Clarification from the agency

This vacancy announcement is open ONLY to former VA employees who are CTAP eligible living in the local commuting area of Washington, D.C.

Major duties include but are not limited to:

• Reviews, analyzes, and interprets legislation and applies Veterans' benefits laws and regulations that pertain to CS benefit programs.
• Responsible for ensuring accuracy, currency and propriety of the information provided to the public and service members. Monitors programs and activities related to disability benefits and services provided to Veterans, their dependents, or beneficiaries. Works in close cooperation with other elements of VBA in relation to Veterans' benefits.
• Serves as an expert consult in the claims process, procedures, functions, responsibilities, and authorities that interact in theadministration and implementation of the CS benefits program.
• Develops policy, formulates and recommends instructions, directives, guidelines, plans or procedures to administer or carry out functions, which support delivery of benefits and services to Veterans. Studies program operations, new legislation, automated systems, management initiatives, and the operation of interacting programs and organizations to assist in the development of new and modified policies. Participates in special projects devoted to supporting policy analysis and updates.
• Manages multiple projects or programs concurrently where effort involves coordination among multiple resources, other divisions, or agents outside of the organization. Undertakes long and short-term research. Studies program activities within CS to support the organization's business goals and objectives. Serves as an advisor to the supervisor on issues regarding technical, regulatory, procedural, and operational aspects of the CS programs.
• Ensures the propriety of data submitted in support of the program. Efficiently creates appropriate and accurate data requests and analyses that can support regulatory and other leadership decisions. Performs all functions related to data and policy analysis. Gathers relevant qualitative and quantitative data, analyzes it critically, and makes recommendations based on findings using available resources, such as internet tools, manuals, and other reference material. Provides technical suggestions and data-driven recommendations to peers and leadership and may be VBA's representative for VA-wide data-related initiatives.
• Develops data-related deliverables (e.g., Excel spreadsheets, workbooks, formulas, pivot tables, etc.). Applies appropriate data-application features necessary for accurate and detailed data analysis.
• Develops cost projections based on analysis of quantitative and qualitative information. Efficiently and accurately creates cost projections for proposed and final rule makings (regulatory revisions). Creates assumption documents to notate increases and decreases in funding needs. Creates methodology detailing how cost projections were calculated.
• Implements policy changes. Applies change management principles and practices. Assists in information distribution to internal and external stakeholders. Ensures updates to policy and procedural guidance are implemented in VA business systems, tools, calculators, letters, and forms, as well as other program functionality in support of business goals and objectives. Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with individuals and groups interested in or affected by the program. Ability to respond to challenges or criticisms from workgroup members and stakeholders in a manner that promotes collaboration.
• Prepares and provides oral presentations to various audiences within CS, VBA senior leadership, department level executives, and outside agencies. Develops PowerPoint presentations covering highlights of new material and providing practical applications and examples.
• Writes comprehensive, accurate, clear, and comprehensible documents and emails. Researches issues, writes white papers (options papers, position papers, etc.). and responds, in writing, to internal and external stakeholder inquiries in a comprehensive, accurate, clear, and comprehensible manner, while adhering to accepted standards of formatting and style, spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc. Prepares all necessary administrative materials, correspondences, and justifications detailing reasons for decisions.
• When necessary, acts for the Chief and performs other duties as assigned.

Conditions of employment

Upon completion of your probationary period OR 2-year trial 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
• 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.

TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENT: Applicants who are/were 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-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12 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-13 Grade Level:

• Specialized Experience: The applicant must document knowledge and/or experience writing and publishing federal regulations; knowledge and/or experience researching federal statutes, regulations, court decisions, policies and procedures pertaining to the adjudication of Veterans' claims for Compensation or related benefits; knowledge and/or experience adjudicating Veterans' claims for disability compensation or related benefits; knowledge and/or experience with VA Compensation Service policymaking; ability to train and review work of others while maintaining effective work relationships; possess expert oral and written communication skills.

To support your claim of time in grade, you must submit your most recent appointment, promotion, within grade increase SF-50 (not an award or general adjustment SF-50). See the required documents section for more information. Note: multiple SF-50s may be required to adequately illustrate you have the requisite time-in-grade.

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

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: Work is primarily sedentary but involves use of a personal computer so a degree of manual dexterity and visual acuity sufficient to use these tools is required. Occasional standing, bending, walking, and stooping are also necessary. Some slight physical effort is required in that incumbent lifts and carries reference books, files, and similar items. No special physical demands are 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. Applicants who do not fully address the specialized experience needed for the position (as described above in the job announcement) in their resume or who do not possess the education to substitute for it will not be referred for consideration.

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

1. Project Management: Applies principles, methods, or tools for developing, scheduling, coordinating, monitoring, evaluating, and managing projects and resources, including technical performance.
2. Decision Support: Knowledge of decision support theories, methods, and tools for identifying, synthesizing, representing, and evaluating the important aspects of a decision situation and prescribing the recommended course for decision makers and other stakeholders.
3. Data Analysis and Interpretation: Skill in conducting statistical analysis to include descriptive and inferential statistics (e.g., regression modeling, analysis of variance, psychometrics, and item analysis) in order to evaluate the effectiveness and functionality of assessment and selection tools (e.g., validation research, adverse impact analyses).
4. Communications: 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.
5. Database Management Systems: Knowledge of the uses of database management systems and software to control the organization, storage, retrieval, security, and integrity of data.
6. Partnering: Develops networks and builds alliances; collaborates across boundaries to build strategic relationships and achieve common goals.

If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job-related information, which may include, but is not limited to responses to the knowledge, skills, and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or 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.

Notice to Applicants: It is the policy of the Government not to deny employment simply because an individual has been unemployed or has had financial difficulties that have arisen through no fault of the individual. Information about an individual's employment experience will be used only to determine the person's qualifications and to assess his or her relative level of knowledge, skills, and abilities. Although an individual's personal conduct may be relevant in any employment decision, including conduct during periods of unemployment or evidence of dishonesty in handling financial matters, financial difficulty that has arisen through no fault of the individual will generally not itself be the basis of an unfavorable suitability or fitness determination.