Supervisory Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
What you'd do
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). This position is located in the VR&E at the VBA Regional Office.
Major duties
Specific duties include: Directs the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VRE)Program, which performs technical, administrative, and professional work.-Serves as the Regional Office's professional and technical expert in conducting, administering, and advising in the areas of education, training, testing, evaluation, counseling, rehabilitation, psychology, job development, job placement, and entitlement. Provides administrative and technical direction and professional leadership to a professional and technical staff of Counseling Psychologists, Rehabilitation Counselors, Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists, Employment/Program Specialists, and support staff as well as providing oversight of contractors. Oversees a team of Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors (VRCs) and other staff in the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Regional Office (RO), RO Out-based office locations, VetSuccess On Campus (VSOC) school sites, or Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) locations on military installations. Develops short- and Long-term plans to assure work is accomplished in a timely manner, is of acceptable quality, and accomplishes the changing initiatives and emphasis established by VA Central Office managers, as well as local management policy changes and procedural modifications. Ensures that his/her staff provides expert and high-quality services to the Veterans with a service-connected disability such as vocational counseling and consultation; counseling interventions; and superb case management. Responsible for managing allocated budgetary resources and for authorizing and supervising the expenditure of funds such as staff travel, beneficiary travel, tools, supplies, equipment, revolving fund loans, tutoring or reader services, individual instructor fees, tuition, and subsistence allowances. Provides counseling, training, and employment services to all eligible beneficiaries within the State of Indiana through two full-time offices. Activities and services provided by the VR&E Program directly .and significantly impact a wide range of agency activities. The VR&E Program deals with the direct payment of benefits to veterans and dependents as well as providing payment for educational programs which can typically cost many thousands of dollars. Provides the Regional Office Director's full-time assistant, the Assistant Director, who is authorized, a clear line of authority. Directs the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program, which encompasses between 1650 and 1700 participants at any point in time. The program administers approximately $10 million in expenditures from the Rehabilitation Benefits Account. VR&E Officer exercises significant responsibility in dealing with other Division. Chiefs, higher level VR&E program officials, officials of Veterans Service Organizations, officials of other local, state, and federal agencies, officials of institutions of higher learning, and community. based contract service providers. Establishes division goals and objectives as well as related priorities to assure program and Regional Office mission and objectives are accomplished. Meets with senior managers at the Regional Office, State or Labor representatives, focal VA Medical Centers, Outpatient Clinics, and other facilities. Incumbent must frequently contact high-ranking civilian managers, supervisors, and technical staff regarding contracting of services. Other professional contacts are with physicians, psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, social workers, program and administration officials with VA and other local, state, and federal agencies. Given the interrelated nature of the various contracted services, state and federal Vocational Rehabilitation programs, the level of these contacts has a decided impact on the successful performance of the work. Decision Making: Develops short- and Jong-term plans to assure work is accomplished in a timely manner, is of acceptable quality, and accomplishes the changing initiatives and emphasis established by VA Central Office managers, as well as local management policy changes and procedural modifications. Takes a variety of personnel-related actions such as hearing/resolving grievances or complaints, proposes disciplinary and adverse actions, evaluates performance of rehabilitation professionals; decides on nonroutine training needs, approves expenses relative to employee travel and overtime; recommends within-grade increases, awards, bonuses; and recommends changes in position classification. Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday Compressed/Flexible: Available. Telework: Ad Hoc. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Supervisory Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor; 38428A. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required.
What you need to qualify
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:08/24/2026 TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENT: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements. For a GS-14 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-13 level. 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. These requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement and those applying for a Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: You must meet the basic requirements and have one year of specialized experience as described below for the 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. Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-13 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. 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. 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: Position is sedentary. 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/.
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.
Similar openings
Browse all →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.