Clarification from the agency

This vacancy is open ONLY to current, permanent Claims Assistant (GS-0998) employees of the Phoenix VBA Regional Office and those who are eligible for priority consideration under the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP).

The Legal Administrative Specialist has telephone contact with the public to advise and provide information on Veterans' benefits and rights. This is a call center position that offers the opportunity to work in a dynamic environment where no two days are the same. In this position, you will telephone and computer equipment to handle inbound calls on a daily basis. This position requires talking for long periods of time on the phone; extensive use of a computer and telephone with headset are required. The Legal Administrative Specialist provides superior customer service to our Nation's Veterans and their families. Typical duties include, but are not limited to:

• Counseling veterans, their dependents, and their beneficiaries via telephone regarding the full array of benefits available through the Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as non-VA benefits available through other organizations concerned with veterans.
• Explaining the types of documents necessary to facilitate timely processing of claims and providing assistance in obtaining and completing such documents and forms in accordance with the type of claim being submitted.
• Explaining decisions and reasons for the decisions made by the VA and communicating the information both orally and in writing to the Veterans.
• Performing claim-related work such as change of address, direct deposits, burial allowance claims, dependency claims, etc.
• Initiating inquiries to resolve errors, delays, or other problems in obtaining benefits.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. The grade progression for this position is GS-5/7/9.

Work Schedule: Required to work the closing tour, 10-6:30pm (Mar-Nov)/11-7:30pm (Nov-Mar), for a minimum of 12 months. During most of the 6 weeks of mandatory training the employee will be required to work 800a-430p.
Compressed/Flexible: Not available
Telework: Not available for a full year, then allowed at supervisor's discretion
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Legal Administrative Specialist (Contact Representative); PD# 23032A (GS-5); PD# 13032A (GS-7)
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required.
• 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.
• This position requires 6-12 weeks of training.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 03/06/2020.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: As a current, permanent GS employee, you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. 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.

• For a GS-05 position you must have held at least the GS-03.
• For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05 level.

Qualification Requirement: You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:GS-05 Grade Level:

• Experience: You qualify at the GS-05 grade level if you possess three years of General Experience, one year of which was equivalent to the GS-4 level. Qualifying general experience is defined as the ability to analyze problems to identify significant factors, gather pertinent data, and recognize solutions; ability to plan and organize work; and/or the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing. OR
• Education Substitution: To qualify at the GS-05 level based on education you must have at least four years of undergraduate education leading to a Bachelor's degree. OR
• Experience/Education Combination: If you have some but not all of the experience and education requirements, you may combine them to total one year. To compute, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 36. Then divide your semester hours of undergraduate education beyond two years by 60. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100% to qualify.

GS-07 Grade Level:

• Experience: You qualify at the GS-07 grade level if you possess one year of Specialized Experience equivalent to at least the GS-5 level. Specialized Experience is defined as experience counseling individuals about benefits and explaining legal provisions, regulations, and decisions to a variety of audiences. OR
• Education Substitution: To qualify at the GS-07 based on education, you must have either:
  • At least one full year of graduate-level education. Graduate level education must demonstrate the competencies necessary to do the work of the position; OR
  • A Bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement (3.0 GPA or higher). Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) is based on: 1) class standing, 2) grade point average or 3) honor society membership. For more information on calculating SAA please visit www.opm.gov. OR
• Experience/Education Combination: If you have some but not all of the experience and education requirements, you may combine them to reach the qualification requirement. To compute, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of graduate education by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100% to qualify.

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: Work is mostly sedentary. However, incumbent will be required to talk for long periods of time which occasionally puts a train on the throat/vocal cords. There are no other special physical demands required to perform the work. There may be some walking, standing, and carrying of light items such as papers, books, claims folders and files from one desk to another for returning to storage. Extensive use of a computer and a telephone with a headset is required.
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/.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

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

1. Customer Service - Anticipates and meets the needs of both internal and external customers. Delivers high-quality products and services; is committed to continuous improvement.
2. Manages and Organizes Information - Identifies a need; gathers, organizes, and maintains information; determines its importance and accuracy, and communicates it by a variety of methods.
3. Computer Skill - Uses computers, software applications, databases, and automated systems to accomplish work.
4. Writing - Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information in a succinct and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material, that is appropriate for the intended audience.
5. Oral Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups clearly and effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); listens to others, attends to and responds appropriately.

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.