Social Insurance Specialist

About the role

See QUALIFICATIONS for information about this position. Serves as a senior analyst/recognized program expert within the assigned specialty area.

These areas include program integrity activities related to overpayments, waivers, non-collect determinations, court-ordered restitution, civil monetary penalties, improper payments reporting and the agency's strategy for reducing high-priority program improper payments. See DUTIES for responsibilities. See 9F1000 at SSA Position Description Search.

What you will do

• Performs duties associated with implementing the requirements of EO 13520 Reducing Improper Payments, provisions of the Improper Payments Information Act of 2002 and the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Improvement Act of 2012 (IPERIA).
• Assesses the impact of improper payment reduction plans on SSA operations and systems and contributes to the development of an action plan to coordinate and monitor required actions.
• Identifies strategic program policy issues; drafts legislative, regulatory and policy proposals and position papers; and recommends alternative resolutions to issues identified.
• Plans, directs and conducts complex studies, multiphase projects, case analyses and continuing activities related to the formulation, development, maintenance, evaluation and interpretation of improper payments policies, procedures and instructions.
• Responds orally and in writing to complex questions concerning improper payments.
• Leads or participates in activities that cut across organizational lines that affect the agency’s mission or require attention of the Head.
• Gathers information, serves on interagency and or SSA-wide committees, task forces and workgroups.

Education

This position does not have an educational requirement. Education cannot be used in lieu of (or in combination with) Specialized Experience to meet Minimum Qualifications.

How you will be evaluated

Only applicants who demonstrate eligibility will be considered. (1) We will use your claim under the ELIGIBILITY SECTION at the beginning of the online questionnaire, your responses to Questions #3 (Appointment) and #4 (Appraisal) and the documents you submit to determine your eligibility.

You will not receive further consideration if you -- don't choose an Eligibility at the beginning of the online questionnaire, -- choose an incorrect Eligibility at the beginning of the online questionnaire, -- provide a response that indicates you are not eligible, -- fail to provide documents to support your claim OR -- are otherwise found ineligible during this part of the review.

(2) If rated 'eligible' you will receive a score based on your responses to the online experience questions. Preview questions here: *** It is not sufficient to make claims in the questionnaire that are not supported in your resume.

(3) If you are among the highest-ranked applicants based on your score, your resume (and optional SSA-45, if submitted) will be reviewed by HR.

Your resume (and optional SSA-45, if submitted) must clearly show the information required for HR to assess your ELIGIBILITY (i.e., grade and TO and FROM dates for each position held, current Chief Level assignment [both permanent and temporary] and geographic location) AND your QUALIFICATIONS (i.e., duties you perform that demonstrate the Specialized Experience) for this position.

Your resume and SSA-45 must not show conflicting information.

The grade-relevant duties you describe to demonstrate Specialized Experience should also demonstrate the following as they relate to the Specialized Experience. -- Knowledge of improper payment laws (possible 20 points) -- Ability to analyze improper payment issues (possible 20 points) -- Ability to interpret improper payment legislation (possible 20 points) -- Ability to communicate improper payment policy (possible 20 points) -- Ability to lead program integrity initiatives (possible 16 points) SEE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS for more resume requirements.

(4) The highest-ranked applicants who demonstrate the required Eligibility and Qualification requirements will be referred to the hiring manager and applicable documents will be forwarded for further review. Your claimed knowledge, skills and abilities are subject to verification by the selecting official.

You may be asked to provide specific examples or documentation or to verify a response by a practical demonstration of your claimed experience.

Documents you must provide

• Review this information carefully to ensure you submit appropriate documents and avoid being disqualified from consideration for this position.
• DOCUMENTS PREVIOUSLY UPLOADED TO YOUR USAJOBS ACCOUNT MAY BE OUTDATED AND CAN CAUSE YOU TO LOSE CONSIDERATION.
• (1) RESUME (maximum 2 pages) - a resume associated with your USAJobs Account must be uploaded to this vacancy announcement as part of your application.
• You can create and upload your own resume or build a resume using the USAJobs Resume Builder, but in either case, specific information is required to demonstrate your eligibility and qualifications for this position.
• The RESUME you upload must clearly show: -- your name and contact information -- current Chief Level assignment and geographic location (both permanent and temporary, if applicable) -- full TO and FROM dates (month/day/year) and grade for each position you describe and -- a clear description of the duties you perform that demonstrate the required Specialized Experience Since Specialized Experience has a time element, it must be evident that the duties you describe are at the required level for at least 52 weeks.
• If you no longer hold a position, it must show an ending date.
• Although OPM recommends the 'month/year' date format that doesn't always demonstrate the full 52 weeks required for Specialized Experience.
• We highly recommend using the month/day/year format.
• If you use a federal career-ladder position towards meeting Specialized Experience, separate the duties performed at the qualifying grade from the duties performed at the lower grades.
• Career-ladder duties described in a single narrative (even if dates at each grade are provided) will not satisfy the requirement to demonstrate 52 weeks performing qualifying duties at the required level.
• Information not specifically stated in your resume cannot be assumed.
• Information copied or restated from the announcement, a position description or the rating criteria will not be considered.
• If this occurs, you may be found ineligible.
• Do not simply list projects on which you worked or describe experience in terms of accomplishments or achievements.
• You must describe, in your own words, the duties you perform that demonstrate the SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE required for this position.
• Affirmative responses to the online questionnaire are not sufficient to demonstrate experience.
• See QUALIFICATIONS and HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED for information on what your resume must demonstrate.
• (2) SF-50: recommended for all applicants; required for Excepted Service employees (submit the SF-50 received at the time of your appointment plus a current SF-50 showing that you are still serving in an Excepted Service appointment).
• (3) OPTIONAL SSA-45: if you opt to submit your SSA-45 to expound on your qualifying experience, it must be uploaded under the Document Type "Other" and must follow the requirements shown under RESUME above.
• ELIGIBILITY and QUALIFICATIONS information in your application documents must not be conflicting.
• Do not submit narrative responses to the experience questions in lieu of a properly completed resume and/or SSA-45 or provide narrative responses as your description of duties.
• If you choose to provide optional narrative responses to the experience questions, you must first complete your resume (and SSA-45 if you opt to submit one) per the requirements above and then provide narrative responses in a separate document.
• Optional narrative responses to the experience questions cannot be used by HR to verify Specialized Experience due to the breakdown in the way this experience is shown.
• Application documents that don't clearly demonstrate eligibility (grade, full TO and FROM dates [month/day/year], current Chief Level assignment and geographic location) and qualifications (grade-relevant duties that demonstrate the Specialized Experience) will not receive consideration for this position.
• Your resume, optional SSA-45 and/or optional narrative responses can be updated any time during the open period of this announcement, but no new documents or new information can be submitted once the announcement closes.
• You are advised to review your documents to ensure they show all the required eligibility information (grade, full TO and FROM dates, current Chief Level assignment and geographic location) and clearly describe, in your own words, the duties you perform that demonstrate the Specialized Experience required for this position.
• Employees' Official Personnel Folders will not be reviewed for purposes of obtaining missing or incomplete information.
• You will be evaluated only on the documents you submit.

What to expect next

Incorrect information in your USAJobs Account means you may not receive important emails pertaining to this announcement. SSA/HR is not responsible if outdated information in your USAJobs Account causes you to miss emailed notifications or job offers.

No matter what information is provided on your resume, HR and USAStaffing can only contact you using the information in your USAJobs Account. Your Biographic Information for this vacancy cannot be changed once your application has been submitted.

If you applied correctly and provided a valid email address in your Biographic Information, you will receive an Acknowledgement of Occupational Questionnaire. This is not an indication that your application is complete. Follow the instructions under HOW TO APPLY and REQUIRED DOCUMENTS to ensure you submit a complete application.

You are responsible for verifying that your application is complete and your documents have been properly submitted. After applications are evaluated, a Best Qualified List will be issued and you will be notified of your status (e.g., highly qualified and referred to the Selecting Official; qualified but not referred; or ineligible).

INTERVIEWS may or may not be conducted, but if an interview is desired, it will be scheduled by the hiring office and a representative from that office will contact you directly. HR will not have information pertaining to the scheduling of interviews and cannot provide feedback pertaining to completed interviews. For a status of your application, go to your USAJobs account.

Select Application Status then More Information to see if updates are available. Updates will not be available during the interview/selection process, which may take up to 90 days. After selections have been completed, final notices will be sent to applicants who were referred to the selecting official.

Applicants who are not referred will not receive a final notice.

Additional information

The Area of Consideration (AOC) for this vacancy is SSA Competitive Service employees nationwide.

Excepted Service employees in the AOC who are currently serving under (1) a Schedule A appointment for individuals with disabilities or (2) a time-limited appointment for 30% or more disabled veterans, who meet other eligibility and qualification requirements, may apply using current Excepted Service status in lieu of meeting the requirement for Competitive Service status.

Applicants serving under these appointment types should not submit disability or veteran's documents but must submit SF-50s (see REQUIRED DOCUMENTS). Veterans Preference will not be considered under this vacancy announcement.

NOTE: Employees serving under Schedule A appointments for Attorneys or other Excepted Service appointments (e.g., Pathways Programs such as Presidential Management Fellows, Recent Graduates or Interns) are not eligible for consideration. See block 34 of your most recent SF-50 to confirm type of service.

"1" means you should file as a competitive service employee, even if you are disabled and/or a veteran. "2" means you should refer to the SF-50 you received when you were hired to see if your appointment-type matches one of those listed above. If so, you should file as an eligible excepted service employee; if not, you are not eligible to apply for this position.

See QUALIFICATIONS for information on qualifying for this position. See HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED and REQUIRED DOCUMENTS for information on applying for this position. This is a non-bargaining unit position to be filled under the provisions of the Management Officials Promotion Plan.

The best-qualified list for this vacancy may be used to fill the same or similar positions in a component(s) under the same organization. Additional selections may be made within 6 months of the date the best qualified list is issued. This position is on a full-time, flex-time schedule.

Employees currently assigned to other geographic locations may be approved to remain in their current official duty station. Telework may be approved after all conditions for telework have been met. Relocation expenses will not be paid; salary will be set in accordance with locality pay provisions.

This is a moderate risk public trust position. You may be required to complete Standard Form 85P, Questionnaire for Public Trust Positions, to have the appropriate investigation conducted. Position is assigned to: Risk and Quality (RQ) Governance and Performance