to make recommendations.

The position is at the GS-14 level. It requires a master's degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited school, independent state licensure or certification at the master's level, advanced-practice licensure or certification, and at least one year of experience equivalent to GS-13. The selected program manager must be able to provide supervision for licensure and demonstrate advanced practice skills, judgment, and the specified program-management and supervisory competencies.

This is an open continuous announcement through December 18, 2026, or until filled. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Telework may be available; the position is not virtual. Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized for highly qualified candidates, and relocation assistance is authorized.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for non-citizen appointments when recruitment of qualified citizens is not possible under applicable policy.
• Master's degree in social work from a school fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE); a doctoral degree does not substitute for the master's degree.
• Current, full, valid, and unrestricted state license or certification to independently practice social work at the master's level; the program manager must hold advanced-practice licensure or certification and be able to provide licensure supervision.
• At least one year of experience equivalent to the GS-13 level, demonstrating advanced practice skills, judgment, and progressively greater professional competency.
• Demonstrated skill in large-scale program coordination and administration across multiple sites, including consultation, negotiation, and monitoring.
• Ability to translate management goals and objectives into coordinated and controlled work operations.
• Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems and develop and implement effective solutions.
• Ability to collaborate with internal and external partners to advance program goals and patient-centered care.
• Ability to perform the full range of supervisory duties, including assigning work, evaluating performance, selecting and training staff, recommending awards and advancements, and recommending disciplinary action when appropriate.
• Ability to oversee fiscal matters, forecast resource and equipment needs, and administer an allocated budget.
• Skill in developing program policies, procedures, and practice guidelines and participating in national program development.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Meet applicable background/security investigation, onboarding, identification, and influenza vaccination requirements.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period, as applicable.
• Complete all application requirements specified in the announcement's Required Documents section.

Nice To Haves

• Leadership and oversight experience in professional and administrative operations for a mental health or behavioral health service line, including supervision of multidisciplinary clinical and administrative staff.
• Success managing human and material resources across a complex mental health continuum, including outpatient, specialty, and integrated care programs.
• Ability to collaborate with system partners such as PCMM, MCA DSS, Group Practice Management, and Community Care to optimize operations and resource use.
• Experience planning and leading new or expanded clinical programs, including telehealth, evidence-based practice implementation, and specialty or complex care offerings.
• Ability to analyze financial, workflow, and operational impacts of proposed initiatives and provide data-supported recommendations.
• Experience supervising interdisciplinary staff, resolving personnel issues, conducting evaluations, managing performance, and overseeing continuing education.
• Expertise in consult management, including consult review, business-rule implementation, coordination with internal and external services, and development of Care Coordination Agreements.
• Experience recommending and evaluating clinical privilege criteria and monitoring licensed independent practitioners' clinical competence.
• Experience overseeing professional performance reviews, including FPPE/OPPE, peer review, and performance-improvement data integration.
• Experience coordinating services across departments and care settings for integrated, Veteran-centered mental health care.
• Skill leading quality-control programs, risk management, infection-control oversight, and compliance with facility-wide performance measures.
• Ability to improve patient access, flow, timeliness, and satisfaction using data-driven process improvement.
• Experience in advanced clinic access management, including supply-and-demand monitoring, clinic utilization, backlog and no-show reduction, and appointment optimization.
• Nationally recognized professional organization or university certification or post-master's training with a defined curriculum or course of study and internship, or equivalent supervised professional experience.

Responsibilities

• Manage professional and administrative activities within Mental Health & Behavioral Science, including staff selection, orientation, and continuing education.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate policies, procedures, and clinical care standards.
• Monitor and evaluate clinical performance, quality of care, treatment appropriateness, adherence to standards, and performance-improvement activities.
• Lead quality-control programs and risk-management activities; oversee infection control and compliance with facility-wide performance measures.
• Improve patient access, flow, timeliness, and satisfaction through data-driven process improvement.
• Oversee professional performance reviews, including FPPE/OPPE and peer review, and integrate performance-improvement data.
• Coordinate services across departments and care settings to support integrated, Veteran-centered mental health care.
• Plan, develop, and lead new or expanded clinical programs, including telehealth, evidence-based practice implementation, and specialty or complex care offerings.
• Analyze financial, workflow, and operational effects of proposed policies or initiatives and provide data-supported recommendations.
• Supervise interdisciplinary staff, resolve personnel issues, conduct evaluations, manage performance, and oversee continuing education.
• Coordinate with internal and external partners to further program goals and enhance patient-centered care.
• Oversee program staffing, work assignments, budget, services, daily operations, reporting, and compliance with applicable standards and guidelines.
• Analyze program data and computerized programs to identify system-wide trends and needs and improve service quality.
• Oversee fiscal matters, including fund controls, contracts, equipment expenditures, resource forecasting, and allocated budgets.
• Develop program policies, procedures, and practice guidelines, and participate in program development.
• Manage consult processes, including consult review, business rules, coordination with services, and Care Coordination Agreements, as applicable.
• Recommend and evaluate clinical privilege criteria and monitor the competence of licensed independent practitioners, as applicable.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases; a higher step rate may be considered based on higher or unique qualifications or VA needs.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, consisting of 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment in connection with a child's birth, adoption, or foster care placement.
• Child care subsidy may be available after 60 days of employment to eligible full-time employees with total family income below $144,000, subject to program limits and eligibility rules.
• 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 can be carried into retirement.
• Recruitment or relocation incentive may be authorized for highly qualified candidates.
• Permanent Change of Station relocation assistance is authorized.

What This Job Offers

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