Contact Representative

Veterans Health Administration • Smyrna, GA

4d • Onsite

About The Position

These positions are in the Contact Management Division, Help Desk Section of the Health Resource Center in VHA Member Services. The Contact Representative provides eligibility and benefits counseling, website and mobile navigation, and customer support to Veterans and other users of My HealtheVet, VA.gov, AccessVA Services and Tools, the Beneficiary Travel Self Service System, VA mobile applications, and other VA websites. The position is not virtual; the employee must live within or be willing to relocate within a commutable distance of the duty location. Ad-hoc telework may be authorized, with eligibility discussed during the interview process.

The position handles inbound calls and requests for assistance by phone, email, or webchat as assigned. The representative researches and interprets information to resolve customer issues, provides guidance on benefits and eligibility, troubleshoots account and website problems, documents cases, and escalates issues as needed. The role also supports emerging VA mobile and web technologies and helps mentor and train entry-level representatives.

The work is sedentary and requires talking and sitting for long periods. The schedule is Monday through Friday, with an eight-hour shift scheduled between 6:45 a.m. and 7:15 p.m.; the official tour of duty is selected based on business needs and begins after training. Employees must serve a one-year probationary period and participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program. Recruitment and relocation incentives are not authorized, and a Critical Skills Incentive is not approved.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship is required.
• Complete the application, questionnaire, and required online assessment.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Meet GS-5 qualifications through one of the following: one year of qualifying specialized experience equivalent to GS-4; four years of post-high-school education; or a qualifying combination of education and experience.
• GS-5 specialized experience includes answering a large volume of calls and inquiries about patient healthcare benefits, eligibility, and enrollment; preparing written correspondence and case notes; and entering data into computer systems, patient records, and databases.
• Meet GS-6 qualifications through one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-5, including the lower-grade experience and research and interpretation of medical benefits regulations, policies, and procedures to resolve complex inquiries, plus helping train or mentor representatives.
• Qualifying experience must be supported by the resume. Transcripts are required when education is used to qualify.
• Education used to qualify must be from an institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education; foreign education requires a certificate of foreign equivalency with the transcript.
• Complete a background/security investigation and online onboarding requirements.
• Provide acceptable identification for pre-employment requirements; from May 7, 2025, non-REAL ID-compliant driver's licenses or state identification cards cannot be used as acceptable identification for employment.
• Participate in the Department of Veterans Affairs seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Serve a one-year probationary period.
• Live within or be willing to relocate within a commutable distance of the duty location.
• The work requires talking and sitting for long periods.

Responsibilities

• Receive inbound calls from Veterans, family members, legal representatives, the public, and VA employees about VA and related non-VA benefits.
• Research and interpret information to determine the most appropriate action or alternatives for resolving customer issues.
• Provide information about benefits and eligibility requirements.
• Instruct Veterans, caregivers, and VA staff in using VA eligibility, benefits, and healthcare websites and mobile applications.
• Identify and resolve issues such as password resets and website or mobile application usability, navigation, features, and functionality.
• Seek assistance with unusual questions or when reasonable efforts to assist an irate caller have been unsuccessful.
• Report and track user feedback and suggestions, and document issues and resolutions in the appropriate system of record.
• Follow local and national policies and procedures while assisting users with logins, troubleshooting, and navigation of sites and tools.
• Report and escalate system issues to appropriate personnel and request timely support from a supervisor or lead.
• Respond to technical-assistance requests by phone, email, or webchat as assigned by a supervisor.
• Support emerging VA mobile applications and web technology, including basic navigation of web and mobile tools and iPad support.
• Mentor and help train entry-level representatives on call center procedures and other job requirements.
• Use approved knowledge-management scripts and business processes to research and resolve problems.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Federal employees and their families have access to a comprehensive benefits package; specific benefits depend on position type and should be confirmed with the hiring agency.
• Eligible applicants may request credit for prior work or military service toward annual leave accrual; approval is required before appointment and is not guaranteed.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed