Veterans Service Representative (Fiduciary Accounting Representative)

Veterans Benefits Administration • Salt Lake City, UT

1d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is in the Veterans Benefits Administration, Regional Office (VARO), in one of the several Fiduciary Hubs. The Veterans Service Representative/Fiduciary Accounting Representative (FAR) is responsible for making determinations involved in the administration of all types of beneficiary estates, the protection of their benefit rights, the routine handling of legal matters, and the identification of legal questions.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• May be required to serve a probationary or trial period
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Required to attend an 8 week training session, which may require travel.
• VSR Skill Certification required at the GS-10 level
• 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.
• Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade at any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
• For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05 level.
• For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07 level.
• For a GS-10 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09 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- GS 7 or higher and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least GS-10.
• 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.
• Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.
• GS-07 Grade Level: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level or higher. Specialized experience is defined as the interpretation or application of laws, regulations, or procedures to analyze evidence to make determinations and research routine issues to resolve discrepancies. Examples of experience include: Using various computer systems for data entry and maintaining/monitoring case files Applies use of federal laws when processing compensation and benefit claims for a state or federal agency, insurance company, worker's compensation, disability, retirement or pension program; Determines basic employment qualifications and eligibility for benefit programs.
• GS-09 Grade Level: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level or higher. Specialized experience is defined as experience which requires interpreting laws, regulations, or procedures to analyze evidence to make recommendations; and following procedures to process eligibility claims for benefits such as but not limited to disability, worker and unemployment insurance compensation, insurance, loans, education, or retirement programs.
• GS-10 Grade Level: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level or higher. Specialized experience is defined as asking questions relating to military service or medical evidence to make determinations as to the eligibility for programs; Reviewing claims or cases to assure all laws have been laws addressed in the adjudication process; AND Informing claimants of all evidence requirements needed to further process a claim for benefits and/or services.

Nice To Haves

• 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.

Responsibilities

• Initiates contacts and receives incoming calls and communication with fiduciaries and beneficiaries under the supervision of the Fiduciary Program, to explain the full range of VA benefits and all related programs and entitlements, in addition to, federal, state, and local assistance programs.
• Advises fiduciaries, trust officers, banking officials, attorneys and court officials of regulations, necessary documentation and other factors which impact the VA fiduciary oversight of the beneficiary.
• Reviews records to ensure that all beneficiaries and dependents are accounted for in award actions (i.e. dependent parents, children living with other relatives, etc.).
• Identifies and audits the records for possible fraud, embezzlements, misappropriations, or misuse by fiduciaries.
• Conducts in-depth analysis, quasi-legal examinations, investigations, and financial assessments of inquiries pertaining to allegations of misuse.
• Protects the VA beneficiary and their estate by initiating actions to generate payment suspensions, resumptions, or terminations for appropriate situations (successor fiduciary appointment, failure of fiduciary to account, unauthorized expenditures, death, alleged misuse or whereabouts unknown).
• Initiates the appropriate actions/steps (misuse allegation, request a field examination, complete the misuse investigation) and forward misuse determination for management concurrence.
• Audits and reviews fiduciary's annual accounting or fund usage to include receipts or other documentation and works with the fiduciary to correct and clarify, in accordance with regulatory guidance, any expenditures that are questionable.
• Reviews surety bonds to determine their adequacy and informs the fiduciary when the bonds are found to be deficient or substantially greater that necessary so the appropriate increase or decrease can be accomplished.
• Works with the Support Services Division regarding the tracking and initiation of any debt establishments, collections and re-issuance of funds.
• Referring information regarding misuse of funds to the appropriate agency to include the court of jurisdiction, Office of Inspector General (OIG) and/or District Counsel.
• Maintains system databases and records to include establishing and updating beneficiary and fiduciary profiles, changes of name, address, or direct deposit information.
• Assists in the development of trainees to include mentoring in workload management, analysis of virtual records, use of reference material, and computer applications usage, and recommends development and training needs to the supervisor.

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.

What This Job Offers

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