Veterans Service Representative (Authorizer)

About the role

As a Veterans Service Representative (VSR) (Authorizer), the incumbent will play a vital role in ensuring that our Veterans receive the compassionate care and benefits they deserve. You will oversee complex benefit claims, explain benefit programs and entitlement criteria, and provide final decisions on compensation and pension claims.

This position may be located in either the Veteran Service Centers or the Benefit Eligibility Support Team Divisions within the listed VBA Regional Offices.

What you will do

• Serve as the primary authorizer for unusually complex claims, including terminations and disallowed benefits.
• Provide second-signature approval on high-level administrative decisions to ensure technical accuracy and completeness.
• Analyze and decide on complex military service claims - such as character of discharge, presumed death, line-of-duty determinations, and fraud.
• Review decisions prepared by Veterans Service Representatives (VSRs), ensuring clarity, thoroughness, and empathetic wording.
• Clearly explain final complex decisions to Veterans via mail, phone, or in-person.
• Draft Statements of the Case (SOC) for authorization appeals and guide Veterans though post-decision processes.
• Accurately enter adjudication data in electronic systems, generate award notifications, and issue benefits payment decisions.

Education

An unofficial or official copy of your transcripts must be submitted with your application if you are 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: *** 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: ***

How you will be evaluated

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC.

WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Applicants who do not fully address in their resumes the specialized experience needed for the position (as described in the job opportunity announcement), or who do not possess the education to substitute for it, will not be referred for further consideration.

After you have met the minimum qualifications, If you are referred for consideration you will be rated on the following the USA Hire competencies (KSAs) based on your application for this position: Attention to Detail Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job-related information, which may include, but is not limited to responses to the KSAs; completion of a work sample, and/or an interview.

You will also be rated on the following agency-specific competencies (KSAs): REASONING- Identifies rules, principles, or relationships that explain facts, data or other information; analyzes information and makes correct inferences or draws accurate conclusions.

DECISION MAKING- Specifies goals and obstacles to achieving those goals, generates alternatives, considers risks, and evaluates and chooses the best alternative in order to make a determination, draw conclusions or solve a problem. WRITTEN COMMUNICATION- Expresses facts and ideas in writing in a succinct and organized manner.

ORAL COMMUNICATION- Expresses ideas and facts to individuals or groups effectively; makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others; facilitates an open exchange of ideas. COMPUTER SKILLS- Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

Documents you must provide

• You must provide a resume detailing your specialized experience and competencies relevant to the position.
• For qualifications determinations your resume must reflect hours worked per week, the inclusive dates of employment, and the level of your experience.
• If your resume does not reflect this information, you will not receive credit for the experience.
• If you submit more than one copy of your resume, the most recent version will be reviewed.
• The latest timestamp will be used to determine which version of your resume is "most recent." It is your responsibility to check the status and timestamp of all documents you submit as part of your application.
• We would recommend that you do not submit more than one version of your resume.
• If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, we will not use it to make eligibility and qualification determinations, and you may not be considered further for the vacancy.
• SF-50: To support your claim that you have the required time-in-grade, you must submit your most recent promotion, within-grade increase, or appointment SF-50 (not an award or general adjustment SF-50).
• Some applicants may have to submit more than one SF-50 in order to demonstrate their eligibility.
• If you previously held a higher grade, you must also submit an SF-50 showing that grade.
• Accepted Documents: Cover Letter Other (1) Performance Appraisal Professional Certification Resume Separation Notice (RIF) SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript Transcripts If you are basing all or some of your qualifications on education or if a degree is required for the position, a transcript must be included as part of your application package.
• Unofficial transcript(s) may be submitted, however it must contain the course names, levels, credits earned, and grades received.
• Your transcript must contain the degree conferred date if you are substituting a degree for experience.
• A photocopy of your degree is not acceptable in place of a transcript.
• An official transcript will be required at a later date if you are selected for the position.
• Applicants claiming CTAP eligibility must also submit: Certification of expected separation or reduction-in-force separation notice and your most recent performance evaluation; and an SF-50 demonstrating your separation or the position you will be separated from.
• Or Worker's compensation separation: agency certification of inability to place employee and notification of separation or a separation SF-50.
• Or Disability annuity termination: Notification from OPM of disability annuity termination and separation SF-50 of the last position held.
• Or Military reserve or National Guard technician special disability retirement annuity under 5 U.S.C.
• 8337(h) or 8456: Certification of special disability retirement annuity from a military department or National Guard bureau and separation SF-50 of the last position held.
• Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package.
• It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.
• You will not be contacted for additional information.
• In addition to the information listed above, please use this checklist to ensure you have included other documents required for your application.

What to expect next

After the review is complete, a referral certificate will be issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email (if provided). Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.

You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USAJOBS account: Here For a more detailed update of your status, click on "more information." Information regarding applicant process can be found: Here

Additional information

This is not a virtual or remote position. Promotion Potential: This position is being recruited at the full performance level GS-11. Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday: 8:00-4:30 PM Eastern Compressed/Flexible: As determined by the hiring office Telework: This position is eligible for situational (ad hoc) telework only.

The selectee is required to report to the official duty station each scheduled workday. Telework may be approved only on a case-by-case basis with supervisory approval. Routine or recurring telework is not authorized for this position.

Position Description/PD#: Veterans Service Representative (Authorizer)/02105A Bargaining Unit: This position is in the bargaining unit Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Physical Requirements: The work is mostly sedentary. Typically, the employee sits comfortably to do the work.

However, there may be some walking, standing, bending, and carrying of light items such as papers or books. No special physical demands are required to perform the work. Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion.

The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more.

Please contact the special placement coordinator or the human resources specialist listed on this vacancy for more information regarding applying for consideration under schedule A or as a 30% disabled Veteran.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified for this vacancy.

A well-qualified candidate is defined as meeting all of the minimum qualification standards and eligibility requirements as well as possessing skills that clearly exceed the minimum qualifications requirements for this position. Information about CTAP eligibility can be found here.

VA supports the use of ad-hoc telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for ad-hoc telework. Eligibility may be discussed during the interview process.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more information.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.