Decision Review Officer
What you'd do
This position is in a Department of Veteran Affairs Regional Office (VARO) Veteran Service Center or Pension Management Center. The Rating Quality Review Specialist is an integral part of the Veteran Service Center's quality assurance program and is a key technical advisor to the Decision Review Officers (DROs) and Rating Veterans Service Representatives (RVSRs), In the Regional Office.
Major duties
The purpose of this position is to measure individual performance quality and identify training needs through the review and assessment of completed claims involving appeals and rating decisions. Typical duties include, but are not limited to: Performs individual quality reviews to determine the rating quality level of individual DROs and RVSRs for purposes of individual performance standards in accordance with an established monthly schedule. Conducts focused "in-process reviews" to determine the accuracy of claims actions taken (Such reviews are for station level feedback and improvement only, not used for individual performance standard purposes). Responsible for sharing rating quality trend information with management on an ongoing basis and with the DROs and RVSRs during training sessions. Reviews products or activities for quality of performance and enters the results into the online STAR checklist. Evaluates and identifies deficiencies of all elements of a claim from evidence development, income, and dependency issues, to award processing and authorization. Provides an explanation of errors and includes comments where attention is warranted. Prepares STAR data reports and provides to personnel in the Regional Office who are authorized to request and receive such reports. Develops various quality assurance processes with emphasis on work procedures and techniques that address unique work conditions and practices. Ensures all program requirements imposed by Compensation Services and/or the Pension and Fiduciary Service and the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims are met or implemented. Prepares documentation to support unfavorable findings in order to provide justification for error decisions and indicate required actions. Conducts statistical analysis of quality reviews to identify trends, significant problem areas and processes requiring improvement. Relays quality trend information with management on an ongoing basis for use in operations, decision making, and planning. Promotion Potential: None - This position is at the full performance level (FPL) Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Compressed/Flexible: Compressed schedule may be an option with approval from division chief and agency policy. 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#: Decision Review Officer GS- 13 : 37138A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Bargaining Unit: Yes
What you need to qualify
AREA OF CONSIDERATION: This vacancy announcement is open ONLY to current, permanent Columbia, SC, VBA Regional Office employees and current/former VA employees who are CTAP eligible. To show that you are a current, permanent employee of the Columbia, SC Regional Benefit Office you must provide your most recent, non-award SF-50. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:07/22/2026. It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. 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. 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. NOTE: All current or former Federal employees must provide a copy of their SF-50 showing your time-in-grade eligibility with their 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. 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: You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS - 13 Grade Level Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-12). Specialized experience is defined as work that involves functioning in either a capacity performing training, analyst, or information systems duties of a claim's management process. The experience should be substantive and relevant and may have been gained in the federal, military, or private sector. Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: Conducting reviews to analyze the quality of completed rated cases; Conducting evaluations and reviews on a quantitative or qualitative basis of claims development programs and operations to determine the effectiveness in meeting established goals and objectives; Preparing or conducting training activities; Identifying knowledge/skills gaps and plan training strategies; Providing and implementing data for one or more information management systems accurately and timely or providing technical guidance and direction to staff in the daily operation and maintenance of claims management systems. There is no education substitution at the GS - 13 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; however, there may be some walking, standing, and carrying of light items. 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/.
Before you apply
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