Veterans Service Representative (Authorizer)

Veterans Benefits Administration • Montgomery, AL

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Veterans Service Representative (Authorizer) works in a Veterans Service Center or Pension Management Center. The role explains benefit programs and entitlement criteria; analyzes claims materials; identifies issues; gathers relevant evidence; conducts interviews; adjudicates claims; and enters data to generate awards and notification letters explaining decisions and their reasons.

The position serves as the primary authorizer for unusually complex claims, including terminations and disallowed benefits, and provides second-signature approval on high-level administrative decisions. It analyzes and decides complex military service claims, reviews decisions prepared by other Veterans Service Representatives, communicates complex decisions to veterans, drafts Statements of the Case for authorization appeals, and guides veterans through post-decision processes. The representative also enters adjudication data in electronic systems, generates award notifications, issues benefits payment decisions, and reviews and routes incoming case documentation or takes appropriate action on mail evidence.

The position is full-time, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It is eligible for situational (ad hoc) telework only, subject to case-by-case supervisory approval; the employee must report to the official duty station each scheduled workday. Routine or recurring telework is not authorized, and the position is not virtual. An eight-week training session is required and may involve travel. The work is mostly sedentary and normally involves mental rather than physical exertion, though some walking, standing, and carrying light items may be required.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship is required.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Must complete a one-year probationary period, subject to the stated conditions for continued employment.
• Subject to a background/security investigation.
• Must attend an eight-week training session, which may require travel.
• VSR Skill Certification is required at the GS-10 level.
• For GS-11, one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-10 involving competence in adjudicating and authorizing veterans' claims; relevant experience may include development, examination, investigation, adjudication, and authorization of claims for compensation, pension, or life insurance benefits.
• Alternatively, for GS-11, a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, three years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or a related LL.M. from an accredited college or university may substitute for experience.
• Education claimed toward qualifications must be from an accredited institution; transcripts are required when qualifying based wholly or partly on education.
• Current federal GS employees must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements; GS-11 applicants must have served 52 weeks at GS-10.
• Selected applicants must complete online onboarding and provide acceptable identification for I-9 employment verification.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary authorizer for unusually complex claims, including terminations and disallowed benefits.
• Provide second-signature approval on high-level administrative decisions to ensure technical accuracy and completeness.
• Analyze and decide complex military service claims, including character of discharge, presumed death, line-of-duty determinations, and fraud.
• Review decisions prepared by Veterans Service Representatives for clarity, thoroughness, and empathetic wording.
• Explain final complex decisions to veterans by mail, phone, or in person.
• Draft Statements of the Case for authorization appeals and guide veterans through post-decision processes.
• Enter adjudication data in electronic systems, generate award notifications, and issue benefits payment decisions.
• Review incoming case documentation, route it, or take appropriate action on mail evidence.
• Explain benefit programs and entitlement criteria; analyze claims materials, identify issues, gather relevant evidence, conduct interviews, and adjudicate claims.

Benefits

• Federal employees and their families have access to a comprehensive benefits package; specific benefits depend on position type and should be confirmed with the hiring agency.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree