Transportation Assistant - Beneficiary Travel Assistant

Summary In this position you will serve as a Transportation Assistant - Beneficiary Travel Assistant and act as primary contact to Veterans for transportation needs at the Audie L Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital in San Antonio, TX Duties ***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** In this position you will serve as a Transportation Assistant - Beneficiary Travel Assistant and act as primary contact to Veterans for transportation needs. The incumbent in this position will be required to have an overall knowledge of the organization, its mission, goals and impact on patients, personnel, community, and the nation. Transportation Assistant will serve as a primary contact for Veterans, doctors, nurses and administrative staff to arrange travel for eligible Veterans to appointments and residence when appropriate, using laws and regulations to distinguish/ensure reimbursements are legitimate or if fraudulent activity is being conducted by the beneficiary. The Transportation Assistant must also possess some knowledge of clinical services, related software, and programs as they relate to computing and office automation. Major duties include but are not limited to: Independently manages the Beneficiary Travel Program. Correctly determines eligibility for the Beneficiary Travel Program and process requests. Correctly determines which of several fund control points to utilize. Maintaining manual and electronic accounting records. Responsible for determining method of payment for authorized and unauthorized ambulance claims submitted for consideration. Reconciling vouchers against authorizations for accuracy prior to preparing certifications for payment. Receiving invoices for payment of transportation services and submitting documents for payment. Assisting fellow team members during peak workload times and when there are staffing shortages. Assigned to different work areas to maximize customer service. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 7:30AM - 4:00PM - 8:00AM - 4:30:PM - 10:00AM - 6:30PM - 5:30PM - 12:00AM (Midnight) Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. AD HOC Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Requirements Conditions of employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 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 dentification 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 you must meet one of the following: General Experience GS-4: You must have at least one (1) full year of general experience related to the position of Transportation Assistant - Beneficiary Travel. This can include Progressively responsible clerical, office, or other work that indicates ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position to be filled. ~OR~ EDUCATION SUBSTITUTION (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) Successfully completed 2 years above high school in any field for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. Transcripts must be submitted at time of application. ~OR~ COMBINATION (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) Equivalent combination of successfully completed post-high school education in excess of the first 30 semester hours (beyond the second year) and specialized experience as described above, which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the first year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience. Transcripts must be submitted at time of application. NOTE: One (1) 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 a week spent in such employment. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Auditing Clerical IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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 a week spent in such employment. 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. Physical Requirements: The duties and responsibilities of the position require some mobility between various clinic areas in separate building location sites, but generally the job is sedentary with some standing, stooping, reaching, and lifting up to 20 pounds. The employee is required to work with computer equipment at least 75% of the time which impacts on hand and wrist motions. The work is performed in a business office and an outpatient treatment setting. The environment involves those everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of this environment. Although the employee works in a health care facility where exposure to contagious diseases exist, the tasks required for this position do not put the employee at a serious risk for this type exposure. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. The incumbent must always remain composed in trying to assist veterans, their families and staff, who may be upset or in distress and hostile in manner. The incumbent may work with patients who are mentally disturbed and must be alert to the risk of physical abuse. Due to changing deadlines and priorities, work may be stressful at times. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript 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 here: 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: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov). Additional information Note: Per "Executive Order 14251: Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs", this position is no longer eligible for bargaining unit participation. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. 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. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. 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 windowLearn 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.