Veterans Benefits Administration
Legal Administrative Specialist (Contact Representative)
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Summary
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement: 10/23/2026. 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-10 position, you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09 level. If you are a current VBA employee requesting reassignment or change to a lower grade via this vacancy announcement, you must currently hold the GS- 10 or higher, and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least None. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. Submit an SF-50 showing your time-in-grade eligibility 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 case, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one year of time-in-grade. MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-10 Grade Level: Specialized Experience: Experience that has demonstrated the capability of being a self-reliant decision-maker and possessing the ability to work independently when providing customer service, benefits counseling, and claims processing. In-depth knowledge of researching relevant subject matter. The experience should be significantly and directly derived from federal, military, or private-sector experience. Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to: orating to persons from a wide variety of backgrounds regarding VA benefits programs; performing research of local, state, and Federal laws and regulations to determine Veterans' eligibility for benefits programs. Education Substitution: a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, completion of two and a half (2.5) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LL.M., if related. (You must provide transcripts) 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. 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; religious; 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: Most work is generally performed under common business office conditions at the Regional Office. The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of offices, meeting rooms, and training rooms. The work area is adequately lit, heated, and ventilated. Telework on a limited basis may be offered after a successful probationary period is satisfied, and performance is at least at fully satisfied. It also requires concentration and the ability to sustain maximum mental output over extended periods of time. 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/.
Major Duties
Specific duties include: Coordinating counseling sessions with Veterans, their dependents, and their beneficiaries regarding all benefits available through the VA, as well as non-VA benefits available through other agencies. This is accomplished through in-person meetings, telephone interviews, or written correspondence. Explaining, in detail, VA rating decisions and providing explanations for said decisions using extensive knowledge of VA benefits and services, claim and appeal processing procedures, benefit determination information, and all pertinent information available in the system of record. Assisting with programs including, but not limited to, compensation and pension benefits, home loan eligibility, education, health care, life insurance, burial benefits, vocational rehabilitation services, general Social Security Administration benefit programs, other federal, state, and local domestic relations, and assistance programs. Preparing technical correspondence to Veterans and their dependents providing benefit information, representation rights, and response to miscellaneous inquiries. Explaining pertinent legal provisions, regulations, and related administrative practices and their application to specific cases. May serve as or with the Outreach Coordinator (such as the Women's Veterans Coordinator, Minority Veterans Coordinator, Homeless Veterans Coordinator, Aging Veterans Coordinator, Ex-Prisoners of War Coordinator, or Military Services Coordinator). Initiating inquiries to resolve errors, delays, or other problems in obtaining benefits. Completes claim and appeal-related work. Work Schedule: Full-time; Monday - Friday; 8 AM - 4:30 PM Compressed/Flexible: Not available Telework: This position is eligible for situational (ad hoc) telework only. The selectee must 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#: Legal Administrative Specialist (Contact Representative); PD02108A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Bargaining Unit: No
Requirements
As a condition of employment, you must 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 per I-9 Acceptable Documents. 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.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must submit a complete application package that includes the documents detailed below. Failure to submit the required documents may result in your application being considered incomplete and you being deemed ineligible. You are responsible for ensuring your application package (resume, supporting documents, and questionnaire responses) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. We will not request additional documentation or accept late or missing documents after the announcement has closed. Resume, limited to 2 pages, detailing specialized experience and competencies as they relate to this position For each position in your resume, you must specify the start and end dates (month/year) and a description of duties. If the position was Federal, you must also indicate the grade level. Resumes containing a general summary of all positions held, not specifying start/end dates, and/or not including Federal grade level(s) are insufficient to determine basic qualifications. Transcript if you are using education to qualify Veterans: Member-4 DD-214 and disability rating letter (if applicable) If you are currently on active duty to be released within 120 days, you may submit an armed forces certification in place of a Member-4 DD-214. Current Federal Employees: A copy of your most recent NON-AWARD SF-50. The SF-50 must indicate proof of status (for example, you are a career or career-conditional employee) and should identify your position title, series, grade, step, salary, tenure, and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). To verify you meet Time-in-Grade requirements, also submit a SF-50 reflecting when you entered your highest grade held (e.g., Promotion, Appointment, etc.). Current VBA Employees: If you are outside the commuting area and seeking a reassignment/change to a lower grade, you must submit a copy of your most recent SF-50 (non-award) AND the SF-50 placing you into your current position. Military Spouse of Active-Duty Military Member: A copy of your marriage license AND your spouse's active duty orders Military Spouse of Separated Veteran: A copy of your marriage license, Member-4 DD-214 AND either your spouse's 1) 100% disability rating, or 2) documentation of death during active duty. Other Status Candidates: Evidence of eligibility to apply (e.g., Peace Corps verification letter, Schedule A letter, PS-50, etc.). Please 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. 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 50s do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include: Within-grade increases at the highest grade held; or Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or SF-50s at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old. Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days, you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx.
How to Apply
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (EST) on 10/23/2026 to receive consideration. It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. The application process is as follows: Click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. Click the Submit Application button before 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. You will receive the notification on your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. In USAJOBS, you can also click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. You can access it through your USAJOBS login credentials. Review all instructions before beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Set aside about two (2) hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can reuse your unique assessment link. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us. To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status. Your application status page lets you view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and notifications from the hiring agency about your application. Beginning September 27, 2025, Federal agencies will accept resumes of up to two pages to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan. Resumes longer than two pages will result in ineligibility for further consideration for the position. USAJOBS will not allow you to upload or build resumes longer than two pages, and you will need to update the resumes in your profile before applying for a job. Resumes should include information relevant to the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies of the position to which you are applying. VA cannot assume qualifications if they are not clearly listed. Resumes must be legible so we can review them for eligibility, minimum qualifications, and other position requirements listed in the job announcement. Your resume must be 5MB or less. We recommend saving and uploading your resume as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT, or Word (DOC or DOCX). We do not accept PDF portfolio files. We recommend using a sans-serif font like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open Sans Pro, Roboto, or Noto Sans. Make your page margins 0.5 inches. Consider using a 14-point font for titles and 10-point for the main text in your resume. The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started. Helpful Hints for Creating a Two-Page Resume: Prioritize most relevant and recent experience Use concise, results-focused language Align language from the job announcement Focus on demonstrating skills and competencies Remove outdated or unrelated experience Use the USAJOBS resume builder Additional guidance on this new requirement and resume-building tools can be found at: USA Jobs Help Center - Resume Page Limit Applicant Guidance on the Two-Page Resume Limit