Summary The purpose of the position is to serve as a Lead Contact Representative, to the Health Administration Service (HAS), under the direct supervision of the Health Benefits Supervisor. The incumbent continuously embraces and support the Ann Arbor VA Medical Center mission, vision, and core values. The incumbent is expected to present to work in a professional manner and timely in accordance with established tour of duty. Responsibilities Duties include but not limited to: Maintains extensive knowledge of the Medical Center and policies to respond to inquiries from veterans, Medical Center staff and other agencies regarding applying for care, eligibility etc. The Lead will oversee 7 Health Benefits Contact Representatives at the full performance of GS-07. Estimate and report on expected time of completion of work and maintain records of work accomplishments and time expended and prepare reports on patient processing activities as requested by the supervisor and/or HAS leadership. Provide status updates and progress of work to the HBU Supervisor and/or HAS leadership and obtain needed information or decisions from the supervisor on developing issues. Distributes and balances workload among employees in accordance with established workflow or job specialization. Ensures the timely accomplishment of assigned workload and make day to day adjustments in accordance with established priorities, obtaining assistance from the supervisor on problems that may arise such as but not limited to backlogs. Instruct employees in specific tasks and job techniques, providing extensive training to new and existing staff, developing educational materials for distribution with the inclusion of Standard Operating Procedures. Monitor and report on the status and progress of work, checking on work in progress and reviewing completed work to see that the supervisor's instructions on work priorities, methods, deadlines, and quality have been met. Be responsible for amending or rejecting work that does not meet established standards and refer to the supervisor with problems in meeting performance standards. The incumbent will report to the supervisor on performance, progress, and training needs of employees, and on behavior issues. He/She will provide information to the supervisor as requested concerning promotions, reassignment, recognition of outstanding performance and personal needs. Coach the team on selection and application of appropriate problem-solving methods and techniques, provide advice on work methods, practices, and procedures, and assist the team and or individual members in identifying the parameter of viable solutions. Inform employees of available services and employee activities and assist in resolving simple informal complaints of employees and refer others to the supervisor. The Lead Contact Representative will communicate with staff of new updates, changes and/or adjustments to policies and procedures. Communicates daily with the HBU Supervisor on regards to daily operations, consistent care coordination. Communicates and consults with HBU Supervisor and colleagues to develop knowledge, and to apply agency policies and practices to new matters. Serve as a key contact for various medical center staff, Veterans and family members pertaining to healthcare benefits. Monitors special programs such as Agent Orange, OEF/OIF/OND, Military Sexual Trauma (MST), Camp Lejeune, Southwest Asia, PACT Act and others to assure veterans are receiving the appropriate appointments and benefits. Collects and communicates data relating to special programs such as Mental Health, Ineligible Veterans, Champ VA etc. to the Supervisor and/or HAS Leadership. The incumbent will monitor working conditions such as seating, safety etc.; and may approve leave for a few hours for emergencies when the supervisor is not readily available.

As a Health Benefits Contact Representative, the incumbent serves as the subject-matter expert and is responsible for applying an extensive body of rules and regulations relative to Veterans Eligibility for VA healthcare benefits, interpretation of relevant laws, VHA guidelines and regulations, and other federal agency policies is required to ensure that timely and appropriate measures are taken throughout data collection and data entry processes.

Work Schedule:

Monday - Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm

Telework:

Not Authorized for telework.

Virtual:

This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Contact Representative/PD92855-0 Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959

Physical Requirements:

The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-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. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to 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. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/23/2026.

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 GS08 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS07. 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 and/or education as described below: Specialize