Veterans Service Representative (AQRS)

Veterans Benefits Administration; Buffalo (NY); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Veterans Benefits Administration, Buffalo Regional Benefit Office, Veterans Service Center (VSC) seeks an Authorization Quality Review Specialist to support the quality assurance program and serve as a technical adviser to Veterans Service Representatives. The role focuses on measuring performance quality and identifying training needs through review of compensation and pension claims.

Responsibilities include analyzing work processes, advising management on trends, mentoring staff, and

Qualifications

• One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-10 in disability compensation and/or pension claims management.
• Graduate education in KSAs related to the position can substitute for experience as described; note on transcript submission.
• There is no educational substitution at GS-12 for this grade level.

Responsibilities

• Measure individual performance quality and identify training needs through review and assessment of completed compensation and pension claims.
• Advise management on trends identified in the claims process.
• Mentor and train others on compensation and/or pension claims while identifying deficiencies.
• Provide quality-review services on compensation and pension claims to improve accuracy and efficiency.

Education

Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M

Combination of education and experience for GS-11 (as described in the announcement)

Job description

The position is in a Department of Veterans Affairs, Buffalo Regional Benefit Office, Veterans Service Center (VSC). The Authorization Quality Review Specialist is an integral part of the VSC quality assurance program and is a key technical adviser to the Veterans Service Representatives (VSRs) in the Regional Office. The purpose of this position is to measure individual performance quality and identify training needs through review and assessment of completed compensation and pension claims.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:09/29/2026.

TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENT

• For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-10 level.
• For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11 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 GS-10

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 REQUIREMENTS:

GS-11 Grade Level:

GS-11 Grade Level: Specialized Experience:

Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-10 grade level or higher in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.Specialized experience is defined as comprehensive work experience related to the disability compensation and/or pension claims management process. Qualifying specialized experience may include, but is not limited to, activities such as 1) Developing, examining, investigating, adjudicating, or authorizing claims for disability compensation and/or pension claims, 2) Advising management on trends identified in the claims process, 3) Mentoring and training others on compensation and/or pension claims while identifying deficiencies.

Education Substitution for GS-11

Applicants must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three full years (54 semester hours or 81 quarter hours) of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M, if related. This graduate education (or completed degree) must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) to do the work for this position. Note: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Combine Education and Experience to qualify for GS-11:

Applicants may combine specialized experience and education beyond two full years of graduate level education. If you have some, but not all, of the graduate education described above AND less than one full year of the specialized experience described above, you may qualify by combining the amount of creditable education and experience that you do have. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grade GS-11. To calculate, first identify the education you have earned beyond your first two years of study as a percentage of a total of three years of study. Then identify the number of months of specialized experience you have as a percentage of 12 months. Add the two percentages. The total must equal at least 100 percent in order to be qualifying. For example, an applicant who has 45 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required beyond the first two years) and who has 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e., 50% of the one year of specialized experience required) would meet 100% and thus be qualified for the position. Note: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Click here for more information.

GS-12 Grade Level:

Specialized Experience:

One (1) year of Specialized Experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level GS-11. Specialized experience is defined as work that involves functioning in either capacity performing training, analyst or information systems duties of disability claims and pension management process. Examples include but are not limited to: 1) Conducting focused evaluations and reviews to determine authorization quality and accuracy for disability claims, 2) Providing advisory services to management via preparation and presentation of quality trend information, 3) Developing training strategies and materials to address compensation and/or pension claims deficiencies and/or conducting compensation/pension training activities, 4) Analyzing performance deficiencies and quality trends related to disability compensation and/or identify knowledge/skill gaps, 5) Providing quality-review services on compensation and pension claims providing feedback, and guidance to staff in order to correct unsatisfactory performance.

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

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 normally involves mental rather than physical exertion. 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.

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/.