Legal Administrative Specialist (Contact Representation)

Veterans Benefits Administration • Saint Petersburg, FL

18h • Onsite

About The Position

The Legal Administrative Specialist (LAS) serves on the Decision Review Operations Center (DROC) team or in Veterans Service Center (VSC) Public Contact. The position provides in-depth information and comprehensive assistance to Veterans, their dependents, and beneficiaries on matters within the scope of VA benefits, appeals, and related non-VA benefits. The work includes counseling, explaining benefit decisions and applicable legal and administrative provisions, preparing correspondence, resolving problems, and completing claim- and appeal-related work.

The position is full-time, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Compressed or flexible scheduling is available. Situational (ad hoc) telework may be approved case by case with supervisory approval; routine or recurring telework is not authorized, and the employee must report to the official duty station on each scheduled workday. This is not a virtual position. The position is mostly sedentary, but involves extended speaking, extensive computer and telephone use, and may involve stress and pressure. Occasional walking, standing, and carrying light items may be required.

The position is at the GS-10 level and at full performance, with no promotion potential. Applicants must meet the applicable time-in-grade and qualification requirements. Specialized experience may qualify, or applicants may qualify through specified graduate education or a combination of education and experience. A one-year probationary period is required.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship is required.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must be registered with Selective Service.
• Current Federal GS employees must meet time-in-grade requirements: for GS-10, 52 weeks at GS-09. Current VBA employees seeking reassignment or change to a lower grade must hold GS-10 or higher.
• For the GS-10 level, specialized experience must demonstrate independent decision-making and the ability to work independently in customer service, benefits counseling, and claims processing; in-depth knowledge of researching relevant subject matter; and experience significantly and directly derived from federal, military, or private-sector work. Examples include providing information about VA benefits to people from varied backgrounds and researching local, state, and federal laws and regulations to determine benefit eligibility.
• In lieu of the required experience, applicants may qualify with two and a half years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, with education demonstrating the competencies needed for the work.
• Applicants may also qualify through a combination of specialized experience and education beyond two years of progressively higher-level graduate education; only graduate education beyond the amount required for the next lower grade may be combined with experience.
• Submit transcripts if using education to qualify. Foreign education must be accompanied by a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency.
• Selected applicants are subject to a background/security investigation, must complete online onboarding and acceptable I-9 identity verification, and may be required to serve a probationary or trial period.
• The appointment requires a one-year probationary period, during which continued employment is evaluated for whether it advances the public interest.
• Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the announcement closing date of October 26, 2026.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and conduct face-to-face or telephone counseling sessions, and communicate by correspondence, with Veterans, dependents, and beneficiaries about VA and other agencies’ benefits.
• Provide outreach services at VBA facilities.
• Explain VBA rating decisions, claim and appeal procedures, benefit determinations, and available VA benefits and services using relevant information in systems of record.
• Assist with compensation and pension, home loan, education, health care, life insurance, burial, and vocational rehabilitation benefits, as well as Social Security Administration programs and other federal, state, and local assistance programs.
• Prepare technical correspondence about benefits, representation rights, and responses to miscellaneous inquiries.
• Explain relevant legal provisions, regulations, administrative practices, and their application to individual cases.
• May serve as or assist an Outreach Coordinator, including 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

• Federal employees and their families have access to a comprehensive benefits package; specific benefits depend on position eligibility and should be confirmed with the hiring agency.

What This Job Offers

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