Veterans Service Representative (Authorizer)

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:11/05/2026. TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENT: As a current Federal, GS employee you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-10 level.

If you are a current VBA employee requesting reassignment or change to lower grade via this vacancy announcement, you must currently hold the GS-11 or higher and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least None. The grade may have been in any occupation and 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.

You must provide a copy of your most recent SF-50 that indicates proof of status (career, career-conditional, or excepted service), time-in-grade requirements have been met, and identifies your position title, series, grade, step, salary, tenure, and type of service. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate possession of time-in-grade requirements.

In this instance, you must also submit your most recent Promotion or Within Grade Increase SF-50, or a Promotion or Within Grade Increase SF-50 that indicates the highest grade/step previously held. DO NOT submit Award SF-50s and/or General Adjustment SF-50s as they cannot be used to verify time-in-grade.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-11 Grade Level: Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-10) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes but is not limited to work that demonstrates competence in adjudicating and authorizing veterans' claims.

Experience is typically gained in positions that are involved in the development, examination, investigation, adjudication, and authorization of claims for disability compensation, disability pension, death compensation, death pension benefits, life insurance benefits, etc. Such experience is to be substantive and relevant and may have been gained in the practice of law or working with a Federal or state agency, insurance company, retirement, disability, or insurance program.

OR Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education you must have: A Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree in an accredited college or university OR 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree; OR possession of an LL.M. degree, if related. Graduate-level education must demonstrate the competencies necessary to do the work of the position. OR Combining Education &

01Experience

If you do not fully meet the length of experience and education described for a specific grade level (e.g. have six months of experience and some coursework but not a degree), the two can be combined to total 100% of the requirement. Click here for more information.

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.

02Physical Requirements

The work is mostly sedentary. Typically, the employee sits comfortably to do the work. However, there may be some walking, standing, bending, and carrying of light items such as papers or books. No special physical demands are required to perform the work. 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/.

Specific duties include: Serves as an Authorizer reviewing all required work of other Veterans Service Representatives when a second signature is required. Reviews and approves work for technical accuracy, clarity, thoroughness, and sensitivity of notification. Ensures that notices of decisions are prepared with an empathetic tone and are complete and phrased in terms that the claimant can understand. The VSR (Authorizer) must be familiar with rating procedures to ensure proper notification to the claimant.

Makes administrative decisions and special determinations relating to qualifying military service, character of discharge, domestic relations contested claims, homicide, presumed death, line of duty, willful misconduct, corpus of estate, violations of U.S. Penal Code, related attorney fees, administrative error, and fraud.

Authorizes administrative decisions made by other Veterans Service Representatives including character of discharge, line of duty, or willful misconduct, corpus of estate, and apportionment decisions. Explains a final decision if a veteran expresses an indication of dissatisfaction with a determination (filed in person, by telephone, or by mail). The VSR (Authorizer) will explain the decision in question in an effort to gain acceptance of the determination, and also explain the post-decision review process.

Uses electronic data processing (EDP) systems for inputting data related to claims adjudication, processing, monitoring, and correspondence preparation. Acts as an advocate for veterans and their beneficiaries in their dealings with other VA elements and organizations that affect their claims. Work Schedule: Full time, Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Available. Telework: This position is eligible for situational (ad hoc) telework only.

The selectee is required to report to the official duty station each scheduled workday. Telework may be approved only on a case-by-case basis with supervisory approval. Routine or recurring telework is not authorized for this position. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Veterans Service Representative (Authorizer); PD02105A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required.