Supervisory Vocational Rehab Counselor - AVREO

Summary

The Veterans Benefits Administration has a network of field locations where personnel provide Servicemembers, Veterans, their dependents, &survivors with information, advice and assistance regarding the availability and procurement of benefits under laws and regulations administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and other agencies. One of the long-standing services is Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment, (VR&E).

Duties

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Specific duties include:

- The AVREO assists the VREO and manages broad-based and multi-faceted programs through a team of supervisors and team leaders. Typically, the VR&E division is comprised of professional, administrative, technical and clerical staff members ranging in grades up to and including the GS-13. The AVREO directs and supervises the administration of work involving eligibility criteria, vocational exploration, conducting assessments of both local labor market, plan development based on appropriate vocational goals, examination of medical information, making legally binding entitlement decisions, award adjustments, award authorization, and case management services.

- The AVREO has delegated authority on behalf of the VREO, to make decisions including basic eligibility for programs administered by the VR&E.

- The AVREO has oversight responsibilities for the VR&E items purchased through the VISA Purchase card program.

- The AVREO maintains essential resources for referral for special rehabilitation procedures. Frequent collaboration and referrals are maintained with employers, school officials, medical and rehabilitation officials, contractors, state employment service personnel, and other community resources.

- The AVREO provides advice and recommendations to meet major goals and assists with the assessment of priorities. Makes decisions related to assigning and allocating program resources and directing and reviewing personnel within the assigned staff complement to accomplish the changing initiatives and emphasis established by the Central Office program managers. Must be responsive to dynamic nature of Veteran and beneficiary populations and needs within the jurisdictional area. Assists with the development and implementation of plans to meet objectives; monitors progress toward the accomplishment of approved goals and takes steps to overcome any obstacles.

- The AVREO provides administrative expertise in all phases of rehabilitation activities, including counseling, case management, rehabilitation plan development, and job development and placement. The AVREO coordinates and integrates these operations and policies and with other divisions, agencies, employers, and rehabilitation facilities.

- The AVREO plans, formulates, and implements operational procedures and policies to maintain efficient operating performance of professional and support staff.

- The AVREO provides internal policy direction and supervision of the RO VR&E staff through on-site visits and inspections, review, and analysis of standard or specifically requested data and individualized or telephonic and written communication.

- The AVREO assumes final responsibility for proper interpretation and uniform application of laws, regulations, and instructions in conformance with mandatory policies, procedures, and practices, reconciling divergent opinions. The AVREO may review personally the most difficult and complex cases and elements such as fraud, high cost programs, and independent living cases, re-entrance into a rehabilitation program cases, retroactive induction cases, and extension of entitlement cases. The AVREO approves cases involving Clear and Unmistakable Error (CUE), to include cases in which large sums of money may be involved. In addition, the AVREO oversees employees who do supplemental claim reviews and higher-level reviews procure counseling services and conduct formal hearings.

- The AVREO is responsible for claims file and eFolder maintenance and operations including transfer of claims to the proper scanning vendor in a timely manner. Responsibility also includes management of operations, submitting and controlling award payment data and other data input.

Promotion Potential: None, this is the full performance level of the position

Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm.

Compressed/Flexible: Not Available

Telework: This position is eligible for situational (ad hoc) telework only. The selectee is required to report to the official duty station each scheduled workday. Telework may be approved only on a case-by-case basis with supervisory approval. Routine or recurring telework is not authorized for this position.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Supervisory Vocational Rehab Counselor - AVREO; PD39403A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Required. This position requires completion of a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE-450) under 5 C.F.R. a7 2634.904(a). The selectee must submit the form before entering on duty and annually thereafter.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary 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 probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Additional Conditions of Employment are as follows:

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary or trial period
• Selectees are required to serve a one-year supervisory probationary period if not previously completed in a Federal position.
• 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 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.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:10/20/2026.

TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENT: As a current Federal, GS employee you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

• For a GS-14 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-13 level.
• If you are a current VBA employee requesting reassignment or change to lower grade via this vacancy announcement, you must currently hold the GS-14 or higher and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least GS-14.

The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

GS-14 Grade Level:

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: To qualify for positions in the 0101 series, candidates must meet the following basic requirements:

Degree: behavioral or social science; or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

OR

Combination of education and experience that provided the applicant with knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

OR

Four years of appropriate experience that demonstrated that the applicant has acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

AND

• Specialized Experience:
• Specialized experience is defined as experience in Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment programs:
• Expertise with employment and vocational rehabilitation programs.
• Possessing knowledge and expertise in the procedures for vocational and rehabilitation law.
• Expertise to administer and counsel in the areas of counseling, rehabilitation, psychology, career development, and job placement entitlements. Expertise to control budgetary resources for approving and monitoring financial expenditures.

Volunteer Experience: 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.

Full vs. Part-Time Employment: Full-time employment is considered to be at least 35 hours per week. Part-time experience will be credited on a pro-rated basis; when including part-time employment in your resume you must specify the average hours worked per week.

Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Typically, the employee may sit comfortably to do the work. However, there may be some walking; standing; bending; carrying of light items such as papers, books, small parts; driving an automobile, etc. No special physical demands are required to perform the work.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications.

You may submit unofficial transcripts when applying. However, if you are selected for the position, you will be required to provide an official transcript or a statement from the institution (e.g., from the registrar, dean, or other appropriate official) or equivalent documentation prior to the start date.

Additional information

VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the 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.