Chaplain - Clinical Pastoral Educator

Company: Veterans Health Administration
Location: Tuskegee
Posted on: April 9, 2021

Job Description:

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. ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: Applicants for this occupation must be proficient in basic written and spoken English. Education: Candidates must possess the Master of Divinity degree, normally based upon completion of 3 years of graduate study, or possess equivalent educational qualifications. Equivalent educational qualifications means possession of a bachelor's degree of at least 120 semester hours plus successful completion of 70 semester hours of graduate study which included or was supplemented by all of the following: 20 semester hours of pastoral ministry (examples: homiletics, preaching, ministry, pastoral counseling, supervised ministry and/or practice); 20 semester hours in any combination of theology, ethics, and philosophy of religion; 10 semester hours in religious history or world religions; and 20 semester hours in the study of sacred or religious writings, including the study of languages in which sacred or religious writings are written. NOTE: Education achieved prior to the issuance of this standard that included the post-baccalaureate Bachelor of Divinity or Bachelor of Sacred Theology Degrees is generally considered substitutable for the Master of Divinity Degree. Accreditation: At the time the education was obtained, the entire institution, applicable school within the institution, or the applicable curriculum must have been appropriately accredited by an accrediting organization recognized by the Secretary, United States (U.S.) Department of Education; or the specific courses taken must have been accepted for college-level credit by such an accredited institution. NOTE: Institutions with acceptable accreditation are listed in the Directory of Postsecondary Institutions, U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). Applicants must have completed four units of CPE from a CPE center that is accredited by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. 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. The National Chaplain Service maintains a list of approved endorsing organizations that can be found here: https://www.patientcare.va.gov/chaplain/Employment_Information_and_Resources.asp Board Certification. Applicants must be a Board Certified Chaplain certified by the Board of Chaplaincy Certification Inc. (BCCI) -- or nationally recognized certification body that utilizes the BCCI -- Common Qualifications and Competencies for Professional Chaplaincy or a certifying organization that has a reciprocity agreement with BCCI --. 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:
Specialized Experience: Applicant must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service which involved work directly related to the position. Specialized experience includes but is not limited to: providing pastoral counseling and treatment to patients, patient's families, and staff in various inpatient and outpatient settings. Experience serving as a Chaplain Clinical Pastoral Educator (CPE) performing senior-level clinical assignments for a hospital/medical center, etc.
AND
Chaplain Certified Educator. To provide educational supervision for CPE Level 1 and Level 2 students, the Chaplain CPE Educator must be a Certified Educator. To provide educational supervision for students seeking to become Certified Educators, the Chaplain CPE Educator must be a CPE national faculty from an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. (PLEASE NOTE: You must include a copy of your official certification with your application package). Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
i. Ability to independently educate all levels of CPE students and plan, organize, and implement all levels of the CPE program.
ii. 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.
iii. Skill in written and verbal communication that are articulate, professional and cohesive.
iv. Ability to recruit, interview and select students for the CPE program.
v. Knowledge of professional ethics for certified educators and history of CPE.
vi. Ability to apply theoretical understanding for and competence in administering and conducting all levels of CPE programs.
vii. Knowledge of emerging trends and research in the area of pastoral education.
viii. Knowledge of diverse conceptual frameworks for developing educational curriculum. References: VA Handbook 5005/135, Part II, Appendix G67, dated 09/24/2020The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is 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.

Keywords: Veterans Health Administration, Montgomery , Chaplain - Clinical Pastoral Educator, Healthcare , Tuskegee, Alabama