Veteran Readiness and Employment Officer (VREO)

Veterans Benefits Administration • Montgomery, AL

18h • Onsite

About The Position

The Veteran Readiness and Employment Officer (VREO) manages the Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E) division and is responsible for providing administrative and technical direction and professional leadership to a professional and technical staff of Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors and clerical staff. Duties Specific duties include: Directs and supervises the administration of work involving eligibility criteria, vocational exploration, conducting assessments of both the local labor market, plan development based on appropriate vocational goals, examination of medical information, making legally binding entitlement decisions, award adjustments, award authorization, and case management services. Provides administrative expertise in all phases of rehabilitation activities, including counseling, case management, rehabilitation plan development, and job development and placement. Review the most difficult and complex cases and elements such as fraud, high cost programs, independent living cases to include home adaptation, category one and two self-employment cases, re-entrance into a rehabilitation program cases, retroactive induction cases, and extension of entitlement cases. Provides internal policy direction and supervision of the RO VR&E staff through on-site visits and inspections, review and analysis of standard or specifically requested data and individualized or telephonic and written communication. Maintains knowledge of special incentives and hiring preferences for Veterans and ensures that outreach is conducted. Understands and is sensitive to the objectives of the EEO program and promotes workforce diversity through recruitment, coaching, and developmental activities, consistent with the merit system principles

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary or trial period
• Selectees are required to serve a one-year supervisory probationary period if not previously completed in a Federal position.
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements I-9 Acceptable Documents.
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:10/12/2026.
• As a current Federal, GS employee you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-15 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-14 level.
• If you are a current VBA employee requesting reassignment or change to lower grade via this vacancy announcement, you must currently hold the GS- 15 or higher and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least GS-15.
• The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service.
• An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials.
• If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.
• Degree: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in behavioral or social science, or a related discipline appropriate to the position.
• Combination of education and experience: A combination of education and experience that provided you with the knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.
• Experience: Four years of appropriate experience that demonstrates you have acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.
• Note: You must submit transcripts if you are qualifying based on education or a combination of education and experience.
• In addition to meeting the basic requirements above, you must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience to at least the next lower grade GS-14 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.
• Specialized experience is experience that has provided an advanced and detailed knowledge of VA's Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Program.
• Specifically, an in-depth knowledge of testing and evaluation, rehabilitation, job development and job placement, knowledge of Chapters 18, 30, 31, 34, and 35 of Title 38, USC and demonstrated comprehensive experience in all of the following:
• Conducting assessments of both the local labor market, and Veteran employability; Active involvement in the development of appropriate vocational goals and subsequent objectives outlined in rehabilitation plans; Providing case management services to Veterans while pursuing their rehabilitation plans (e.g., personal contact regarding achievement of vocational goals, referral for medical or ancillary services, and responding efficiently to Veterans concerns); and Written and oral communication skills in explaining the benefits and services available through the VR&E program to Veterans.
• If you do not fully meet the length of experience and education described for a specific grade level (e.g. have six months of experience and some coursework but not a degree), the two can be combined to total 100% of the requirement.
• You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
• Full-time employment is considered to be at least 35 hours per week.
• Part-time experience will be credited on a pro-rated basis; when including part-time employment in your resume you must specify the average hours worked per week.
• This position is primarily sedentary with some walking, standing, bending, stooping and carrying of lightweight items (i.e. folders, claims files).
• This position requires mental rather than physical exertion.
• Transcripts is need only if you are using education to qualify. (Unofficial and/or Official) must also show that the degree has been awarded/conferred and the date awarded.
• 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.
• 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.
• Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Nice To Haves

• Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

Responsibilities

• Directs and supervises the administration of work involving eligibility criteria, vocational exploration, conducting assessments of both the local labor market, plan development based on appropriate vocational goals, examination of medical information, making legally binding entitlement decisions, award adjustments, award authorization, and case management services.
• Provides administrative expertise in all phases of rehabilitation activities, including counseling, case management, rehabilitation plan development, and job development and placement.
• Review the most difficult and complex cases and elements such as fraud, high cost programs, independent living cases to include home adaptation, category one and two self-employment cases, re-entrance into a rehabilitation program cases, retroactive induction cases, and extension of entitlement cases.
• Provides internal policy direction and supervision of the RO VR&E staff through on-site visits and inspections, review and analysis of standard or specifically requested data and individualized or telephonic and written communication.
• Maintains knowledge of special incentives and hiring preferences for Veterans and ensures that outreach is conducted.
• Understands and is sensitive to the objectives of the EEO program and promotes workforce diversity through recruitment, coaching, and developmental activities, consistent with the merit system principles

Benefits

• A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package.
• As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.
• Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent.
• Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager