Veterans Service Representative (Authorizer)

Veterans Benefits Administration•Guam, GU

11d•Onsite

About The Position

The Veterans Service Representative (Authorizer) serves at the Guam VA Regional Office. The incumbent adjudicates claims, authorizes payments, and enters data needed to generate award and notification letters explaining decisions and their reasons to veterans. The role reviews and approves work requiring a second signature, makes and authorizes administrative decisions, explains decisions to dissatisfied veterans, uses electronic data processing systems for claims and correspondence, and advocates for veterans and beneficiaries in dealings with VA elements and other organizations. This is a full-time position with a Monday–Friday schedule from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The position is eligible for situational (ad hoc) telework only; the employee must report to the official duty station each scheduled workday, and telework requires case-by-case supervisory approval. Routine or recurring telework is not authorized. The role is not virtual. The work is mostly sedentary and normally involves mental rather than physical exertion, with occasional walking, standing, bending, and carrying light items. The position is at the GS-11 level. Qualification may be based on one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-10 involving veterans’ claims development, examination, investigation, adjudication, or authorization, or qualifying doctoral-level graduate education or an LL.M. if related. Current and certain former federal employees must also meet time-in-grade requirements. A one-year probationary or trial period may be required.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship.
For current Federal employees who held a GS grade within the past 52 weeks, 52 weeks at the GS-10 level is required for a GS-11 position; applicable current VBA employees seeking reassignment or a change to a lower grade must currently hold GS-11 or higher.
One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-10 involving competence in adjudicating and authorizing veterans’ claims. Relevant experience may include developing, examining, investigating, adjudicating, or authorizing claims for disability compensation or pension, death compensation or pension, or life insurance benefits.
Alternatively, qualifying education for GS-11: a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or a related LL.M. The education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for the work.
Education used to qualify must be from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education; transcripts are required when qualifying based on education.
Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must be registered with Selective Service.
Must be able to complete applicable background/security investigation and online onboarding requirements, including acceptable employment-eligibility identification documentation.
May be required to complete a one-year probationary period or two-year trial period.
Applicants who are combining education and experience must provide a transcript if education is used as part of the qualification basis.
Foreign education used to meet qualification requirements must be accompanied by a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency.

Responsibilities

Review work completed by other Veterans Service Representatives when a second signature is required.
Review and approve work for technical accuracy, clarity, thoroughness, and sensitivity of notification.
Ensure decision notices are complete, empathetic, and phrased in terms claimants can understand.
Apply knowledge of rating procedures to ensure proper claimant notification.
Make administrative decisions and special determinations involving qualifying military service, character of discharge, contested domestic-relations claims, homicide, presumed death, line of duty, willful misconduct, corpus of estate, U.S. Penal Code violations, related attorney fees, administrative error, and fraud.
Authorize administrative decisions made by other Veterans Service Representatives, including decisions involving character of discharge, line of duty, willful misconduct, corpus of estate, and apportionment.
Explain final decisions and post-decision review processes to veterans who express dissatisfaction with a determination in person, by telephone, or by mail.
Use electronic data processing systems to enter claims-adjudication data and support processing, monitoring, and correspondence preparation.
Advocate for veterans and beneficiaries in dealings with other VA elements and organizations affecting their claims.
Adjudicate claims, authorize payments, and enter data needed to generate award and notification letters.