Accounts Receivable Technician

Summary This position is located in the Debt Management Center, Veterans Communication Division in St. Paul, MN. The incumbent performs a mix of clerical and technical functions related to debt collections and processing of awards for benefits made to Veterans who receive compensation, pension, educational benefits and/or certification for guaranty home loans. The incumbent also serves as the principal point of contact to multiple agencies throughout the Federal government. Learn more about this agency 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, 12/27/2024. The Office of Personnel Management's (OPM's) group qualification standards covering white collar occupations in the Federal competitive service can be found: Here Specialized Experience: To qualify at the grade level GS-05: Applicants must have at least one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade GS-4 in Federal, state, local, private, or public service that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. This is a developmental position. Specialized experience is defined as: (1) Providing basic clerical duties; AND, (2) reviewing and applying account receivable/ debt collection policies, laws, and procedures where applicable. OR Applicants may substitute education for the experience required in order to qualify at the grade level GS-5. Completed four years (120 semester hours or 180 quarter hours) of undergraduate education above the high school level from an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college, or university. OR Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-05 level. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). 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. For example, an applicant who has 90 semester hours of education (i.e. 50% of education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. To qualify at the GS-06 grade level: Applicants must have at least one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade GS-5 in Federal, state, local, public, or private service that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. The supervisor provides guidance and instruction as needed. Specialized experience is defined as: (1) Serving as the principal point of contact for clients and/or customers regarding accounts receivable and debt collections; AND (2) providing correspondence orally or in written form. There is no educational substitution for Specialized Experience at the GS-6 level. 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; 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. You will be rated on the following competencies based on your application for this position. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours per week spent in such employment. Education ** There is no educational substitution for Specialized Experience at the GS-6 level. 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: Hours for this position will be established between M-F 6:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. CST Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. The work requires walking, carrying light items such as paper files and books, and use of the full range of modem office equipment. 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-07. 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. Read more Benefits 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 window Learn more about federal benefits. Review our benefits 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.