Financial Administrative Specialist

Summary

This position is located within the Department of Veterans Affairs Debt Management Center (DMC), Veterans Experience Division (VED), within the Office of Finance, Office of Management. The primary purpose of this position is to assist Veterans, their spouses, dependents, and designees through an inbound contact center on issues related to debt management. They work under the supervision of a Supervisory Financial Administrative Specialist. The work also includes Fiscal Transaction Processing.

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Duties

• Provide technical direction and guidance to Veterans, family members, care givers, their designated representatives, and School Certifying Officials on debt collection related topics
• Establish, cancel, request, updates, and/or process financial actions
• Answering calls in contact center environment; handling customer inquires related to debt collection activities
• Reviews financial status of accounts including the validation/update of account indicators and information.
• Reviews financial system of record to ensure accuracy of established financial transactions and inputs adjustment transactions to prevent over collection.
• Annotates all account maintenance actions taken to ensure compliance with internal control programs.
  
  

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job.
• Selectees are subject to a background/suitability investigation.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• A probationary period may be required for employees and supervisors.
• A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
  
  

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 01/09/2025.

The Office of Personnel Management's (OPM's) group qualification standards covering white collar occupations in the Federal competitive service can be found: Here

General Experience:

Grade GS-5: Applicants must have three years of progressively responsible experience of which one year (12 months) must be equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-4), in the Federal service. General experience is defined as; (1) ability to analyze problems to identify significant factors, gather pertinent data, and recognize solutions; (2) Plan and organize work; AND (3) Communicate effectively orally and in writing.

Such experience may have been gained in administrative, professional, technical, investigative, or other responsible work. Experience in substantive and relevant secretarial, clerical, or other responsible work may be qualifying as long as it provided evidence of the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) necessary to perform the duties of the position to be filled. Experience of a general clerical nature (typing, filing, routine procedural processing, maintaining records, or other nonspecialized tasks) is not creditable. Trades or crafts experience appropriate to the position to be filled may be creditable for some positions.

OR

Applicant may substitute education for experience at grade level-GS-05: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study (120 semester hours or 180 quarter hours) in any field leading to an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university or you possess an undergraduate degree in any field from an accredited college of university.

OR

Applicants may combine education and experience to qualify for grade GS-05: Applicants may combine 2 years of general experience and 60 semester hours of college course work to qualify for the position. If you have some, but not all, of the full 4-year course of study AND some general experience as described above, you may still qualify by combining the amount of creditable education and experience that you do have. To do so, first calculate the percentage of required education you have earned. When substituting, only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e. beyond the second year) is creditable. Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-05.

Specialized Experience:

GS-07: Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-05) in the federal, state, local, public, or private sector. Specialized experience is work experience that equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position. Specialized experience for this position is defined as: 1) assisting customers, their dependents, and designees with debt counseling; 2) advising customers on various repayment options; and 3) applying knowledge of financial and debt collections laws, regulations, policies and procedures to analyze accounts and provide advice.

OR

Applicants may substitute education for experience at grade GS-07.

Undergraduate Degree With Superior Academic Achievement. If You Possess An Undergraduate Degree In Any Field From An Accredited College Or University AND You Meet One Of The Following Superior Academic Achievement Provisions, You May Qualify In Full For This Position Without Any Experience Where You:

• Ranked in the upper 1/3 of your college class or major subdivision; or
• Earned election to a national scholastic honor society that meets the requirements of the Association of College Honor Societies other than freshman honor societies; or
• Earned a grade point average (GPA) of 2.95 or higher on a 4.0 scale based on all completed undergraduate courses, or all undergraduate classes completed during the final two years; or earned a GPA of 3.45 or higher on a 4.0 scale based on all completed undergraduate courses in your major, or all undergraduate courses in your major, completed during the final two years.
  
  

Regarding the Superior Academic Achievement provisions, if more than 10% of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) was taken on a pass/fail or similar basis, you can qualify only on the basis of your class standing or membership in an honor society. If you qualify based on your education, you must include a copy of your college transcript along with your application. If you are selected for the position, an official college transcript will be required when you begin work.

Graduate Education. You may present with at least one full academic year of graduate level education that demonstrates you possess the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to satisfactorily perform the work. One year of full-time graduate education is normally determined by the school you attended. If that number cannot be determined, then 18 semester hours should be considered equivalent to one academic year of graduate study. Part-time graduate education is creditable on a pro-rata basis. If you qualify based on your education, you must include your college transcript along with your application. If you are selected for the position, an official college transcript will be required when you begin work.

OR

Applicants may combine education and experience to qualify for grade GS-07. Applicants may combine graduate level education and specialized experience to qualify for the grade GS-07 position. If you have some, but not all, of the graduate education AND some specialized experience as described above, you may still qualify by combining the amount of creditable education and experience that you do have. To do so, first calculate the percentage of qualifying education you have as a percentage of the education required. Next, calculate the percentage of specialized experience you have as a percentage of the experience required. Then, add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100% for you to qualify for the position at the grade GS-7 level. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate education (i.e., 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of acceptable specialized experience (i.e., 50% of the experience required) would satisfy the qualification requirements for the position. If you qualify based on a combination of graduate education and specialized experience, you must submit a copy of your official or unofficial college transcript with your application.

Note: 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 you document, to include volunteer experience.

Education

An unofficial or official copy of your transcripts must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/

If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

This is not a Virtual/Remote Position.

Work Schedule: Full-time, Hours will be established between Monday-Friday, 6:30 AM - 6:30 PM CST.

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, although the position may require periods of walking, bending, stooping, and slight physical activity.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. The full performance level of this position is grade GS-09.

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 may be discussed during the interview process. Telework is subject to approval by individual supervisors and managers, is considered a privilege not a right, is subject to approval based on performance and other varying factors, and is not guaranteed.

Receiving Service Credit for 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. VA may offer newly-appointed federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. 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.

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.

"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 (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), https://www.va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf."

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

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• Help Help A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  
  

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

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. Applicants who do not fully address in their resumes the specialized experience needed for the position (as described in the job announcement), or who do not possess the education to substitute for it, will not be referred for further consideration.

If You Are Referred For Consideration You Will Be Rated On The Following Competencies (knowledge, Skills And Abilities) Based On Your Application For This Position:

• Educational Experience (ACWA)
• Mathematical Skills (ACWA)
• Rating (ACWA)
• Social Organizations (ACWA)
• Work Experience (ACWA)
  
  

You may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities identified in the announcement; and/or 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 your further consideration for employment.

After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. During our review, if your résumé and application package does not support your questionnaire answers, we will adjust your rating accordingly.

Your Application Will Be Evaluated Using The Category Rating Method Based On Your Responses To The Assessment Questions And The Documents You Submit. If You Meet The Basic Requirements For The Position, Your Application Will Be Evaluated And Placed Into One Of Three Categories:

• Best Qualified Category - Candidates who meet the minimum qualification requirements and demonstrate a high level of the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position.
• Well Qualified Category - Candidates who meet the minimum qualification requirements and demonstrate a satisfactory level of the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position.
• Qualified Category - Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications requirements.
  
  

Note: Candidates eligible for veterans' preference will be placed ahead of other candidates in the appropriate category for which they have been rated. Additionally, preference eligibles who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent and who meet the minimum qualification requirements will automatically be placed in the best qualified category.

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Required Documents

Required Documents:

• Resume
  
  

Resume

• Your resume may be submitted in any format, however, we strongly recommend using USA Jobs resume builder as it contains all of the information required on Federal resumes.
• For qualifications determinations your resume must reflect hours worked per week, the inclusive dates of employment, and the level of your experience. If your resume does not reflect this information you will not receive credit for the experience.
• If you submit more than one copy of your resume, the most recent version will be reviewed. The latest timestamp will be used to determine which version of your resume is "most recent." It is your responsibility to check the status and timestamp of all documents you submit as part of your application. We would recommend that you not submit more than one version of your resume.
• If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, we will not use it to make eligibility and qualification determinations, and you may not be considered further for the vacancy.
  
  

Accepted Documents:

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• Supporting documentation if claiming CTAP/ICTAP
• PCS Orders
• Performance Appraisal
• Proof of Marriage Status
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript
  
  

Applicants Claiming Veterans' Preference Must Also Submit:

• A legible copy of your DD Form 214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," showing all dates of service, as well as character of service (Honorable, General, etc.) is required. The member copy 2 or 4 of your DD Form 214 is preferable, as they show the characterization of service. Copies of DD-214's can be requested: Here
• Current active duty members must submit a signed statement of service from their commander dated within the last 120 days that reflects their expected discharge date, their release from active duty under honorable conditions, any medals awarded, and the timeframe of their service so that eligibility can be determined.
• Veterans and others (Spouse, Parents, Widows/Widowers) claiming 10 point preference must also submit an SF-15 and all documents indicated on the form as proof of type of preference. This includes a VA letter supporting your disability claim with the overall percentage listed.
• If you are unsure as to whether you qualify for veterans' preference, please consult the U.S. Department of Labor's Veterans' Preference Advisor: Here
  
  

Transcripts

• If you are basing all or some of your qualifications on education or if a degree is required for the position, a transcript must be included as part of your application package.
• An unofficial transcript may be submitted, however, it must reflect the course names, levels, credits earned, grades received, and degree conferred if applicable.
• If you are claiming superior academic achievement (SAA) ensure you submit transcript(s) to demonstrate it. The requirements for superior academic achievement can be viewed: Here
• Your transcript (official of unofficial) must reflect the degree conferred date if you are substituting a degree for experience.
• A photocopy of your degree is not acceptable in lieu of a transcript.
• An official transcript will be required at a later date if you are selected for the position.
• Whenever possible it is preferable that you submit copies of official transcripts. Unofficial transcripts may lack essential information necessary for a full evaluation of your qualifications.
  
  

Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must also submit: Here

• Certification of expected separation, reduction-in-force separation notice, or notice of proposed removal; and your most recent performance evaluation; and an SF-50 demonstrating your separation or the position you will be separated from; or
• Worker's compensation separation (agency certification of inability to place employee and notification of separation or a separation SF-50; or
• Disability annuity termination (notification from OPM of disability annuity termination and separation SF-50 of the last position held); or
• Military reserve or National Guard technician special disability retirement annuity under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456 (certification of special disability retirement annuity from a military department or National Guard bureau and separation SF-50 of the last position held).
  
  

Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure that all required documents have been submitted by the closing date of the announcement. You will not be contacted for additional information.

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.