Congressional Liaison Representative.

Veterans Benefits Administration; Winston-Salem (NC); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

Veterans Benefits Administration in the United States seeks a Congressional Liaison Representative to manage inquiries for the Regional Office Director. You will review correspondence, respond by phone or in writing, and coordinate with congressional offices on VBA benefits.

The role involves conducting briefings for congressional staff, representing the regional office at events, and ensuring timely, well-documented workloads.

Qualifications

• Specialized experience: counseling veterans and their families on benefits.
• Education substitution allowed for advanced degrees.
• Full-time work requirement (35+ hours/week).
• Sedentary work with occasional lifting up to 20 pounds.

Responsibilities

• Review congressional, White House, and agency inquiries by various channels.
• Respond to inquiries by phone or in writing on behalf of the Regional Office Director.
• Research and analyze inquiries to determine the correct course of action and priority.
• Communicate with congressional constituents about VBA benefits.
• Conduct briefings and trainings for congressional staff on VBA benefits.
• Represent the Regional Office at events and may serve as guest speaker/panelist.
• Ensure properly documented, controlled, and timely workload.
• Prepare reports in accordance with established priorities.

Education

Master's or equivalent graduate degree

2 years of graduate education

LL.B. or J.D. degree related

Job description

• Review all Congressional, White House, Secretary, Office of the Director, Veterans Service Center, and other special inquires received by letter, fax, email, and/or telephone.
• Respond to all inquiries by telephone or in writing on behalf of the Director of the Regional Office.
• Research and analyze inquires to determine the correct course of action and priority.
• Communicate with congressional constituents to provide information pertaining to services and benefits available to Veterans.
• Conduct briefings and training sessions for congressional staff on VBA benefits.
• Represent the Regional Office at events and may serve as guest speaker/panelist.
• Ensure properly documented, controlled, and timely workload.
• Prepare reports in accordance with established priorities.

Duties

Specific Duties Include

• Review all Congressional, White House, Secretary, Office of the Director, Veterans Service Center, and other special inquires received by letter, fax, email, and/or telephone.
• Respond to all inquiries by telephone or in writing on behalf of the Director of the Regional Office.
• Research and analyze inquires to determine the correct course of action and priority.
• Communicate with congressional constituents to provide information pertaining to services and benefits available to Veterans.
• Conduct briefings and training sessions for congressional staff on VBA benefits.
• Represent the Regional Office at events and may serve as guest speaker/panelist.
• Ensure properly documented, controlled, and timely workload.
• Prepare reports in accordance with established priorities.

Promotion Potential: None

Work Schedule:

Full-time permanent Monday-Friday 08:00am - 4:30pm

Compressed/Flexible:

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#

Congressional Liaison Representative; PD39706A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives

Not Authorized.

Financial Disclosure Report:

Not Required

Requirements

Conditions of employment

Required

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the Agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the Agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Additional Conditions Of Employment Are As Follows

• 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 or trial period
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Incumbent must be willing to report to the duty station indicated for this position.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:08/31/2026.

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-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07 level.
• If you are a current VBA employee outside of the commuting area seeking reassignment or change to lower grade via this vacancy announcement, you must currently hold the GS-09 (or higher) and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least GS-09.

If you are a current VBA employee requesting a reassignment or change to lower grade via this vacancy announcement, you must currently hold the GS- 09 (or higher) and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least 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. 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:

GS-09 Grade Level

Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-07) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is experience in (1) counseling customers and/or veterans, their dependents and their beneficiaries regarding their benefits. (2) serving as a liaison between government personnel (inside and outside the organization), representatives of business and industry, trade and professional associations, the media, or the public. (3) analyzing submitted claims and initiating action to obtain all required evidence to support the claim. Conducting comprehensive briefings to large groups.

OR

Education Substitution

Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education you must have:

• A master's or equivalent graduate degree in an accredited or pre-accredited college or university;

OR

• 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree; or possession of an LL.B. or J.D degree, if related. Graduate-level education must demonstrate the competencies necessary to do the work of the position.

Combining Education & Experience: 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.

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 primarily sedentary, with periods of standing, walking, and minimal lifting (under 20 pounds).

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at

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:

You may submit unofficial transcripts when applying. However, if you are selected for the position, you will be required to provide an official transcript or a statement from the institution (e.g., from the registrar, dean, or other appropriate official) or equivalent documentation prior to the start date.

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.

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 CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at

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.

Special Employment Consideration:

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Please contact the special placement coordinator or the human resources specialist listed on this vacancy for more information regarding applying for consideration under schedule A or as a 30% disabled Veteran.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)

provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. A well-qualified candidate is defined as meeting all of the minimum qualification standards and eligibility requirements as well as possessing skills that clearly exceed the minimum qualifications requirements for this position. Information about CTAP eligibility can be found

VA supports the use of ad-hoc telework.

This position may be authorized for ad-hoc telework. Eligibility may be discussed during the interview process.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act

, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP),

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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.

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.