Legal Administrative Specialist (Contact Representative)

Veterans Benefits Administration • Oakland, CA

11h • Onsite

About The Position

The Legal Administrative Specialist (Contact Representative) serves on the Public Contact Team in the Veterans Service Center. The position provides in-depth information and comprehensive assistance to veterans, their dependents, and beneficiaries on matters within the scope of VA benefits and related non-VA benefits. Counseling is provided through in-person meetings, telephone interviews, and written correspondence. The specialist explains VA rating decisions, benefit and claim or appeal procedures, and applicable legal provisions, regulations, and administrative practices. The role also involves completing claim- and appeal-related work and may include serving with or as an Outreach Coordinator. The position is full-time, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It is based at a Regional Office; only situational, case-by-case telework may be approved, and the selectee must report to the official duty station on scheduled workdays. Routine or recurring telework and virtual work are not authorized.

Requirements

• For the GS-10 grade, demonstrate specialized experience as a self-reliant decision-maker able to work independently in customer service, benefits counseling, and claims processing, with in-depth knowledge of researching relevant subject matter; experience must be significantly and directly derived from federal, military, or private-sector work.
• Qualifying specialized experience may include explaining VA benefits programs to people from varied backgrounds and researching local, state, and federal laws and regulations to determine veterans' eligibility for benefits.
• Alternatively, qualify through a related Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, two and a half years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LL.M.; transcripts are required when qualifying based on education.
• Current federal GS employees must meet the time-in-grade requirement: 52 weeks at GS-09 for a GS-10 position, with supporting SF-50 documentation.
• Applicants must be U.S. citizens.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Subject to a one-year probationary period and background/security investigation; selected applicants must complete online onboarding and provide acceptable employment-identification documents.
• Must meet all qualification requirements by the announcement closing date of October 23, 2026.
• The role requires concentration and the ability to sustain maximum mental output over extended periods.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate counseling sessions with veterans, their dependents, and beneficiaries about VA and non-VA benefits, using in-person meetings, telephone interviews, or written correspondence.
• Explain VA rating decisions and provide detailed information about VA benefits and services, claims and appeals procedures, benefit determinations, and information in the system of record.
• Assist with compensation and pension benefits, home loan eligibility, education, health care, life insurance, burial benefits, vocational rehabilitation services, Social Security Administration programs, and other federal, state, and local assistance programs.
• Prepare technical correspondence providing benefit information, representation rights, and responses to miscellaneous inquiries.
• Explain relevant legal provisions, regulations, and administrative practices and how they apply to specific cases.
• Potentially serve as or with an Outreach Coordinator, such as a Women's Veterans, Minority Veterans, Homeless Veterans, Aging Veterans, Ex-Prisoners of War, or Military Services Coordinator.
• Initiate inquiries to resolve errors, delays, or other problems in obtaining benefits.
• Complete claim- and appeal-related work.

Benefits

• The posting states that federal employees and their families have access to a comprehensive range of federal employee benefits; specific benefits are not enumerated.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree