This is a Bargaining Unit position. The Lead Veterans Claims Examiner (Education) is located in Buffalo, NY, Buffalo Veterans Benefits Administration, Regional Office. As a Lead Veterans Claims Examiner you will serve as the primary contact and subject matter expert for the veteran and/or the claimant and/or his/her representative or advocate and is the main decision-maker for the full range of education claims.

Duties

Major Duties: The Lead Veterans Claims Examiner serves as the primary contact and subject matter expert for the veteran, claimant, and his or her representative or advocate and is the main decision maker for the full range of education claims. The Lead VCE explains benefit programs and entitlement criteria, conducts interviews, identifies issues, develops and gathers relevant evidence from multiple sources, independently adjudicates claims and authorizes payments, and inputs data as necessary to generate award and notification letters to veterans and claimants describing the decision and its rationale. The incumbent must possess comprehensive knowledge, expertise and efficiency which are critical to the position. The incumbent will be expected to perform core duties that are aligned with the team's mission. Those duties and responsibilities will be supplemented as necessary with duties that are applicable to a particular team or common to all teams and include: Reviews and authorizes unusually complex or difficult education claims. Ensures consistent application of laws, regulations and policies are applied. Develops and provides training, technical guidance, and mentors GS-7/9 VCE's and GS-11 SVCE's. Provides performance related quality reviews of other employees. Makes determinations where decisions may be debatable because of the complexity of the information and interpretation of law. Responsible for reviewing a variety of military orders from 14 different components and determining what is acceptable evidence to be used for establishing entitlement in specific unusual and complex claims. Serves as a subject matter expert in the rules of enlistment and interpretation of Department of Defense (DOD) data. Defines legal and factual issues, searches precedent decisions and other reference material; applies laws, regulations, policies and procedures, drafts letters, decisions, notices, and other documents to effect actions required. Provides technical guidance based on limited information from management or trainers. Research, reviews, and implements changes in law or policies. Possesses a superior technical proficiency to assure consistent application of governing laws, regulations, and other criteria. Authorizes and advises on claims for sensitive or complex issues such as mitigating circumstances, overlapping terms, multiple source Transfer of Entitlement (TOE), appeals, notices of disagreements, compliance survey correction, Inspector General (OIG) audits, Committee on Waivers and Compromises decisions, incarcerated claimants and audits of benefits received. Approves administrative decisions, big pay certifications and special determinations relating to qualifying military service, character of discharge, domestic relations, new discharge information from DOD or the veteran, dependency issues and contributory refunds. Authorizes reconsideration cases; serves on special committees or panels (i.e. School Liability Committee, COWC). Makes determinations on appeal cases as to whether reconsideration of an appeal is necessary and/or conduct/participate in hearings. Conducts interviews in person, via phone or electronically with veterans or claimants, their representatives or stakeholders (Veterans School Certifying Officials or DOD). Explains the full range of VA benefits as they relate to the Education processing (VR&E disability, compensation and death claims). Refers veterans as appropriate to other VA, Federal or state agencies when potential eligibility to non-VA benefits are indicated. Assists the veteran or claimant in developing all needed evidence for the successful adjudication of a claim. Follows station protocol for control of claims and workload and is responsible for timeliness of claims under their control. Serves as the technical advisor for the team. Responsible for advising the supervisor of any issues of performance, workload management or quality regarding the team. Performs team leader duties. Checks on work in progress and reviews completed work to assure instruction have been followed and deadlines met.

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job.
• Selectees are subject to a background/suitability investigation.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• A probationary period may be required for employees and supervisors.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement 11/18/2023. 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-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11 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: To qualify, applicants 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. Specialized experience is defined as work that involves (1) Experience applying current and/or recent laws and regulations governing the education benefit programs and the benefit eligibility requirements specified; (2) Experience addressing and resolving complex claims relating to veterans and other beneficiaries provided by the VA; (3) Experience providing oversight of standard program functions, or multiple claims simultaneously; (4) Comprehensive knowledge of claims processing, or educational functions of established programs within the VA; (5) Experience communicating progress, reports, goals, etc. to Supervisory or Managerial personnel; (6) Comprehensive knowledge of policies, procedures, laws, regulations, etc. surrounding the VA's educational benefit program; (7) Experience providing formal training, or direction to employees and subordinate employees. 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. The Office of Personnel Management's group coverage qualification standards, associated individual occupational requirements (IOR), and individual qualification standards covering white collar occupations in the Federal competitive service can be found here. 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

There is no educational substitution for the GS-12 level.

Contacts

• Address Buffalo Regional Benefits Office 130 S. Elmwood Ave. Buffalo, NY 14202 US
• Name: Kimberly Sumner
• Phone: 716-857-3821
• Email: [email protected]