Vocational Development Specialist (51)

Vocational Development Specialist

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Determine the areas of vocational interests, training needs and career development to determine what services the program participant will need to reach success to obtain suitable employment
• Analyze mental and physical disabilities or other barriers, in terms of the practical effects of such disabilities on motivations, adjustment to training and difficulty in employment placement
• Work collaboratively with Veteran's providers to ensure that the patient's needs are being met and minimize any possible negative consequences
• Provide ongoing supports such as assistance with problem solving, developing interpersonal work relationships, maintaining work performance and quality, and life management activities
• Utilize knowledge of long-term mental illness, serious mental illness, as well as traumatic and acquired brain injury and their impact on vocational functioning
• Provide onsite accommodations or training, to include Job Coaching for the program participant
• Observe the Veteran at the placement site in accordance with national policy and obtain feedback on performance from the placement site supervisor. Assist Veteran with ameliorating any noted areas of concern
• Ensure that the program participant is aware of employer's expectations, and the participant has the skills and supports to meet those expectations. The VRS counsels and guides employee through difficult transition or rough spots of adjusting to the new position. Helps the employer understand the nature of the client's limitations while maintaining a positive impression of the client's capability to succeed
• Working knowledge of disabilities, employment barriers, and occupational information
• Able to negotiate any work site accommodations that may be needed
• Document all interactions with the program participant and is responsible to connect the participant with the appropriate resources to facilitate the participant ongoing employment in a community setting
• Provide a wide range of vocational rehabilitation services to individual Veterans and to coordinate and incorporate a variety of VA and non-VA community resources
• Conduct job placement/job carving activities
• Contact and work creatively with community employers, working knowledge of a broad range of occupations, ability to identify Veteran strengths, interests, skills and needs, ability to match Veterans to jobs, ability to identify and arrange long-term supports to help Veterans maintain employment
• Be "out in the community" to network with community employers, community agencies, and community businesses with the goal of developing professional relationships with these groups to assist program participants in obtaining and maintaining suitable community employment
• Consider and respond appropriately to the needs, feelings, and capabilities of others; adjusts approaches to suit different people and situations
• Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm

Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Vocational Development Specialist/ PD501960

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized