Senior Legal Administrative Specialist

Summary As a Senior Legal Administrative Specialist at the GS-0901-12, you will be part of Retirement Services Office of Personnel Management. If selected, you will be responsible for the processing of claims and carrying out various review and program evaluation functions intended to maintain the integrity of retirement benefits. Responsibilities Performing projects requiring a comprehensive knowledge of the Federal retirement programs administered by OPM to process claims, maintain and improve the operational management of the claims process and the integrity of the retirement program. Serving as a technical and policy expert for assigned area, interpreting and correctly applying law and regulation as well as procedures associated with claims adjudication within the Branch or program integrity functions. Adjudicating and/or making determinations of eligibility and entitlement on cases to include those of unusual technical difficulty such as cases based on obscure or seldom used retirement laws. Reviewing correspondence, evidence, and supplemental claims submitted after the initial claim has been decided to make post-adjudicative determinations and authorize adjustments of benefits. Reviewing and approving recommendations and decisions made by other team members, and provide technical guidance to other Specialists, ensuring quality products particularly on matters of high complexity or that require seasoned judgment. Requirements Conditions of Employment Must be a U.S. Citizen or National Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation May be required to successfully complete a probationary period Complete the initial online assessment and USAHire Assessment, if required This position is eligible for inclusion in the bargaining unit. The union that represents employees in this position is the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 32. Qualifications For the GS12: You must have at least one year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the private or public sector) performing ALL of the following tasks: 1) Interpreting laws and regulations for claims adjudication; AND 2) Adjudicating cases of Federal Employees' and Civil Service Retirement, workers compensation, Social Security benefits, disability to determine federal benefits and entitlements; AND 3) Expediting resolution of special, unique case problems or actions; AND 4) Developing lessons for training programs; AND 5) Recommending changes to automated data processing (ADP) to implement enhancements to data systems. Merit promotion applicants must meet time-in-grade requirement as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. One year at the GS-11 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS 12 level. You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 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. Education Additional Information Relocation expenses will not be paid. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across OPM. During the application process, you will have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. Reasonable Accommodation Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire If you are unable to apply online and would like to request information about the Alternate Application process, please use the contact information at the bottom of this announcement.