Supervisory Chaplain

Summary

The incumbent serves as the Supervisory Chaplain professional performing supervisory and senior clinical assignments for the Iowa City VA. 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.

Duties

• Major duties include, but are not limited to: Serves as the Supervisory Chaplain professional providing comprehensive, religious ministry services to Veteran patients according to their specific needs and desires.
• Provides thorough guidance and advice to Chaplain Service management staff, other Chaplains, and other stakeholders.
• Provides supervision for the chaplaincy program of a major faith ministry which is highly integrated into VHA's Chaplain program.
• Manages and supervises the full spectrum of chaplaincy service operations.
• Supervises non-supervisory and supervisory professional staff at the GS-12 level or below.
• Manages a moderately complex to very complex chaplain service program with identified specialty chaplains working in (Hospice and
• Outpatient programs, Substance
• Performs supervisory and non-supervisory assignments consisting of significant scope, complexity, difficulty, and variety.
• Supervises the professional practice of all facility chaplains and provides chaplaincy services and programming.
• Manages and oversees all religious and spiritual care and provides counsel to facility leadership concerning religious expression.
• Develops local policy, productivity, and clinical practice standards.
• Oversees a chaplaincy program at this level is carefully integrated throughout the total care and treatment program to further the mission of the VHA facility.
• Oversees pastoral ministry, including intensive pastoral counseling, close integral working relationships with other staff disciplines, and active community liaison.
• Serves as the Supervisory Chaplain expert participant with other specialists as a fully recognized member of an interdisciplinary treatment team (IDT).
• Serves as an active participant and a key administrative staff member of the organization with VHA's leadership.
• Engages with other program heads and the VHA facility's administrator in decision-making conferences concerning policies, practices, and regulations affecting the care and treatment program of the facility.
• Carries out full program responsibility with professional independence, while subject to only administrative controls from immediate supervisor.
• Supervises subordinate chaplains and/or visiting assistants.
• Develops one or more subprograms (training, research, community relationships, or religious education if in relationship to the intensive overall treatment program), to advance the religious program and the mission of the medical facility.
• Plans work to be accomplished by subordinates, establishes and adjusts short-term priorities, and prepares schedules for completion of work.
• Maintains records, supplies, and religious equipment for the assigned program; and tracks and maintains the program's budget.
• Aligns local chaplaincy services and programming with the strategic goals and objectives of all levels of the agency, department, or organization.
• Ensures compliance with chaplaincy practice, policy, and accreditation standards across the continuum of health care.
• Provides consultation to facility leadership, managers, and other staff on all religious expression and spiritual care.
• Establishes performance and productivity metrics and productivity outcomes, organizational plans, and staff development issues.
• Ensures compliance with agency and accreditation requirements and sets the strategic direction of the service.
• Maintains chapel space and oversees the distribution of space, inventory, and resources needed for providing spiritual care, education, and programming.
• Assesses the spiritual and religious needs of the organization.
• Ensures the religious needs of patients are met through partnerships with community religious leaders and organizations, and community, state, and federal agencies.
• Builds strong interpersonal relationships with patients and ensures all patients are provided opportunities for the free exercise of religion and protects against proselytizing.
• Ensures various complex assignments are carried out in a pluralistic environment, which encompasses sensitivity to the religious needs of many separate religious denominations and faith groups.
• Identifies other Chaplains, religious leaders, and/or persons from the community to provide patients' religious needs if necessary.
• Uses thorough knowledge of different faiths to perform various religious rituals, lead prayers, and answer spiritual questions.
• Work Schedule: 07:30 to 16:00; Monday through Friday Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

• You must be a U.S.
• Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-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.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial 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
• Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Required Documents

• To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
• Professional Certification Resume Transcript Special Note for
• Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume
• This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field.
• Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field.
• The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position.
• Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former
• Federal employees), etc. Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (VA)
• Resume/CV exceeding two-pages **Highly
• Recommend** Write to the
• Knowledge, Skills, and
• Abilities (KSAs) on a separate document
• KSAs are found under qualification/grade requirements in the announcement. Ecclesiastical Endorsement
• Signed within the last 12 months
• See requirements in vacancy announcement Professional Certification Proof of Marriage Status
• Resume SF-15 SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible
• Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire.
• You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.).
• If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation.
• Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form.
• Documentation is required to award preference.
• For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets
• Veterans' Preference. Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.