Program Specialist

Summary

This position is located at the Columbia, South Carolina Regional Benefits Office. The incumbent is assigned a variety of administrative and technical support duties in the Veteran Readiness and Employment (VRE) division.

This job is open to

• Internal to an agency
  
  Current federal employees of this agency.

Clarification from the agency

This vacancy is open ONLY to current, permanent employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefit Administration, Columbia Regional Benefit Office and CTAP eligible.

Videos

Duties

Specific duties are as follows:

• Responsible for decisions on adjudicative actions incident to the determination of eligibility of benefits to applicants in the Veteran Readiness and Employment (VRE) Program. The requisite knowledge of the governing Veterans Administration (VA) regulation demands the incumbent be well informed on certifications for special and rehabilitation benefits in VRE.
• Notifies claimants and other interested persons or organizations in layman terms relative to their rights and benefits, the submission of evidence, disposition of claims, reasons for our decisions, evidence considered and all subsequent actions. Has a duty to assist the in the presentation of their claims of evidence necessary to adjudicate the claim for VRE benefits to which the claimant may be entitled, including time limits to apply or appeal.
• Prepares certification of eligibility for VRE services. Develops claims files and schedules appointments. Prepares awards, stop payments, resume payments change of name notice, change of fiduciary notice and all adjustment actions on VRE claims as required. Process applications for VRE, creating appropriate controls for action and initiating a general eligibility determination (GED) as appropriate.
• Through the guidance of subject matter experts (SME), makes decisions regarding input of awards, EAAs, and other data into the master record. Inputs the data timely and accurately and keeps VRE supervisory personnel informed of any problems. Must be able to audit VRE benefits paid and due. Writes replies explaining decisions in a manner that shows sensitivity, compassion, accuracy, completeness, and timeliness.
• Receives visitors and telephone calls from claimants, their representatives, VRE staff, and others on issues which include but are not limited to status of VRE applications, subsistence allowance, VRE services, entitlement consumed, benefit pay inquiries, etc.
• Through the guidance of SMEs, resolves issues related to VRE training such as payments, class schedules, termination dates, remaining entitlement, training under other Chapters, and accounts receivable. Issues are resolved by reviewing appropriate master records, claims files, VBMS, and CWINRS. Explains decisions rendered by VRE.
• Maintains diaries, collects, and analyzes data, and prepares recurring reports as directed by their direct chain of command. Utilizes data analysis to identify areas of program weakness, then prepares spreadsheets, graphs, reports, and recommends courses of action to be taken to correct identified weakness.
• Knowledge of M28C and CFR, in order to prepare authorization forms for entering participants into training, enter payment data, review course lists submitted by trainees for conformity to approved programs, compute entitlement used and remaining under VRE checking against the prescribed program and basic termination date.
• Make determinations to establish a claim for VRE and evaluate evidence regarding eligibility for: Original and reopened VRE basic eligibility issues for Disallowances of claims and claims under other Chapters such as 18, 30, 33, 35, 36, and 1606. Provide due process, as necessary.
• Assists in the effective coordination of all administration functions and among other Regional Offices and Business Lines. Performs parts of VRE's Strategic Oversight and Analysis Reviews (SOAR) and report of internal control affecting VRE operations as prescribed. Responds to requests for information concerning VRE. Prepares responses from source material. Anticipates need for and prepares material so it is immediately available for supervisor's needs. Must accurately review, control, process, and route incoming mail and evidence received from all sources. Identify items of mail that can be processed "at once."
• Administers participant beneficiary travel program. Coordinates travel arrangements, prepares travel vouchers, and maintains fiscal records.
• Upon receipt of procurement packet, researches and follows Federal Acquisition Regulations to complete purchases for participants via federal government purchase card. Complete monthly reconciliation procedures and submit to Approving Official.
• Work with and conduct training for Work-Study, Volunteers, and Non-Paid Work Experience trainees.
• Other duties assigned by direct chain of command.

Work Schedule: 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM

Telework Eligible: Yes, per Agency guidelines.

Compressed/Flexible: Not available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position

Position Description/PD#: PD386230 and PD386240

Relocation Recruitment incentives: Not authorized

Financial disclosure report: Not required

Bargaining Unit Position: Yes

Physical Requirements: The work normally involves mental rather than physical exertion.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• 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 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-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. A SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials.

For a GS-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. A SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/16/2024

Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent is defined as least the next lower grade in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

To qualify for the GS-7 grade level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience in the Federal service or equivalent public or private sector experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the (GS-05) level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is typically defined as, but not limited to experience with knowledge of skills in reference to the vocational objectives, training programs, potential employment; knowledge of contract billing for quality and accuracy and fiscal procedures in compliance with Federal regulations; recommends certification of invoices for payment.

To qualify for the GS-9 grade level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience in the Federal service or equivalent public or private sector experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the (GS-07) level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is typically defined as, but not limited to experience with with knowledge of VA laws and regulations; knowledge of skills in reference to the vocational objectives, training programs, potential employment; knowledge of contract billing for quality and accuracy and fiscal procedures in compliance with Federal and VA regulations; and recommends certification of invoices for payment.

Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for the GS-7: one full year of graduate level education or superior academic achievement. For GS-9: a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related;

OR

Combination of specialized experience and education (only graduate education in excess of 18 semester hours may be used to qualify applicants for this grade level).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.

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

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide 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 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.

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 to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

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.

• 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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  
  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

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.

• Project Management - Plans and/or accomplishes special projects. Performs a variety of duties related to special projects involving program issues that contain complicating elements.
• Analysis and Problem Solving - Knowledge and skill in applying analytical and evaluative methods and techniques in order to plan, schedule, and analyze projects and recommend ways to improve effectiveness and efficiency of VR&E operations.
• Communication - Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing with people, both clients and peers, from a variety of backgrounds.
• Interpersonal Skills - Ability to promote cooperation and relationships with all levels of management and supervision.
• Manages and Organizes Information -Skill in organizing information systems in order to convert data to information and analysis for decision making purposes.

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.

• 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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  
  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
• Required Documents
  
  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
  
  To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
  
  SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):
  
  
  • Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
  • An SF-50 showing your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade
  • Award SF-50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
  • Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
    
    • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
    • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
    • SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.
  
  
  Résumé
  
  Include for example: contact information; descriptions of jobs held, including the name and address of employer, job title, description of duties, beginning and ending date (month/year) of employment, average hours worked per week if part-time, and supervisor's name and phone number; education, including name and location of college, dates attended, and type and date of any degree earned; other information such as possession of licenses, certificates, etc. Descriptions of duties must be sufficiently detailed to document the level of experience. Although not mandatory, if the position is (was) with the Federal government, either military or civilian, you should state the series and grade or pay grade (rank) and the date of last promotion.
  
  
  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.
• 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 and by 11:59 PM (ET) on 10/16/2024 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12568400.
  
  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.
  
  Applicants must meet all vacancy requirements by 11:59 PM (ET) on 10/16/2024 to receive consideration. If an applicant falls outside of the area of consideration, their application may no longer be considered.
  
  Agency contact information
  
  Laperia Shoto
  
  Email
  
  laperia.shoto@va.gov
  
  Address
  
  Veterans Benefits Administration
  
  1800 G Street, NW
  
  Washington, DC 20006
  
  US
  
  Next steps
  
  Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.
  
  You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
• Fair and Transparent
  
  The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
  
  
  • Criminal history inquiries
  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Financial suitability
  • New employee probationary period
  • Privacy Act
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Selective Service
  • Signature and false statements
  • Social security number request

Required Documents

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

SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):

• Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
• An SF-50 showing your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade
• Award SF-50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
• Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
  
  • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
  • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
  • SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.

Résumé

Include for example: contact information; descriptions of jobs held, including the name and address of employer, job title, description of duties, beginning and ending date (month/year) of employment, average hours worked per week if part-time, and supervisor's name and phone number; education, including name and location of college, dates attended, and type and date of any degree earned; other information such as possession of licenses, certificates, etc. Descriptions of duties must be sufficiently detailed to document the level of experience. Although not mandatory, if the position is (was) with the Federal government, either military or civilian, you should state the series and grade or pay grade (rank) and the date of last promotion.


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.

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 and by 11:59 PM (ET) on 10/16/2024 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12568400.

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.

Applicants must meet all vacancy requirements by 11:59 PM (ET) on 10/16/2024 to receive consideration. If an applicant falls outside of the area of consideration, their application may no longer be considered.

Agency contact information

Laperia Shoto

Email

laperia.shoto@va.gov

Address

Veterans Benefits Administration

1800 G Street, NW

Washington, DC 20006

US

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.

You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.

Fair & Transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

• Criminal history inquiries
• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
• Financial suitability
• New employee probationary period
• Privacy Act
• Reasonable accommodation policy
• Selective Service
• Signature and false statements
• Social security number request