The Program Support Assistant provides technical and practical support to the Veterans Service Center Manager in areas of administration that may include, budgeting, personnel administration, data processing, files management, and timekeeping. This is a position of the Waco Veterans Benefits Administration Region Office out-based to the following location: Fort Bliss, TX.

Duties

The Program Support Assistant provides technical and practical support to the Veterans Service Center Manager in areas of administration that may include budgeting, personnel administration, data processing, files management, and timekeeping. Specific duties include: Receives and directs callers and visitors. Provides information about VA benefits; and about VA functions, and activities. Receives and/or hands out forms; and assists visitors and/or callers with the completion of forms or other documents. Provides general telephone and referral services. Directs visitors, and refers callers, to appropriate staff members, based on a specific request, or by ascertaining the nature of the call or inquiry. Personally provides information of a routine nature. Reviews new claims received for completeness; and establishes the claims; and institutes appropriate control actions, using various automated systems (such as, SHARE, VBMS, COVERS, Case flow, and other systems and commands as necessary). Initiates action to request transfer of an existing claims file (VCIP, RRS, ARCIS). Develops straightforward evidence, in conjunction with claims. Assists claims processors with the gathering of evidence, for more complex cases. Reviews evidence received for completeness. Follows up to ensure that requested information is received, for development actions. The nature of Program Support Assistant (Public Contact and Out-based), inquiries varies widely; and the information given involves explaining office procedures, describing specific requirements related to VA benefits, providing basic instructions, or topics of a similar degree of detail. Inquiries received require evaluation, to determine the most useful and appropriate information to provide, to resolve inconsistencies in available information, and to make appropriate referrals, or to provide information about alternative sources of assistance. Responsible for knowledge of, distribution of, and replacement of, all forms, supplies, and pamphlets, as needed in Public Contact Team (PCT) work areas. 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. The grade progression for this position is GS-05/06. Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday 8am - 4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Program Support Assistant / PD38660A and PD41235-0 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Requirements

• 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: 11/28/2023. 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-05 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-04 level. For a GS-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05 level or higher. 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 and/or education substitution as described below:GS-05 Grade Level: Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-04 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience must document basic clerical and customer service skills, and the ability to research and review available records/documents and piece together pertinent information from a variety of sources; OR Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education you must have: 4 years above high school; OR Combining Education & Experience: For GS-5 level positions, only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e., beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience. Click here for more information. GS-06 Grade Level: Specialized Experience: Applicants 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. In addition to having the experience met for the GS-5 level the specialized experience must reflect experience providing clerical and administrative support to an office, to include typing a variety of correspondence, greeting customers, and maintaining office files OR experience researching and reviewing available records/documents and piecing together pertinent information from a variety of sources. Education Substitution: No education substitution for the GS-06. 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: The work is mostly sedentary, with occasional walking, standing, and carrying of light 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/.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to be credited towards qualifications. Provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

All education claimed by applicants will be verified upon appointment. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript to receive credit.

Contacts

• Address Waco Regional Benefit Office 1 Veterans Plaza, 701 Clay Ave Waco, TX 76799 US
• Name: James Marron
• Phone: 773-729-0570
• Email: [email protected]