Summary
Health and Wellness Coaches provide services to Veterans seeking self-directed, lasting changes aligned with their values. They provide support that promotes health and enhances well-being, which may support improved health related outcomes, and quality of life. This vacancy will remain open until filled. The first cut-off date is Monday, August 3, 2026. Additional applications will be referred as needed.
Duties
This vacancy will remain open until filled. The first cut-off date is Monday, August 3, 2026. Additional applications will be referred as needed. Health and Wellness Coaches provide services to Veterans seeking self-directed, lasting changes aligned with their values. They provide support that promotes health and enhances well-being, which may support improved health related outcomes, and quality of life. Health and Wellness Coaches work with individuals on identifying their motivation for change, determining goals for their work together, developing sustainable action steps toward achieving their short- and long-term goals, implementing action plans, and assessing progress in order to adjust plans as necessary. Health and Wellness Coaches provide support to positively influence the relationship between lifestyle and health outcomes. They guide the exploration of behaviors that may increase the risk of developing or worsening chronic disease and those that reduce the likelihood of chronic illness. Health and Wellness Coaches may collaborate with Veterans and Veterans' primary care and specialty care treatment providers to develop goals designed to improve health and well-being, reduce impact from chronic illness and lessen the likelihood of admission to the emergency department, inpatient care or long-term care. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: Ad-hoc available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: GS-7: 99326S, GS-9: 99325S 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 Federal service. 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
GS-7 Assignment. Employees at this grade level serve in a Health and Wellness Coach entry-level developmental position. At the entry grade, Health and Wellness Coaches are responsible for providing basic health coaching by conducting interventions using one-on-one, couple or group modalities in outpatient and inpatient settings using multiple formats (face-to-face, telephone, virtual, etc.) in order to reduce or eliminate high-risk behaviors while increasing/promoting a positive lifestyle (habits and behaviors) resulting in increased well-being. Employees at this grade are closely supervised and competency in progressively complex tasks is monitored by the supervisor. Health and Wellness Coaches facilitate development of personalized health plans focused on behavioral interventions based on current scientific knowledge and research. Health and Wellness Coaches equip and empower individuals to live their lives to the fullest by improving quality of life across the lifespan that reduces risk for chronic disease, reverses or slows progression of chronic disease and increases the sense of well-being at the end of life. These plans include person-centered customized goals, action steps and interventions developed by the individual and include input from other members of the health care team. Health and Wellness Coaches must communicate proactively and effectively both orally and in writing. GS-9 Assignment. Employees at this grade level serve as Health and Wellness Coaches at the full performance level. Health and Wellness Coaches use behavioral change theories (e.g., motivational interview and trans-theoretical model) and tools to assist individuals in the process of health coaching. They provide interventions that promote health and wellness and enhance well-being (i.e., what matters to the individual), improve health related outcomes, reduce likelihood of inpatient admission and improve quality of life across the continuum of care in all settings. Health and Wellness Coaches foster an environment that equips and empowers each individual to develop and fully engage in a lifestyle management plan. Health and Wellness Coaches facilitate the development of personalized health plans that emphasize self-care in combination with conventional treatment plans that include individualized intervention strategies to help the client use existing skills and develop new ones to enhance success. Health and Wellness Coaches provide information on the relationship between lifestyle and health outcomes, exploring behaviors that increase the risk of developing or worsening chronic disease and those that reduce the likelihood of chronic illness. They are responsible for guiding individuals to learn about available support tools and resources outside of healthcare (e.g., social determinants of health) in the community that assist in attainment of goals. Health and Wellness Coaches contact eligible participants for enrollment and explain the health coaching process. They develop and distribute locally approved health education materials based on national guidance to patients and family members that are in line with the patient's personalized health plan. Health and Wellness Coaches are responsible for conducting outreach activities directly to potential participants and internal and external referral sources informing them of available programs and services. They coordinate care with patients' treatment providers including primary care, specialty care and mental health to ensure identified goals are aligned with the overall plan of care around what matters most to the individual. They provide health coaching support to multidisciplinary groups whose purpose is to address specific health and well-being goals or metrics in both the inpatient and outpatient setting. At this level, Health and Wellness Coaches develop individualized health and wellness group curriculum and/or provide input into curriculum developed by higher-level management. They use applicable IT equipment, systems and software to maintain accurate, complete, current and confidential medical records in accordance with accepted standards. Health and Wellness Coaches at this level may assist with data management analyses, special studies and reports for use by management for budget preparation, workload projections and quality assurance and usage reviews. Health and Wellness Coaches participate in quality improvement projects and refine information for comprehensive reports addressing elements such as patient reported outcome measures, work measurement, trend analysis, efficiency, effectiveness and productivity. Transcripts are REQUIRED if basing all or part of your qualifications on 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/. NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.
How you will be evaluated
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.