Qualifications

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:

• English Language Proficiency: Speech-Language Pathologist must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)
• Citizenship: Must be a citizen of the United States
• (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified candidates in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.) Education and Experience: A master's degree, or its equivalent, in speech-language pathology, communication disorders or a directly related field from an accredited college or university and one year of creditable experience
• OR, A doctoral degree in speech-language pathology, communication disorders and sciences or a related field, from an accredited college or university
• Licensure: Individuals must hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice speech pathology at the masters level in a United States state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia
• Loss of Credential
• Management officials, in collaboration with HR Office staff, must immediately relieve employees of the duties and responsibilities associated with the occupation who fail to maintain the required certification, both current and in good standing, which may result in separation from employment
• An SLP who has, or has ever had, their SLP license revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited or issued/placed in a probationary status may be appointed only in accordance with the provisions in Chapter 3, section B, paragraph 16 of this part
• Grandfathering Provision
• All persons employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series that are also performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held, including positive education and licensure
• For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: SLPs may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance level or changed to a lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the full performance level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions
• If SLPs who are retained under this provision leave the occupation, they will lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation
• SLPs initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard, must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment
• SLPs who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard
• Grade Determinations: In addition to basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining grade for GS-14, Supervisory Speech-Language Pathologist
• Experience: In addition to the basic requirements at the GS-13 level, completion of one year of professional experience comparable to the next lower level
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the KSAs required at the full performance level, the candidate must demonstrate the following professional KSAs identified below
• Skill to translate management goals and objectives into efficient service operations
• Skill in providing clinical and administrative oversight of service operations within complex facilities and/or multiple sites
• Skill in conflict resolution to facilitate positive working relationships between employees, team leaders and management
• Ability to effectively collaborate with local, VISN and national leadership
• Assignments
• For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time
• Service chiefs at this level are responsible for managing a unified audiology and speech-language pathology service or equivalent organizational unit in a large, complex or multi-site medical center
• They ensure that services provided are of high quality and are consistent with contemporary and evidence-based clinical practice
• In providing direction for a specialized and complex service-level department, Service chiefs formulate objectives and priorities and implement plans consistent with the organization's long-term interest, capitalizing on opportunities and managing risks
• Service chiefs must demonstrate active problem and conflict resolution skills and maintain effective interdepartmental relationships to accomplish the medical facility's mission and goals
• Service chiefs manage budgets, determine resource needs, allocate resources and ensure appropriate service productivity, 15 efficiency and cost-effectiveness
• They perform supervisory duties such as preparing personnel actions, performance management
• planning, scheduling and assigning work
• managing leave
• assessing competencies
• appraising performance
• and recommending clinical privileges or scope of practice
• Service chiefs ensure orientation and training programs are established for staff development and oversee academic affiliations, internship and fellowship programs
• Preferred Experience: Experience as supervisory speech pathologist or audiologist
• Licensed Audiologist or Speech Pathologists
• Employee management experience
• Prior VA experience preferred
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-14
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.