Chaplain (Clinical Pastoral Educator)
What you'd do
Serves as a Chaplain Clinical Pastoral Educator (CPE) performing senior-level clinical assignments for the VHA. The incumbent provides comprehensive religious, spiritual, and pastoral care to all persons that are commensurate with the needs, desires, and voluntary consent of the Veteran, caregiver, or staff. The incumbent addresses the spiritual component of health and wellness in every patient care setting to ensure that pastoral care is fully integrated into all aspects of chaplain services.
Major duties
Duties Include but are not limited to: Serves as a certified Chaplain (CPE) providing comprehensive, religious ministryservices and training to Veteran patients and students according to their specific needs. Carries out an education ministry with the CPE Center, which is highly integrated intoVHA's Chaplain program. Provides thorough guidance and advice to Chaplain Servicemanagement staff, students, other Chaplains, and stakeholders. Manages the daily operations of the CPE Center and develops and implementsprogram policies and procedures. Serves as a certified educator of record for all CPEstudents for an assigned designated area. Provides administrative oversight andprogrammatic resources and monitors educational outcomes. Offers students an opportunity to develop and expand professional caring skills in aclinical setting to address a person's spiritual, emotional, and physical needs; and offersstudents experience with hands-on spiritual care for hospitalized patients. Maintains records for all educator evaluations, student records, center portfolio, andCPE accreditation requirements, which may include off-site CPE satellite and placementcontracts. Seeks approval for allied health trainee positions through the Office of AcademicAffiliations (OAA). Conducts recruitment and interviews and selects students for theCPE program. Ensures all documentation is completed for compliance. Develops educational curriculathat are measurable, outcome-oriented, and evidence-based and designed to meetboard certification competencies. Develops relationships with key staff related to the CPE program, e.g., clinicalpreceptors, Advisory Group members, and OAA staff. Provides extended and intensive pastoral counseling as an integral part of the treatmentprogram with patients facing complex, ethical, moral, and/or spiritual issues. Monitors the CPE Center's program effectiveness and modification of service pattern,which includes research and leadership of clinical teams. Develops and implementsmethods to measure the effectiveness of the Chaplain educational program. Uses outcome evaluations to improve educational services and to design educationsystem changes. Seeks best practices, primary research, and research literature thatinforms the ministry specialty and one's spiritual care practice. Provides leadership, direction, orientation, coaching, in-service training, staffdevelopment, and continuing education programs. Serves as a primary senior Chaplain education resource, spiritual advisor, and liaisonfor the spiritual needs of Veterans patients, students, caregivers, and staff. Conducts comprehensive religious services and worship, pastoral ministry, andadministration of Chaplain services. Addresses the religious, spiritual, moral, and ethicalproblems of patients and staff through educational means. Completes various complex educational projects, task groups, and assignments to obtain pertinent high-level information needed for Chaplain Service senior management officials. Work Schedule: Full-time, 07:30am-4:00pm, Rotating days and weekends Compressed/Flexible: Available Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 635-512480 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be Authorized for a Highly Qualified Candidate Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not available
What you need to qualify
Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education. Applicants must possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational qualifications as evidenced by a graduate-level theological degree from a college, university or theological school accredited by a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. NOTE: For applicants who do not possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational degree, an approved educational equivalency review from a nationally recognized board certification body for chaplains (see paragraph d) is acceptable. Ecclesiastical Endorsement. In accordance with 38 C.F.R. § 17.655, ecclesiastical endorsement is a condition of employment as a VA chaplain. An individual must possess and maintain a full and active ecclesiastical endorsement to be employed as a VA chaplain. Applicants must have an ecclesiastical endorsement, dated within the past 12 months. Ecclesiastical endorsements must be from the official national endorsing authority of the applicant's/employee's faith group or denomination. Ecclesiastical endorsement is a written official statement, by the official national endorsing body of the faith group or denomination, certifying that the applicant is in good standing with the applicant's faith group or denomination; and stating that the individual is, in the opinion of the endorsing body, qualified to perform the full range of ministry required in the VA pluralistic setting. Loss of endorsement will result in removal from the GS-0060 Chaplain series and may result in termination of employment. Board Certification. Certification. Applicants must be a Board-Certified Chaplain certified by BCCI ® or a U.S. certifying body that has a reciprocity agreement with BCCI ®. Board Certification that requires 4 units of CPE is qualifying. Note: Provisional or Associate or other status as a candidate for board certification does not meet the board certification requirement for the FPL GS-11 or above Grandfathering Provision. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: Chaplain (Clinical Pastoral Educator), GS-12. Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade. Certification. CPE Educators must be certified by an agency whose CPE units of training are recognized by the BCCI ® or a U.S. certifying body that has a reciprocity agreement with BCCI ®. CPE Educators must be certified by the same accrediting body as the CPE training program where the position is being filled for the CPE training program to maintain accreditation. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Ability to independently educate all levels of CPE students and plan, organize, and implement all levels of the CPE program. (b) Skill in adhering to all accreditation standards, processes and practices including, but not limited to, timely and professional submission of all required program reports, center portfolio, fees and dues. (c) Skill in written and verbal communication that are articulate, professional and cohesive. (d) Ability to recruit, interview and select students for the CPE program. (e) Knowledge of professional ethics for certified educators and history of CPE. (f) Ability to apply theoretical understanding for and competence in administering and conducting all levels of CPE programs. (g) Knowledge of emerging trends and research in the area of pastoral education. (h) Knowledge of various conceptual frameworks for developing educational curriculum. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. This vacancy is above the full performance at GS-12. Physical Requirements: This position requires the Chaplain to meaningfully engage with Veteran patients and family members by walking and moving within the healthcare setting or with the incumbent using an assistive device. The Chaplain is required to speak, hear (hearing aid permitted) and work closely with others.
Before you apply
Federal applications are different: your resume should be 3–5 pages and mirror the language of this announcement. Read our federal resume guide first — it's the #1 reason qualified people get screened out.
Don't miss the next one.
Get an email the moment a similar federal job opens — postings can close in as little as 5 days.