Clarification from the agency

This vacancy is open to current, permanent (career/career conditional) employees of Veterans Benefits Administration AND CTAP eligibles living in the local commuting areas of the Washington, DC, Nashville, TN, Seattle, WA, St. Paul, MN, and Denver, CO VBA Regional Offices only.

Specific Duties Include:

1. The Supervisory Veterans Claims Examiner supervises the Policy Implementation Staff who are responsible for developing, drafting, revising, publishing, and maintaining policies and procedural guidance that is consistent with legislation, regulations, and court decisions, and for ensuring that VBA's field personnel have access to most current and accurate procedures and procedural guidance for operations. The duties include, but are not limited to:

• Responsible for planning, programming, coordinating, directing, and reviewing all activities and subordinates for assigned areas of responsibility.
• Makes technical and administration decisions that align with regulatory/statutory guidelines, policies, procedures, and/or other instructions.
• Assigns, reviews, and manages work product of the Policy Implementation Staff and selects appropriate methods and approaches to accomplish program missions such as draft responses to internal and external inquiries, correspondence, other deliverables, white papers, background briefings, and in-depth presentation in the procedural and policy-related matters. Monitors and oversees the completion of additional assignments including special projects, preparation of recommendations for manual or regulatory change.

2. Serves as primary advisor to the Assistant Director, Policy Staff, CS Deputy Executive Director(s), CS Executive Director, and other delegated or appropriate senior leaders, keeping leadership apprised of changes or effects of policies, procedures and the progress of updating or revising such guidance.
   • Consults with the Assistant Director or designee who serves as the technical expert to the Deputy Executive Director(s) and executive Director of Compensation Service.
   • May represent the Assistant Director of Policy Staff at meetings and conferences and oversees the efforts of various aspects of procedures and operations.
3. Conducts, manages, and oversees the Governance Board meetings to discuss and decide substantive policy guidance proposals to CS Staffs, Office of Field Operations (OPO), Office of Regulatory Oversight and Management, and Pension and Fiduciary Service for decision and concurrence on appropriate actions that should be taken, i.e., rulemaking proposals, legislative proposals, M21-1 procedural guidance update or additional training, etc.
4. Makes recommendations to instructions, directives, guidelines, policies, plans or procedures to administer or carry out functions which support operations delivery or supporting delivery of benefits or services to veterans.
5. Manages multiple projects or programs concurrently where effort involves coordination among multiple resources, other divisions, or agents outside of the organization.
6. Deals with issues of both sensitive or of a high-profile nature while advising leadership on the national and local impact of changes in process, protocol, or legal statutes, which may impact or shape the future direction of the organization.
7. Prepares for and gives oral presentations to various audiences within CS, VBA senior management, department-level executives and outside agencies. Develops PowerPoint presentations covering highlights of new material and providing practical applications and examples.
8. Eliminates or reduces significant barriers to production and improves business practices while promoting team building.
9. Evaluates work performance of subordinates; gives advice, counsels, or instructions to employees on both work and administrative matters; interviews candidates for positions in the unit; recommends appointments, promotions, or reassignments; hears and resolves complaints and grievances from employees.
10. Performs other duties as assigned.

Promotion Potential: This position does not have promotion potential.
Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday
Compressed/Flexible: Not Available
Telework: Available
Virtual: This is a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Supervisory Veterans Claims Examiner (Chief); 385140
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Conditions of employment

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

• 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
• Selectees are required to service a one-year supervisory probationary period if not previously completed in a Federal position.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements I-9 Acceptable Documents.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:08/22/2026.

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.

• For a GS-14 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-13 level.

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.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: You may qualify based on your experience as described below:
GS-14 Grade Level:

• Specialized Experience: Applicants must demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of complex laws, regulations, policies, procedures, and Federal legislation governing the full range of VA benefits programs, as well as the ability to interpret and apply these authorities to resolve complex issues, provide authoritative technical guidance, and ensure consistent implementation of program requirements. Applicants must also possess extensive knowledge of Federal, state, and local benefits programs and demonstrate the ability to communicate complex benefits information effectively, both orally and in writing, to diverse audiences. Qualifying experience must also include supervising or leading a staff responsible for implementing veterans' benefits programs by planning and assigning work, providing technical direction and oversight, evaluating employee performance, ensuring compliance with applicable laws, regulations, policies, and quality standards, resolving complex operational issues, and promoting the timely, accurate, and consistent administration of veterans' benefits programs.

Volunteer Experience: 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.
Full vs. Part-Time Employment: Full-time employment is considered to be at least 35 hours per week. Part-time experience will be credited on a pro-rated basis; when including part-time employment in your resume you must specify the average hours worked per week.
Physical Requirements: This work at this level is primarily sedentary.

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.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Conflict Management
• Influencing/Negotiating
• Manages Resources
• Partnering
• Planning and Evaluating

• Conflict Management - Manages and resolves conflicts, grievances, confrontations, or disagreements in a constructive manner to minimize negative personal impact.
• Influencing/Negotiating - Persuades others to accept recommendations, cooperate, or change their behavior or opinion. Resolves points of difference by finding mutually acceptable solutions through compromise and agreement.
• Manages Resources - Selects, acquires, stores, and distributes resources such as materials, equipment, or money.
• Partnering - Develops networks and builds alliances. Collaborates across boundaries to build strategic relationships and achieve common goals.
• Planning and Evaluating - Determines objectives and strategies; coordinates with other parts of the organization to accomplish goals; monitors and evaluates the progress and outcomes of operational plans; anticipates potential threats or opportunities.
• Problem Solving - Identifies and analyzes problems; uses sound reasoning to
  arrive at conclusions; finds alternative solutions to complex problems; distinguishes between relevant and irrelevant information to make logical judgements.
• Communication - Effectively expresses information to multiple audiences through clear, convincing oral and written communications; demonstrates logical thinking when describing facts and concepts, and shapes communications to meet the needs of a specific audience; actively listens to others and demonstrates understanding of their comments and/or questions.
• Human Resource Management - Empowers people by sharing power and authority; develops lower levels of leadership by pushing authority downward and outward throughout the organization; shares rewards for achievement with employees; ensures that staff are appropriately selected, utilized, appraised, and developed, and that they are treated in a fair and equitable manner.
• Supervision - Ability to manage and/or supervise (plan, organize, direct, control, review, etc.) the work activities of subordinates.

Supervisory Situational Judgement Test: Applicants will be required to complete a Supervisory Situational Judgment Test (SSJT) as part of the assessment process for this position. The SSJT evaluates judgment, decision-making, and leadership competencies associated with effective supervision in a Federal work environment. This is not a timed test, however, the assessment is expected to take approximately 45 minutes or less to complete. This assessment is required for all applicants. If you do not complete the assessment, it will result in an incomplete application and you will receive no further consideration.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.