Duties

Summary

The primary purpose of this position is to serve as a Program Specialist within the Appellate Operations Division, Case Intake Section ensuring performance and compliance with agency regulations and procedures, program directives, and technical requirements to ensure efficient and effective program management of cases in preparation for timely and high-quality hearings and appeals decisions.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

The incumbent evaluates and coordinate quality reviews on evidentiary development of records
and outside medical opinions, to ensure accurate, complete, adequate, and appropriate support
for Board Members and Decision Team Counsel decisions.

Serve as an expert technical advisor and/or consultant, preparing briefing documents, as well as
answering Congressional and other stakeholder inquiries pertaining to case intake.

Prepare a variety of substantive documents to include memoranda, reports, discovery requests,
and documentation relevant to acquiring evidence or testimony received from claimants, service
organizations, Members of Congress, attorneys, etc., concerning questions pertaining to the
various benefits administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Conduct legal research and fact finding to identify deficiencies in due process and determine
whether factual or legal errors were made in appeals decision issued by the Board.
Identifies ambiguous requests and clarifies all such requests with the appropriate Board Member
or Decision Team Counsel.

Superior interpersonal and managerial skills to organize, coordinate, action plans, and resolve
complex issues which are often divisive through systematic, professional interactions.

Analyze facts and legal issues, and prepare appropriate memorandum, discussion paper, brief or
report reflecting facts, supporting case law, applicable regulations, sources, and other items
discovered during the course of legal research.

Incumbent prepares written certified list s for the designation of record (DOR) concerning Board
decisions appealed to the U.S. Court of Veterans Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC). This
includes reviewing the appealed Board decision in conjunction with the appellant's claims file to
identify tab, describe, and list relevant evidence that the Board relied upon in rendering its
decisions.

Prepares both complex non-routine correspondence for reconsideration of Board decisions,
independent medical expert opinion cases, and withdrawal of appeals.

Incumbent collaborates with accredited service organizations, attorneys, representatives,
adjudication officers, veteran's benefits counselors, and appropriate hospital personnel to
research complex questions relevant to appeals pending before the Board, in order to facilitate
due process.

Provides accurate information regarding the appellate process to White House Officials,
Members of Congress, appellants, accredited representatives and other interested parties
concerning appeals pending before the Board or final BVA decisions.

Analyses decisions and makes final consideration in conjunction with correspondence to
determine whether there is substance to complaints or questions as to warrant recall of the record
for further study.

Composes original correspondence in response to inquiries or takes other administrative action
as required. Initiates telephone contact with appropriate personnel in field offices to obtain
information required giving an accurate and fully reply to Members of Congress and other
authorize, interested parties.

Serves as the principle assistant to the Board member in hearings before the Board, reviews and
analyzes hearing related motions and requested filed under 38 C.F.R. §§ 20.702.

Accurately stores files according to type of case and stage of process. Maintains case files in
proper category and order. Distributes cases to appropriate employee/location and charges files
to designated location.

Routinely conducts quality reviews of work products; notes technical errors; and provides
instructions for correcting deficiencies. Incumbent also conducts routine and non-routine
analysis and provides recommendations to eliminate deficiencies in the administrative process.

Distributes cases that have been advanced on the Board's docket or require special handling to
designated team employees to facilitate requested action.

Monitors production levels and provides daily production report. Furnishes statistical data a
necessary in make in daily, weekly, and month reports for use by the Board's Leadership Team
to monitor the productivity of the Board's caseloads.

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.

Work Schedule: M-F, 8-4:30
Compressed/Flexible: Not Available
Telework: Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist, 30035A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
9

Requirements

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

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/16/2019.

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-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. 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-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: demonstrated experience in providing administrative services pertaining to case file review and processing of legal documents; utilizing various software applications to review, edit and maintain legal documents; and preparing letters, and performing research analyses to support legal document development and dissemination. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have . OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond I have 1 full year of graduate level education or superior academic achievement.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Administrative Law
• Analytical Reasoning
• Communications
• Customer Service
• Problem Solving

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 sedentary in nature, requires long and intense analysis, walking, standing, bending, and carrying of light items, such as files, book, and computer print-outs.

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.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/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

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.

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

Required Documents

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

• Resume

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
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx .

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.