Lead Contact Representative
U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
Summary
This position is in the Health Resource Center (HRC), Contact Management, Help Desk section of VHA Member Services. The HRC consists of contact centers located throughout the country to answer Veteran questions related to billing, eligibility, benefits, and other Veteran support services. The primary purpose of the position is to serve as a Lead Contact Representative by providing guidance and assistance to Help Desk Contact Representatives in the performance of their duties.
Learn more about this agencyOverview
- Accepting applications
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Open & closing dates
01/06/2025 to 01/13/2025
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Salary
$49,025 - $79,331 per year
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Pay scale & grade
GS 7
- Help
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
- Anywhere in the U.S. (remote job)
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Remote job
Yes - Employees are required to reside within 50 miles of a VA Medical Center (does not include Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs), Vet Centers, etc.) location in the continental U.S. or a Member Services location in the following cities: Topeka, Kansas; Waco, TX; Canandaigua, NY.
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Telework eligible
Not applicable, this is a remote position.
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Travel Required
Not required
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Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
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Appointment type
Permanent
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Work schedule
Full-time
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Service
Competitive
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Promotion potential
None
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Job family (Series)
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Supervisory status
No
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Security clearance
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Drug test
No
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Position sensitivity and risk
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Trust determination process
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Financial disclosure
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Bargaining unit status
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Announcement number
CBZY-12649386-25-JR
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Control number
826765200
This job is open to
- Internal to an agency
Current federal employees of this agency.
- Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
Clarification from the agency
Open to current Station 702 Member Services Employees - Must reside within 50 miles of a VA Medical Center location in the continental U.S. or a Member Services location in the following cities: Topeka, Kansas; Waco, TX; or Canandaigua, NY.
Videos
Duties
Major duties include, but are not limited to:
- Receives inbound telephone calls, emails inquiries, or webchats from Veterans, Caregivers, VA staff & other users related to the MyHealtheVet website, eBenefits website, the Web & Mobile Solutions Mobile applications, access VA website and Beneficiary Travel Self Service System portal.
- Receives inbound telephone calls from and responds to veterans, their family members and/or legal representatives, the public, and VA employees concerning VA and related non-VA benefits available to Veterans, dependents and of Veterans, and beneficiaries.
- Responds to questions and resolves issues pertaining to escalated calls on the Help Desk Assist Line, escalated emails from management, Contact Representatives, and other Lead Contact Representatives.
- Provides leadership, guidance, and technical direction to Contact Representatives to accomplish the work of the unit or team and resolves issues without the involvement of a supervisor except in unusual circumstances.
- Works closely with the Help Desk Program Specialist and Help Desk leadership to report tends when there are system outages and technical issues experienced with systems impacting the Help Desk.
- Processing, documenting, and routing possible reworks in appropriate SharePoint Tracker to correct the error; processing pending reviews, which may include contacting the Veteran to inform them that the issue is resolved or returning to the Help Desk Contact Representative for additional information.
- Answers or provides input to Congressional complaints within one hour of receiving the initial inquiry.
- Assists as a Subject Matter Expert while the Member Services Training Team trains new Help Desk team members and helps train new Help Desk Leads.
- Attends monthly Help Desk team meetings and discusses various topics such as Knowledge Management articles, business processes, current issues, websites changes/updates, and other pertinent information.
- Coaches to junior staff that support the mission, vision and values of the Health Resource Center and our Customer's expectations.
- Recommends changes to standard operating procedures, business processes and job aids based on acquired knowledge, feedback from Contact Representatives, and personal observation.
Work Schedule: Full-time, 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday, 8 hour shift between 6:45 am - 7:15 pm. Official tour of duty will be selected based on business needs and will start after training is completed.
Telework: 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.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Lead Contact Representative/PD07782A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
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
- Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
- Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.
Training: Initial training will be approximately 6 weeks Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Central Time. Employees are required to reside within 50 miles of a VA Medical Center location in the continental U.S. or a Member Services location in the following cities: Topeka, Kansas, Canandaigua, New York or Waco, Texas
Qualifications
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-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. 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. 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 only (education cannot be used as a substitute) as described below:
Specialized Experience GS-07: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-06 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:
- Provides leadership, guidance, and technical direction to Contact Representatives to accomplish the work of the unit or team and resolves issues without the involvement of a supervisor except in unusual circumstances.
- Fields questions from junior staff, provides technical direction and conducts coaching reviews of work performed (accuracy, appropriateness of response and customer service).
- Determines most appropriate action or identifies alternatives in resolving issue(s) through in-depth research and interpretation.
- Handles escalated calls and provides clarification to Contact Representatives regarding standard operating procedures, business processes, job aids, and knowledge management scripting.
- Analyze significant characteristics of each assignment in order to resolve variety of issues to include software, hardware, and data communication.
You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
- Administration and Management
- Leadership
- Oral Communication
- Technical Competence
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 primarily sedentary, although slight physical effort may be required. Use of a computer and keyboard is extensive.
For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
Education
There is no educational substitution at this grade level.
Additional information
Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
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. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
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.
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.
The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.
For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.
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.
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.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
- Resume
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.
- Cover Letter
- Other (1)
- Performance Appraisal
- Resume
- Separation Notice (RIF)
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):
- Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
- An SF-50 showing 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
- Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
- Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
- Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
- Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
- SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 01/13/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12649386.
- To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
- Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USA JOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Application page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USA JOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USA JOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/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 for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. 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/.
During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.
Agency contact information
- Address
- VHA Central Office - Member Services
3401 SW 21st St Bldg 9
Topeka, KS 66604
US
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.
Fair & Transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.