Senior Psychologist (Service Chief) - Mental Health & Behavioral Science Service Line Manager

This Senior Psychologist (Service Chief) - Mental Health & Behavioral Science Service Line Manager position is with Veterans Health Administration (Department of Veterans Affairs) in Prescott, AZ. This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until December 18, 2026 or until the position is filled. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be October 2, 2026. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals until the position is filled. This is a multidisciplinary announcement. If you are a Physician (Psychiatrist), apply at CBSX-13068536-26-EY. If you are a Social Worker, apply at CBSX-13068539-26-JS. Key duties: • 30 Day Hiring Model The Department of Veterans Affairs is implementing a streamlined 30-Day Hiring Model designed to accelerate hiring while maintaining the highest standards of merit-based selection. This improved process reduces traditional hiring timelines by integrating early coordination, faster assessments, and efficient pre-employment actions. Applicants can expect a more transparent, predictable, and efficient hiring journey from announcement to entry on duty. What Applicants Can Expect Expedited Candidate Review Once the announcement closes, Human Resources will quickly review applications, issue certificates of eligible candidates the day after the announcement closes and refer applicants for hiring manager consideration. Quick Interviews & References HR may arrange interviews and will request references within 3-5 days after being referred to the hiring manager. Streamlined Pre-Employment Requirements: Following a tentative offer, applicants should be prepared to complete required steps, such as fingerprinting and background check, credentialing, and medical examination within 3 days of the offer. Clear and Timely Communication: Applicants will receive clear communication at key milestones, including referral, tentative offer, and onboarding instructions. After meeting pre-employment requirements, candidates will receive a final job offer and start date. Onboarding tasks may continue after starting, with HR ensuring timely completion for a smooth transition into VA service. If selected, applicants should be prepared to come onboard within 30 days of the announcement closing. Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties include but are not limited to: Manages all professional and administrative activities within MH&BS including selection, orientation, and continuing education of staff. Develops, implements, and evaluates policies, procedures, and clinical care standards to ensure high-quality, safe, and efficient care delivery. Conducts ongoing surveillance and evaluation of clinical performance, including quality of care, appropriateness of treatment, adherence to standards, and performance improvement activities. Leads quality control programs, risk management activities, infection control oversight, and compliance with facility-wide performance measures. Improves patient access, flow, timeliness, and satisfaction through data-driven process improvement. Oversees professional performance reviews, including FPPE/OPPE, peer review, and performance improvement data integration. Coordinates interdepartmental and intradepartmental services to ensure integrated, Veteran-centered mental health care delivery across settings (e.g., PC, ED, acute care, community care). Plans, develops, and leads new or expanded clinical programs, including Telehealth, evidence-based practice implementation, and enhancement of specialty/complexity of care offerings. Analyzes financial, workflow, and operational impacts of proposed policies or initiatives and provide data-supported recommendations. Supervises interdisciplinary staff, resolving personnel issues, conducting evaluations, managing performance, and overseeing continuing education. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): May be authorized for highly qualified candidates. Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Qualifications: 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. Licensure. Applicants must hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice psychology at the doctoral level in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia. Exception: Non-licensed applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment as a "graduate psychologist" at the GS-11 or GS-12 grade under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405 [(c)(2)(B)] for a period not to exceed two years from the date of employment on the condition that such a psychologist provide care only under the supervision of a psychologist who is licensed. Failure to obtain licensure during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment. Education. Applicant must have a doctoral degree in psychology from a graduate program in psychology accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA), the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS), or the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) at the time the program was completed. The specialty area of the degree must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicants are to be employed. For the purpose of meeting this requirement, the term "specialty area" refers to the specific specialty areas recognized by the accrediting body and not to specific job duties that might require special skills. Currently, APA accredits doctoral programs in the specialty areas of clinical psychology, counseling psychology, school psychology, or combinations of two or more of those areas. PCSAS accredits doctoral programs in psychological clinical science. CPA accredits doctoral programs in clinical psychology, counseling psychology, clinical neuropsychology, and school psychology; OR Have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and, in addition, successfully complete a re-specialization program (including documentation of an approved internship completed as part of the re-specialization program) meeting both of the following conditions: The re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program; and The specialty in which the applicant is retrained must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. OR Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. AND Internships. Applicants must have successfully completed a professional psychology internship training program that was accredited by APA or CPA at the time the program was completed and that is consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed OR New VHA psychology internship programs that are in the process of applying for APA accreditation are acceptable in fulfillment of the internship requirement, provided that such programs were sanctioned by the VHA Central Office Program Director for Psychology and the VHA Office of Academic Affiliations at the time that the individual was an intern OR VHA facilities that offered full-time, one-year pre-doctoral internships prior to PL 96-151 (pre-1979) are considered to be acceptable in fulfillment of the internship requirement OR Applicants who completed an internship that was not accredited by APA or CPA at the time the program was completed may be considered eligible for hire only if they are currently board certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology in a specialty area that is consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed OR Applicants who have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature may fulfill this internship requirement by having the equivalent of a one-year supervised internship experience in a site specifically acceptable to the candidate's doctoral program. If the internship experience is not noted on the applicant's official transcript, the applicant must provide a statement from the doctoral program verifying that the equivalent of a one-year supervised internship experience was completed in a site acceptable to the doctoral program. Grade Determinations: GS-15 Experience: At least four (4) years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-14 level. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to supervise and manage a large group of professional staff effectively. Skill in interpersonal relationships, including conflict resolution and ability to work collaboratively with supervisors from other units. Ability to accurately apply the qualification standards, assesses the potential of current and prospective employees, and promotes their professional development. Ability to develop appropriate productivity standards for professional staff, often across multiple program lines. Knowledge of the goals and objectives of the medical center and VISN and ability to communicate these to subordinates. Assignment. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and range of variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Senior Psychologist Service Chief at the GS-15 level generally manages programs in Complexity Level 1 (High Complexity) facilities or in facilities of lesser complexity levels that have large psychology or mental health programs. They are responsible for all professional, management, and administrative aspects of the service or organizational entity. Supervision and resource management involve major decisions, and work activities and supervision significantly affect the ability of staff to provide comprehensive services to Veterans. The service or organizational entity is a major component of the medical center and the services or programs supervised are highly professional, technical, and complex. Examples include but are not limited to discipline specific programs (typically in the role of Psychology Service Chief), the overall system of mental health programs (typically in the role of Associate Chief of Staff for Mental Health), research programs (typically in the role of Associate Chief of Staff for Research), or education programs (typically in the role of Associate Chief of Staff for Education). Preferred Experience: Experience providing leadership and oversight for all professional and administrative operations within a Mental Health or Behavioral Health service line, including supervision of multidisciplinary clinical and administrative staff. Demonstrated success in managing human and material resources across a complex mental health continuum, including outpatient, specialty, and integrated care programs. Experience developing, implementing, and evaluating policies, procedures, and clinical care standards to ensure high-quality, safe, and efficient care delivery. Experience conducting ongoing surveillance and evaluation of clinical performance, including quality of care, appropriateness of treatment, adherence to standards, and performance improvement activities. Skill in leading quality control programs, risk management activities, infection control oversight, and compliance with facility-wide performance measures. Demonstrated ability to improve patient access, flow, timeliness, and satisfaction through data-driven process improvement. Experience in advanced clinic access management, including monitoring supply and demand, clinic utilization, backlog reduction, no-show reduction strategies, and appointment optimization. View the full announcement and apply on USAJOBS.gov.