Program Support Assistant (TIMS Clerk)
Buffalo, IA - USA
Job Summary
The Program Support Assistant is assigned to the Education Benefits division within Buffalo Regional Benefits Office. This position serves as the Clerk for the Image Management System (TIMS) and responsible for preparing all incoming mail to the Regional Processing Office for Education benefits and ensures its placed within TIMS in an efficient and timely manner.
The Program Support Assistant is responsible for the following duties but are not limited to:
- Indexing incoming mail and documents into TIMS reviewing full claims packages assigning document types and establishing required controls and records across multiple VA systems.
- Creating updating and managing claimant records including establishing TIMSC files validating identifiers and ensuring proper dates of claim.
- Identifying routing and determining jurisdictions for all incoming mail including unidentifiable or misrouted correspondence and return incomplete forms when necessary.
- Scanning batching and performing quality review of paper documents converted to electronic format to ensure clarity and readiness for indexing.
- Researching and correcting errors in claimant information or misfiled documents including deleting merging or transferring records across BDN TIMS and related systems.
- Supporting workflow management by preparing workload reports managing folder transfers maintaining logs/repositories and generating folder prints as needed.
Work Schedule: Full-time Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Compressed/Flexible: Not available
Telework: This position is eligible for situational (ad hoc) telework only. The selectee is required to report to the official duty station each scheduled workday. Telework may be approved only on a case-by-case basis with supervisory approval. Routine or recurring telework is not authorized for this position.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Program Support Assistant (TIMS Clerk); PD42213A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized.
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required.
As a condition of employment for accepting this position you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2- year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public 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.
- You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
- Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
- You may be required to serve a probationary or trial period
- 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 I-9 Acceptable Documents.
- Effective May 7 2025 drivers licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
To qualify for this position applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:07/24/2026.
TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENT: As a current Federal GS employee you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
- For a GS- 6 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5 level.
- If you are a current VBA employee outside of the commuting area seeking reassignment or change to lower grade via this vacancy announcement you must currently hold the GS-6 (or higher) and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least None.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:
GS-6 Grade Level:
- Specialized Experience: To qualify applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-05) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include but are not limited to: Providing administrative support to a team including but not limited to timekeeping receiving and responding to phone calls emails and other messages using electronic filing systems and ordering supplies. Using various Microsoft Office programs online database programs and office equipment.
Full vs. Part-Time Employment: Full-time employment is considered to be at least 35 hours per week. Part-time experience will be credited on a pro-rated basis; when including part-time employment in your resume you must specify the average hours worked per week.
Physical Requirements: The work is generally sedentary. Typically the employee sits comfortably to do the work. However there may be some walking; standing; bending; or carrying of light items such as papers books and files. Carts are utilized to carry large numbers of claims folders. This will require the employee to push or pull the cart from one area to another. No special physical demands are required to perform the work.
For more information on these qualification standards please visit the United States Office of Personnel Managements website at
Theres no education substitute for the GS-6 grade level for this position.
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: 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: may submit unofficial transcripts when applying. However if you are selected for the position you will be required to provide an official transcript or a statement from the institution (e.g. from the registrar dean or other appropriate official) or equivalent documentation prior to the start date.
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice your most recent performance rating and your most recent SF-50 noting your current position grade level and duty location) and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPMs Career Transition Resources website at 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.
It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA career development services for our existing Veterans and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.
Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicants criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations Security and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) Accommodation (RA) 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: Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. ( more information on the Who may apply eligibility requirements please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.
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.
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.
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.
Required Experience:
Junior IC