Supervisory Social Worker (Medical/Surgery)

Veterans Health Administration • West Roxbury, MA

8d • Onsite

About The Position

The Medical/Surgical Social Work Supervisor serves in the acute Medical/Surgical units at the VA Boston Healthcare System. The position supervises social work staff and provides clinical case management and discharge planning services to Veterans receiving inpatient care. The supervisor collaborates with interdisciplinary teams and specialty services to coordinate care and transitions, assists with program planning, performance monitoring, evaluation, and quality improvement, and coordinates services with other VA programs and community partners as appropriate.

The position is GS-12 and includes significant personnel management responsibilities for a small to moderate-sized professional and non-professional staff. The supervisor is responsible for professional and administrative management of an area in a social work service, care/product line, or multiple facilities, and may provide direct clinical services with or without program coordination responsibilities. Higher-level duties must be performed at least 25% of the time.

The regular work schedule is 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; compressed or flexible scheduling may be authorized. Telework is ad hoc only, and the position is not virtual. Travel throughout the medical center and community is required. The role is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to program requirements and approval. It is a permanent federal position in the Excepted Service, with a 1- or 2-year trial period.

Requirements

• Master's degree in social work from a school fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE); a doctoral degree cannot substitute for the master's degree.
• Licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level; supervisory social workers must hold advanced-practice licensure or certification and be able to provide supervision for licensure.
• One year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level, demonstrating advanced practice skills in a specialty area or administration and progressively greater professional competency and judgment.
• Demonstrated ability to independently organize work, set priorities, and meet multiple deadlines.
• Knowledge of supervisory duties, including clinical supervision, consultation, negotiation with other departments, and quality improvement.
• Ability to ensure provision of clinical social work services.
• Ability to provide staff training and development.
• Interpersonal relationship skills in dealing with employees, team leaders, and managers.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• U.S. citizenship, except where VA policy permits appointment of non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Pass a pre-employment physical evaluation and background/security investigation; comply with the seasonal influenza vaccination program and any applicable pre-employment drug testing.
• Serve a 1- or 2-year trial period.
• Meet applicable VA application and documentation requirements.

Nice To Haves

• Experience providing clinical supervision.
• Experience with supervisory tasks, including performance evaluation.
• Experience with medical social work.
• Experience with discharge planning.
• Experience working as a social worker in an inpatient setting.
• Experience working with leadership.
• Experience with data collection and process improvement.
• Experience with public speaking or teaching/training.
• Certification or post-master's degree training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university, including a defined curriculum/course of study and internship, or equivalent supervised professional experience.

Responsibilities

• Supervise and coordinate social work staff assigned to the acute Medical/Surgical units.
• Provide clinical case management and discharge planning services to Veterans receiving inpatient care.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams and specialty services to coordinate care and transitions.
• Assist with program planning, performance monitoring, evaluation, and quality improvement.
• Coordinate services with other VA programs and community partners, as appropriate.
• Organize work independently, set priorities, and meet multiple deadlines.
• Provide clinical supervision, consultation, and negotiation with other departments.
• Ensure the provision of clinical social work services.
• Provide staff training and development.
• Manage personnel and administrative responsibilities for a small to moderate-sized professional and non-professional staff.
• Provide direct clinical services, with or without program coordination responsibilities.
• Travel throughout the medical center and community, including conducting interviews with Veterans, families, and community or law-enforcement representatives.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), with potential reimbursement up to $200,000 subject to eligibility and program approval.
• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, including annual leave, sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to approval.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment.
• Potential childcare subsidy for eligible full-time employees after 60 days of employment.
• Traditional federal pension and federal 401(k) with up to 5% in contributions.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many programs may continue into retirement.

What This Job Offers

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