Veterans Service Representative Authorization Quality Review Specialist (AQRS)

This position is located in a VARO, VSC, BEST. The Authorization Quality Review Specialist is an integral part of the (VSC) and (BEST) quality assurance program and is a key technical adviser to the Veterans Service Representatives (VSRs), in the Regional Office. The purpose of this position is to measure individual performance quality as well as identify training needs through the review and assessment of completed compensation and pension claims.

Duties

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Performs individual quality reviews to determine the authorization quality level of individual VSRs for purposes of individual performance standards in accordance with an established monthly schedule.
• Conducts focused "in-process reviews" for cases to determine the accuracy of claims action taken. (Such reviews are for station-level feedback and improvement only, not used for individual performance standard purposes.)
• Responsible for sharing authorization quality trend information with management on an ongoing basis, and with the VSRs during training sessions.
• Reviews products or activities for quality of performance, and enters the results into the on-line STAR checklists.
• Evaluate and identify deficiencies of all elements of a claim from evidence development, income, and dependency issues, to award processing and authorization. Provides an explanation of errors and includes comments where attention is warranted.
• Prepares STAR data reports and provides them to personnel in the Regional Office who are authorized to request and receive such reports.
• Develops various quality assurance processes with emphasis on work procedures and techniques that address unique work conditions and practices.
• Ensures all program requirements imposed by Compensation Service and/or the Pension and Fiduciary Service and the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims are met or implemented.

Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday through Friday
Telework: Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: VSR Authorization Quality Review Specialist/37136A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Salary

• $74,441 - $96,770/year

Conditions of Employment

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

Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/02/2024.

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-12 position, you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. 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.

If you are a current VBA employee requesting a reassignment or change to a lower grade via this vacancy announcement, you must currently hold the GS-12 (or higher) and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least GS-12.

You must provide a copy of your most recent SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action," showing that you are in the competitive service and have the highest grade or promotion potential held. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate that you possess (1) year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates (1) year time-in-grade. General Adjustment and Award SF-50s cannot be used for time-in-grade verification purposes.

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-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: work that involves functioning in either a capacity performing training, analyst, or information systems duties of a claims management process. The experience should be substantive, and relevant, and may have been gained in the federal, military, or private sector.

Examples include but are not limited to:

• Conducting focused evaluations and reviews to determine authorization quality and accuracy.
• Providing advisory services to management via preparation and presentation of quality trend information.
• Developing training strategies and materials to address deficiencies and/or conducting training activities.
• Analyzing performance deficiencies and quality trends to identify knowledge/skill gaps
• Providing quality-review services, feedback, and guidance to staff in order to correct unsatisfactory performance.

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 normally involves mental rather than physical exertion. The work is mostly sedentary. However, there may be some walking, standing, and carrying of light items such as papers, books, claims folders, and files from one desk to another or for returning to storage. Carts are utilized to carry a large number of claims folders. This will require the incumbent to push or pull the cart from one area to another.

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 There is no educational substitution at this grade level. Other 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.

The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provides 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 your 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.

General Schedule (opm.gov)- This link is a reference to the General Schedule pay by locality.

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 or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), https://www.va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package, including the documents detailed below. Your resume and supporting documentation will be verified. Failure to submit the documents as specified may result in a lack of consideration for this job announcement.

• Resume detailing specialized experience and competencies as they relate to this position.
  • For each position in your resume, you must specify the start and end dates (month/year)and a description of duties. If the position was Federal, you should also indicate the grade level. Resumes containing a general summary of all positions held, not specifying start/end dates, and/or not including documentation supporting Federal grade level(s) are insufficient to determine basic qualifications.
• Your most recent NON-AWARD SF-50. The SF-50 must indicate proof of status and should identify your position title, series, grade, step, salary, tenure, and type of service (Competitive or Excepted).
• Your SF-50 reflecting when you entered your highest grade (e.g., Promotion, Appointment, etc.) in order to verify time-in-grade requirements.

Additional Documents accepted:

• Most recent Performance Appraisal (VA Form 0750)
• Award SF-50s
• Documentation to be considered under non-competitive eligibility (if applicable) such, as a member-4 DD-214, civil service preference letter, or Schedule A letter. [if offering applicants to bypass TIG]
• CTAP documentation - RIF notice, SF-50 showing VA employee, and performance appraisal.

Please use this checklist to make sure you have included all documents required for your application. You will not be contacted for additional information.

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 12/02/2024 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12610869.

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.

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. Learn more about federal benefits.

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