Decision Review Officer

Clarification from the agency

This vacancy announcement is open ONLY to current, permanent VBA Regional Office employees and current/former VBA employees who are CTAP eligible. For the purpose of this job announcement, Fiduciary Hub bargaining unit employees in the commuting area are considered facility employees.

Continued from the Summary Section: This job is located in the St. Petersburg RO Decision Review Operations Center (DROC). The primary purpose for this position is to receive notices of dissatisfaction from veterans and advocates. The incumbent is authorized to review the determination made by the VSR or RVSR, including the facts and evidence submitted in support of the claim and is empowered to uphold or overturn the decision.

Major Duties:

1. Receives notices of dissatisfaction from veterans and advocates and is empowered to review decision made by the VSR or RVSR, including the facts and evidence submitted in support of the claim.
2. Upholds or overturn decisions based on difference of opinion. Conducts informal hearings to obtain additional information from veterans and/or advocate.
3. Sustain or change decisions based on additional information gathered. In cases of continued dissatisfaction by a veteran, works with the veteran and advocate/representative to focus the issue and clearly explain a decision in an effort to resolve the dissatisfaction.
4. Proficiency with rating disabilities and adjudication and authorization functions in compensation and pension programs.
5. Issues revised decision based on the facts and evidence considered by the previous decision maker which form the basis for the claimant's dissatisfaction.
6. Interprets laws, rules, regulations, and agency instructions concerning the allowance or disallowance of claims.
7. Resolve issues with respect to legal entitlements of veterans, their surviving spouses, and other beneficiaries.
8. Decisions serve as a basis for payment or denial of benefits to claimants and for determination of the amounts payable or recoverable.
9. Conducts post-decision reviews, identifies trends or out-of-line situations and report the information to management officials.

Promotion Potential: None.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Compressed/Flexible: Available
Position Description/PD#: Decision Review Officer GS-GS-13 (41131-A)
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Bargaining Unit: Yes

Conditions of employment

Conditions Of Employment

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness & 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 or trial 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 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.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:07/30/2026.

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-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12.
• 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-13 (or higher) and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least GS-13.
• 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-13 (or higher) and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least None.

NOTE: All current or former Federal employees must provide a copy of their SF-50 (you may need to submit more than one), "Notice of Personnel Action" that indicates proof of status and time-in-grade eligibility. The SF-50 must include your position, title, series, grade, step, tenure (1 or 2), and type of service (Competitive or Excepted).

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: This position has an Individual Occupational Requirement and these requirements below must be met to qualify for this position.

• One (1) year of Specialized Experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (12). Specialized experience is defined as: demonstrated knowledge of the methods and procedures for providing or performing a variety of functions and services applicable to the position to be filled; ability to plan, organize, and control work involving diverse activities; ability to gain cooperation and coordinate the work of others; and skill in oral and written communications. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include:
• Management analyst or technician or other work that included study, analysis, or evaluation leading to the development or improvement of managerial or administrative policies, practices, and procedures.
• Administrative officer or assistant, budget administration, program analysis, or other work that demonstrated knowledge of an organization and its functions, and the ways in which support services can facilitate the work of the organization.
• Office management experience that included responsibility for directing a variety of support services such as typing, mail processing, purchase of supplies and equipment, etc.
• Secretarial work that required monitoring and coordinating administrative and processing work of subordinate elements through a system of internal procedures, controls, production, progress reporting, etc., to insure the efficient operation of an organization.
• Military experience that included responsibility for directing a variety of support functions such as communications, property management, mail service, facilities and equipment maintenance, etc.

Specialized Experience: In addition to the Individual Occupational Requirement, you must have one year of Specialized Experience at the GS-12 level or higher. Specialized experience must document an expert level of analytical, technical and customer service skills and ability to independently make recommendations based on research, initiative and sound judgment in all instances.

Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least 52 weeks at the GS-12 level as a Rating Veterans Service Representative in the organization.

Specialized experience is defined as experience in ALL of the following:
1. Development, examination, investigation, adjudication, and authorization of claims for disability compensation, disability pension, death compensation, death pension benefits, or life insurance benefits;
2. Exercising independent judgment in applying claims determinations; and
3. Evaluating the claims development process and operations to determine the effectiveness in meeting established goals and objectives; AND
4. Preparing or conducting training activities.

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.

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/.

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. You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

-Reasoning: Identifies rules, principles, or relationships that explain facts, data, or other information; analyzes information and makes correct inferences or draws accurate conclusions.
- Administrative Law: Knowledge of state and federal administrative laws, including procedures, regulations, guidelines, and precedents related to case preparation and settlements.
- Problem Solving: Identifies and analyzes problems; uses sound reasoning to arrive at conclusions; finds alternative solutions to complex problems; distinguishes between relevant and irrelevant information to make logical judgments.
- Decisiveness: Makes sound and well-informed decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, in order to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.
- Decision Making: Makes sound, well informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.
- Written Communication: Expresses facts and ideas in writing in a succinct and organized manner.
- Computer Skills: Uses computers, software applications, databases, and automated systems to accomplish work.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13004397
The USA Hire Assessments includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.

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 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.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete application package to include the documents detailed below. Failure to submit the required documents may result in your application being considered incomplete and you being deemed ineligible. It is your responsibility to ensure your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) 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.
• Your most recent NON-AWARD SF-50. The SF-50 must indicate proof of status and should identify your position title, series, grade, step, salary, tenure, and type of service (Competitive or Excepted).
• Your SF-50 reflecting when you entered your highest grade (e.g., Promotion, Appointment, etc.) in order to verify time-in-grade requirements.

Additional Documents accepted:

• Most recent Performance Appraisal (VA Form 0750)
• Award SF-50s
• CTAP documentation - RIF notice, SF-50 showing VA employee, and performance appraisal.

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 CTAP documentation (for displaced VA 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 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.

Next steps