Legal Administrative Specialist (Homeless Veterans Outreach Coordinator)

Summary

The Legal Administrative Specialist (Contact Representation) Homeless Veteran Outreach Coordinator (HVOC) serves as a member of the Public Contact Team, located in the Veterans Service Center at a Regional Office and the focal point at the station level of VBA's effort to assist homeless veterans.

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Overview

• Accepting applications

• Open & closing dates

05/31/2024 to 06/10/2024

• Salary

$56,528 - $73,484 per year

Salary shown is the basic pay without locality pay. Once selections are made the locality pay will be added to the salary based on the duty location

• Pay scale & grade

GS 10

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Locations

• San Diego, CA

• Las Vegas, NV

• Reno, NV

• Remote job

No

• Telework eligible

Yes-as determined by the agency policy.

• Travel Required

Not required

• Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

• Appointment type

Permanent

• Work schedule

Full-time

• Service

Competitive

• Promotion potential

None

• Job family (Series)

0901 General Legal And Kindred Administration

• Supervisory status

No

• Security clearance

Not Required

• Drug test

No

• Position sensitivity and risk

Moderate Risk (MR)

• Trust determination process

Suitability/Fitness

• Announcement number

377-24-RPA-12427715-BU

• Control number

793601600

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This job is open to

• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.

• Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of this agency.

Clarification from the agency

This vacancy announcement is open ONLY to current, permanent Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) employees in the competitive service and current/former VA employees who are CTAP eligible.

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Duties

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Offers a wide array of special programs and initiatives specifically designed to help homeless Veterans live as self-sufficiently and independently as possible. VA's major homeless-specific programs constitute the largest integrated network of homeless treatment and assistance service throughout the country. The programs strive to offer a continuum of service that include aggressive outreach to those veterans living on streets and in shelters who otherwise would not seek assistance, clinically assessment and referral to need medical treatment for physical and psychiatric disorders, including substance abuse.

• Represents the Regional Office as liaison with local VA and non-profit community homeless specific organizations, homeless advocacy groups and other support activities. Coordinates VA benefit programs to best serve homeless Veterans and their families.

• Coordinates counseling sessions with Veterans, their dependents, and their beneficiaries face-to-face, regarding all benefits available through the VA, as well as non-VA benefits available through other agencies. This is accomplished through in-person or telephone interviews, and correspondence, or telephone VBA facilities and provides broad outreach services.

• Explains in detail, VBA rating decisions and provides explanations for the decisions using extensive knowledge of VA benefits and services, claim and appeal processing procedures and benefit determination information and all pertinent information available in system of record.

• Assists with programs including, but are not limited to, compensation and pension benefits, home loan eligibility, education, health care, life insurance, burial benefits, vocational rehabilitation services, general Social Security Administration benefit programs, and other federal, state, and local domestic relations, and assistance programs.

• Prepares technical correspondence to Veterans and their dependents providing benefit information, representation rights, and response to miscellaneous inquiries.

• Explains pertinent legal provisions, regulations, and related administrative practices and their application to specific cases.

• May serve as, or with the Outreach Coordinator (such as the Women's Veterans Coordinator, Minority Veterans Coordinator, Homeless Veterans Coordinator, Aging Veterans Coordinator, Ex-Prisoners of War Coordinator or Military Services Coordinator).

• Initiates inquiries to resolve errors, delays, or other problems in obtaining benefits. Completes claim and appeal-related work.

• Provides training materials (pamphlets, handouts, etc.) to shelters, homeless service providers, and homeless Veterans. This includes, but is not limited to, benefit orientations, counseling, and assistance with claims. Able to interpret and accurately reflect VA policies, procedures, and eligibility requirements for VA homeless programs.

• Performs outreach functions as part of a Homeless Chronically Mentally Ill Program (HCMI) team to provide improved access to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits and services for the homeless. Spend time in the community at homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and all other areas where homeless Veterans can be found. Focuses on the identification of homeless Veterans, relationship building, and assuring that homeless Veterans receive comprehensive services through the team and through linkage to non-VA programs.

• Provides referral, application assistance, advocacy, and follow-up, when necessary, to appropriate service programs.

• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Standard 5-day, 8 hours, full-time (40 hours a week) 8:00 am to 4:30 pm (PS Time) schedule; Hours may vary to effectively carry out the mission.

Telework: Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Legal Administrative Specialist (Homeless Veterans Outreach Coordinator)/ 41793A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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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

• This is a bargaining unit position.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/10/2024.

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-10 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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 as described below:

• Specialized experience is defined as (1) experience that has demonstrated the capability of being a self-reliant decision-maker and possessing the ability to work independently when providing customer service benefits counseling and claims processing. (2) The individual must possess in-depth knowledge of researching relevant subject matter. (3) The experience should be significantly and directly derived from federal, military, or the private sector. Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to orating to persons from a wide variety of backgrounds regarding VA benefits programs; performing research of local, state, and Federal laws and regulations to determine Veterans' eligibility for benefits programs.

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 is mostly sedentary.

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.

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.

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 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 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.

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• Benefits

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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 window

Learn more about federal benefits.

Review our 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.

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

1.REASONING: Identifies rules, principles, or relationships that explain facts, data, or other information; analyzes information and makes correct inferences or draws accurate conclusions.

2.PROBLEM SOLVING: Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations.

3.CUSTOMER SERVICE: Works with clients and customers (that is, any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces, including the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside the Government) to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services.

4.READING: Understands and interprets written material, including technical materials, rules, regulations, instructions, reports, charts, graphs, or tables; applies what is learned from written material to specific situations.

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.