Veterans National Service Officer

Commonwealth of Massachusetts•Boston, MA

18h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Executive Office of Veterans Services (EOVS) is the Commonwealth of Massachusetts primary support and advocate for Veterans and their families. The mission of EOVS is to advocate on behalf of all the Commonwealth’s veterans. EOVS is actively recruiting for a new Veterans National Service Officer (NSO) to join their team! The NSO at the Executive Office of Veterans Services is a dynamic and impactful role focused on providing essential assistance and counseling to veterans, their dependents, and survivors. This role involves navigating the complexities of DVA benefit entitlements and services as per federal laws governing the Veterans Benefits Administration. The NSO will maintain a crucial advocacy liaison with Federal, State, and Municipality Agencies to ensure top-notch representation and support for the Veteran Community. Their responsibilities include overseeing the processing of claims, supervising representation before various boards and hearings, ensuring due process in claims, staying updated with changes in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and advising Municipal Veterans Agents. This role requires a unique blend of planning, understanding of legal provisions, effective communication, and the ability to maintain harmonious working relationships.

Requirements

Knowledge of the principles, practices, and correct usage of the English language including grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and punctuation.
Knowledge of the methods of general, statistical, and technical report writing.
Ability to plan work according to the nature of the job to be accomplished and the available resources; to control work through periodic reviews and/or evaluations; and to determine training needs and arrange for such training.
Ability to coordinate the efforts of others in accomplishing assigned work objectives.
Ability to organize work through recommending operating and/or reporting relationships.
Ability to understand, apply, and explain the provisions of the laws, rules, regulations, policies, procedures, standards, specifications, and guidelines governing Department operations and assigned programs(s) activities.
Ability to write concisely, to express thoughts clearly, to develop ideas in logical sequence, and to give written and oral instructions in a precise, understandable manner.
Ability to communicate effectively in writing and in verbal communications, to write general, statistical, and technical reports, to analyze and determine the applicability of program data, to draw conclusions, and to make appropriate recommendations.
Ability to gather information by examining records and documents and by questioning and observing individuals.
Ability to determine the proper format and procedure for assembling items of information, and to adjust to changing situations to meet emergency or changing program or production requirements.
Ability to maintain accurate records, to exercise sound judgment, and to accomplish work objectives where few precedents or guidelines are available.
Ability to maintain harmonious working relationships with others, to establish rapport with persons from different ethnic, cultural, and/or economic backgrounds, and to deal tactfully with others.
Willingness to work varied shifts and/or irregular hours (i.e. weekends, holidays, nights) and to travel for job related purposes.
Ability to make effective oral presentations, to determine the proper format and procedure for assembling items of information, to adjust to changing situations to meet emergency or changing program requirements, and to develop mathematical models using accepted principles of social science research.
Knowledge of the principles and practices of management, including planning, organizing, directing, motivating, controlling, and decision making.
Ability to anticipate and analyze difficult situations and take corrective action to prevent problems from occurring.
Four years of full-time, or equivalent part-time, professional, administrative or managerial experience in business administration, business management or public administration the major duties of which involved program management, program administration, program coordination, program planning and/or program analysis.
At least one year of the above experience must have been in a supervisory capacity.

Nice To Haves

Experience in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Knowledge of serving veterans’ benefits and services.
Familiarity with the laws, rules, regulations, policies, specifications, standards, and guidelines governing Department activities, particularly MGL Chap. 115, 108 CMR, and Title 38 USC.
Understanding of the organization of state government; of the organizational structure and functions of the Department; of the types and uses of Department forms, documents, and reports; and of electronic data processing techniques.
Acquainted with the principles and practices of organizational behavior, of budgeting as it relates to program management, and of employee relations, knowledge of state budgetary procedures.
Proficiency with MS products, Vetrapec databases and VBMIS applications and virtual platforms.

Responsibilities

Oversee the processing of claims for Compensation and Pension.
Supervise the representation of Veterans before the Rating Boards, The Hearings Officers and the Board of Veterans Appeals.
Make sure that all veterans, their dependents, and survivors, receive due process in their claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Stay well-informed of changes in the administration of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and adjust service delivery to meet these changes.
Advise Municipal Veterans Agents (VSOs) of their duty to assist in the development of veterans’ claims.
Direct the Service Office Staff by involvement in their duties and service work as it relates to Title 38 United States Code.
Attend regular meetings with the Director of the VA Regional Office and relative staff.
Review the actions of the Rating Boards each day to monitor the effect of their decisions on our veteran claimants.