Program Support Assistant (TIMS Clerk).

Veterans Benefits Administration; Buffalo (NY); Hybrid; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

The Veterans Benefits Administration in Buffalo, NY seeks a Program Support Assistant (TIMS Clerk) to index incoming mail, review claims packages, and establish records across VA systems. You will create and update claimant records, route documents, and perform quality reviews of scanned materials.

This role supports workload reporting, staff training, and process improvements. It allows situational telework and requires U.S. citizenship and eligibility for federal employment.

Qualifications

• Experience using computers, software applications, and databases for data entry and records management.
• Ability to perform data analysis and prepare reports.
• Attention to detail and accuracy in handling claims data.

Responsibilities

• Index incoming mail and documents into TIMS and review full claims packages.
• Create, update, and manage claimant records and establish TIMSC files.
• Route mail to correct jurisdictions and return incomplete forms when needed.
• Scan and quality review paper documents converted to electronic format.
• Correct errors in claimant information; merge, delete, or transfer records across systems.
• Prepare workload reports and support file management and folder transfers.
• Train and assist staff on procedures and process improvements.

Skills

Data entry

Records management

Documentation

Data analysis

Tools

TIMS

BON system

Job description

• Index incoming mail and documents into TIMS, review full claims packages, assign document types, and establish required controls and records across multiple VA systems.
• Create, update, and manage claimant records, including establishing TIMSC files, validating identifiers, and ensuring proper dates of claim.
• Identify, route, and determine jurisdictions for all incoming mail, including unidentifiable or misrouted correspondence, and return incomplete forms when necessary.
• Scan, batch, and perform quality review of paper documents converted to electronic format to ensure clarity and readiness for indexing.
• Research and correct errors in claimant information or misfiled documents, including deleting, merging, or transferring records across BON, TIMS, and related systems.
• Support workflow management by preparing workload reports, managing folder transfers, maintaining logs/repositories, and generating folder prints as needed.
• Train, mentor, and assist new staff, providing guidance on procedures, troubleshooting file issues, and contributing process-improvement suggestions.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Duties

Specific Duties Include

• Index incoming mail and documents into TIMS, review full claims packages, assign document types, and establish required controls and records across multiple VA systems.
• Create, update, and manage claimant records, including establishing TIMSC files, validating identifiers, and ensuring proper dates of claim.
• Identify, route, and determine jurisdictions for all incoming mail, including unidentifiable or misrouted correspondence, and return incomplete forms when necessary.
• Scan, batch, and perform quality review of paper documents converted to electronic format to ensure clarity and readiness for indexing.
• Research and correct errors in claimant information or misfiled documents, including deleting, merging, or transferring records across BON, TIMS, and related systems.
• Support workflow management by preparing workload reports, managing folder transfers, maintaining logs/repositories, and generating folder prints as needed.
• Train, mentor, and assist new staff, providing guidance on procedures, troubleshooting file issues, and contributing process-improvement suggestions.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Work Schedule

8:00 am - 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday.

Compressed/Flexible

Yes

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#

Program Support Assistant (TIMS Clerk); PD42213A

Financial Disclosure Report

Not Required

Bargaining Unit

No

Requirements

Conditions of employment

Required

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may 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;
• 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.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:10/29/2026.

TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENT

• For a GS-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05 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. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT

You may qualify based on your experience as described below. as described below:

Specialized Experience

To qualify, applicants must have one year (52 weeks) 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. Examples of specialized experience would typically include but are not limited to performing the following duties: Utilizing computers, software applications, and databases to carry out work tasks such as data entry, sorting, and retrieval; data analysis; research; monitoring; and the preparation of correspondence and reports.

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