Veterans Service Representative (Authorizer)

Veterans Benefits Administration•Boston, MA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The incumbent serves as a Veterans Service Representative (Authorizer) at the BMW Regional Office. The role adjudicates claims, authorizes payments, and inputs data needed to generate award and notification letters explaining decisions to veterans. The Authorizer reviews and approves the required work of other Veterans Service Representatives when a second signature is required, ensuring technical accuracy, clarity, thoroughness, and empathetic, understandable notification. Familiarity with rating procedures is needed to ensure proper claimant notifications. The position makes and authorizes 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, violations of the U.S. Penal Code, related attorney fees, administrative error, fraud, and apportionment decisions. When a veteran indicates dissatisfaction with a determination, the Authorizer explains the decision and the post-decision review process in an effort to gain acceptance. The role uses electronic data processing systems for claims adjudication, processing, monitoring, and correspondence preparation, and advocates for veterans and beneficiaries in dealings with other VA elements and organizations. The position is full-time, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Compressed or flexible scheduling is unavailable. The position is not virtual and requires reporting to the official duty station each scheduled workday. Situational (ad hoc) telework may be approved case by case with supervisory approval; routine or recurring telework is not authorized. Applicants must meet the stated GS-11 qualification requirements, including one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-10 involving veterans' claims adjudication and authorization, or qualifying graduate education, or a combination of education and experience. Current federal GS employees must also meet applicable time-in-grade requirements. Employment is subject to a one-year probationary period, U.S. citizenship, applicable Selective Service registration, and a background/security investigation.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship.
For current Federal GS employees, meet the time-in-grade requirement; for GS-11, 52 weeks at GS-10. Current VBA employees seeking reassignment or change to a lower grade must currently hold GS-11 or higher and meet the stated promotion-potential condition.
One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-10 involving development, examination, investigation, adjudication, and authorization of claims, such as disability compensation or pension, death compensation or pension, or life insurance benefits; relevant experience may come from law practice or work with a government agency, insurance company, or retirement, disability, or insurance program.
Alternatively, qualify through 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.; graduate education must demonstrate competencies necessary for the work.
Education and experience may be combined to meet the qualification requirement.
Submit an SF-50 documenting federal status and time-in-grade eligibility when applicable.
Submit a transcript if relying on education to qualify; foreign education requires a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with the transcript.
Complete a one-year probationary period and receive written certification for continued employment.
Meet applicable Selective Service registration requirements for males born after December 31, 1959.
Undergo a background/security investigation and complete the online onboarding process and required employment-eligibility identification documentation.

Responsibilities

Adjudicate veterans' claims, authorize payments, and enter data needed to generate awards and notification letters.
Review work of other Veterans Service Representatives when a second signature is required.
Approve work for technical accuracy, clarity, thoroughness, and sensitivity of notification.
Ensure decision notices are empathetic, complete, and phrased in language claimants can understand.
Use familiarity with rating procedures to ensure proper claimant notification.
Make administrative decisions and special determinations concerning 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 character-of-discharge, line-of-duty, willful-misconduct, corpus-of-estate, and apportionment decisions.
Explain decisions and post-decision review processes to veterans expressing dissatisfaction with a determination, seeking to gain acceptance of the decision.
Use electronic data processing systems for claims adjudication, processing, monitoring, and correspondence preparation.
Advocate for veterans and beneficiaries in dealings with other VA elements and organizations affecting their claims.