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    Duties

    Summary

    This position supports Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment staff assigned to supervise and assist participants of Chapter 31, U.S. Code Title 38 in all phases of the vocational rehabilitation program.

    Learn more about this agency

    Responsibilities

    Duties: The incumbent motivates and counsels' individuals to utilize benefits and services available. Responds to telephone inquiries from claimants, their representatives, VR&E staff and other VA personnel and resolves issues which may include but not limited to the following: status of counseling, case status, Chapter 31 awards, entitlement calculations, tuition, fees, books, supplies and subsistence inquiries. Additional duties include:

    • Receives Veterans and other visitors to regional office and out-based sites making inquiries regarding Chapter 31 vocational rehabilitation issues.
    • Screens issues presented by the Veterans or other visitors, and within the scope of assigned responsibilities, serves as VA representative to resolve issues presented by veterans.
    • Provides administrative support in the responsibilities for personnel management, budget administration, procurement, office administration, and other related activities covering all facets.
    • Responsible for reviewing all applications for VA Vocational Rehabilitation benefits and services.
    • Assists vocational rehabilitation counselors with Chapter 31 enrollments by preparing certification lists for training facilities and preparing authorizing enrollments.
    • Resolves issues related to Chapter 31 training such as overpayment questions, class schedules, termination dates, remaining entitlement, training under other educational chapters and accounts receivable. Issues are resolved by reviewing appropriate master records, claim files and CER folders.
    • Responsible for review of all cases in Rehabilitation to Employment and Interrupted Status to determine if case status change is required.


    Work Schedule: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
    Compressed/Flexible: May be available
    Telework: May be available
    Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
    Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist/PD1278A
    Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
    Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

    Travel Required

    Not required

    Supervisory status

    No

    Promotion Potential

    None

  • Job family (Series)

    0301 Miscellaneous Administration And Program

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    Requirements

    Conditions Of Employment

    • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
    • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
    • You may be required to serve a probationary period
    • Subject to background/security investigation
    • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

    Qualifications

    To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/28/2020.

    Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. 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. Note: 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.



    You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:
    • Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: knowledge of benefits and services available to Veterans and experience assisting case managers by addressing and resolving common issues presented by Veterans, application of fiscal process and regulations for micro-purchase and simplified acquisitions and past use of case manager or fiscal software applications. OR,
    • Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Master's degree or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related from an accredited institution. NOTE: YOU MUST SUBMIT COPIES OF YOUR OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS.
      OR,
    • Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education a Bachelor's Degree. Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-09. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position.

    Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

    Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

    Physical Requirements: The work is basically sedentary. There may be some walking and some travel to meetings or conferences.

    For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at http://://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

    Education

    A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

    Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

    Additional information

    VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

    Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

    Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

    Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

    It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

    This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

    Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

    For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

    If you are unable to apply online view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

    How You Will Be Evaluated

    IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

    If you are referred for consideration you will be rated on the following competencies based on your application for this position:

    1. Knowledge of pertinent laws, regulations and procedures pertaining to Veterans benefits programs. This includes knowledge of common medical terms and various sources of evidence and information.
    2. Knowledge of the statutory and manual requirements for authorizing services to Chapter 31 participants.
    3. Ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing with individuals having a variety of backgrounds and levels of understanding.
    4. Ability to use various types of computer software or applications, and to perform functions within each

    Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview.Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

    Background checks and security clearance

    Security clearance

    Not Required

    Drug test required

    No

    Position sensitivity and risk

    Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

    Trust determination process

    Suitability/Fitness

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    Required Documents

    To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

    • Resume
    • SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action


    The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.
    • Cover Letter
    • Resume
    • Separation Notice (RIF)
    • SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
    • Transcript


    If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

    Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

    Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

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    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.

    http://www.vacareers.va.gov/why-choose-va/benefits/index.asp

    Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time, or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

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    How to Apply

    All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 08/28/2020 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10882517.

    1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
    2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
    NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

    To verify your application is complete, log into your USA JOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Application page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USA JOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USA JOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

    Agency contact information

    Devin Andrews

    Phone

    410-230-4400 X2011

    Email

    Devin.Andrews@va.gov

    Address

    VBA National Capital RB Office
    1722 I Street NW
    Washington, DC 20421
    US
    Learn more about this agency

    OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate care to Veterans?

    Visit our careers page

    Learn more about what it's like to work at Veterans Benefits Administration, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

    http://www.va.gov/jobs/

    Next steps

    Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.

    You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.

Fair & Transparent

The Federal hiring process is setup to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy And gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

Reasonable Accommodation Policy

Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process should follow the instructions in the job opportunity announcement. For any part of the remaining hiring process, applicants should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

A reasonable accommodation is any change to a job, the work environment, or the way things are usually done that enables an individual with a disability to apply for a job, perform job duties or receive equal access to job benefits.

Under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodations when:

  • An applicant with a disability needs an accommodation to have an equal opportunity to apply for a job.
  • An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to perform the essential job duties or to gain access to the workplace.
  • An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to receive equal access to benefits, such as details, training, and office-sponsored events.

You can request a reasonable accommodation at any time during the application or hiring process or while on the job. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Legal and regulatory guidance

This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/575760200. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.