Veteran Services Officer

Salary : $63,840.00 - $91,944.00 Annually
Location : Longmont, CO
Job Type: Full-time
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Job Number: 5760(IG1)
Department: Community Services
Division: CSD Area Agency on Aging
Opening Date: 02/06/2024
Closing Date: 2/21/2024 11:59 PM Mountain
FLSA: Exempt
Description
Boulder County Community Services Department is seeking to hire a Veteran Services Officer. The Veteran Services Officers (VSO) advise and advocate for veterans and their dependents on state and federal entitlements that include pensions, compensation, Veteran Administration law, insurance, health care, education. The primary role of the VSO is the preparation and processing of Veteran Benefits Administration claims. Additional areas of focus include fostering partnerships, community outreach, and education. Veteran Services staff serve as leaders on veteran issues in Boulder County and support veteran initiatives throughout Colorado.
The Veteran Services program is on the Business Results Team at the Boulder County Area Agency on Aging; this position is by the Strategic and Business Operations Manager.
This is a full-time, benefited position.This position will work Monday - Friday8:30am - 5:00pm. This position will work remotely and out of the St. Vrain Community Hub located at 515 Coffman St Longmont, Colorado. Under Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) guidelines, this position is exempt.
Boulder County requires its employees to reside in the state of Colorado as of the first day of work.
Hiring Salary Range: $63,840.00 - $77,892.00 Annually
Tentative Hiring Timeline:

• Phone Screening: February 26th
• First Round Interviews: February 28th - 29th
• Second Round Interviews: March 4th - 5th
• Reference Check: March 6th

New employees receive an 80-hour bank of vacation at the time of hire, in addition to 8 hours of both vacation and medical leave accruals each month. Boulder County offers bountiful benefits, including pension contributions.
Boulder County employees may qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). Visit for more information.
Examples of Duties

1. Meet with veterans and dependents to gather pertinent information about eligibility and need
2. Research federal statutes, laws, and regulations pertaining to benefits and claims by military veterans and dependents
3. Coordinate, facilitate, and monitor Veteran Benefits Administration (VBA) claims submissions
4. Develop strategies, legal precedents, and opinions using guidance from various federal sources to give direction and provide advocacy in post-decisional hearings and appeals processes
5. Participate in ongoing professional development to maintain knowledge of federal regulations
6. Collaborate with other county departments and divisions to advance veterans initiatives
7. Maintain VBA accreditation
8. Maintain knowledge of local veteran resources
9. Conduct community outreach, provide information and education to the public.
10. Perform related duties as required, which may include disaster response activities
11. May be reassigned during emergency situations

Required Qualifications
PLEASE NOTE: When completing your application describe all relevant education and experience, as applications are assessed based on the required qualifications listed. Resumes and other attachments are not accepted in lieu of completed applications andwill not be reviewed in the initial screening process. Any personally identifiable information (PII) such as name and address will be redacted from applications that meet the minimum screening requirements and are forwarded to the hiring manager. If the hiring manager selects you to advance in the hiring process, your attachments will then be shared with the hiring team.
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:
Boulder County is looking for well qualified candidates to fill our positions. Any combination of relevant education and experience is encouraged. In this position, we are looking for a minimum of eight years of professional experience in a related human services program or any equivalent combination of experience and education.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Applicants must be an honorably discharged veteran from the military forces of the United States
• Applicants must attach a copy of DD214 with application

BACKGROUND CHECK:

• A job offer is contingent on passing a background investigation

Supplemental Information
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Accredited Officer through the Veterans Benefits Administration or willing to obtain accreditation within timeline determined by the program.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & ABILITIES:

• Ability to be thorough and accurate.
• Ability to maintain accurate records and comply with local, state, and federal regulations and requirements.
• Ability to work effectively with other employees, agencies, and the public
• Ability to stay calm under pressure and de-escalate tense situations
• Knowledge of and/or experience with veteran culture and benefits systems
• Knowledge of local community resources for veterans
• Skills in solution-focused problem solving
• Skills in interviewing, counseling, and administration
• Skills in attention to detail and communication (both written and verbal)
• Strong computer skills, including but not limited to: Excel, Word, Outlook, Web-based systems

KEY COMPETENCIES:

• Resourcefulness: Marshals resources (people, funding, material, and support) to get things done; orchestrates multiple activities simultaneously to accomplish a goal; gets the most out of limited resources; applies knowledge of internal structures, processes, and culture to resourcing efforts.
  
• Ensures Accountability: Follows through on commitments and makes sure others do the same. Acts with a clear sense of ownership. Takes personal responsibility for decisions, actions, and failures. Establishes clear responsibilities and processes for monitoring work and measuring results.
  
• Communicates effectively: Is effective in a variety of communication settings - one-on-one, small and large groups, or among diverse styles and position levels; attentively listens to others; adjusts to fit the audience and the message; provides timely and helpful information to others across the organization; encourages the open expression of diverse ideas and opinions.
  
• Collaborates: Works cooperatively with others across the organization to achieve shared objectives. Partners with others to get work done. Gains trust and support of others.

Boulder County is a workplace dedicated to supporting individuals and families of all types and to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and respectful environment for all employees. We prohibit unlawful discrimination against applicants and employees on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
As well as offering competitive pay and a caring work environment, Boulder County offers employees an array of benefits. For all FTE and Term employees, we provide:

• Outstanding options of comprehensive health plans that include vision and dental coverage. Information can be found
• Additional Benefits can be found
  • Including:
    • Family-forming benefits- infertility treatment, adoption and surrogacy reimbursements
    • 12 weeks Paid Caregiver leave
    • Breast feeding friendly-work environment
    • Sick child care, an infants-at-work policy
    • Access to LifeMart discount hub, including discounts on childcare centers, event tickets, travel and more!
    • Access to a nationally-recognized wellness program
    • Employee Assistance Program
    • PERA 401k
    • Social Security retirement plans
    • Additional Life and Disability Insurance
    • Critical Illness and Accidental Insurance
    • County-paid tuition assistance
    • Eligible for PSLF-
    • Free EcoPass
    • Hospital Indemnity
    • ID Theft Protection
    • Pet Insurance
    • 8 Hours of Paid Public Service Leave

Generous paid time off

• Holidays
  • New Year's Day January 1
  • Martin Luther King's Birthday January
  • Presidents' Day February
  • Memorial Day May
  • Juneteenth June 19
  • Independence Day July 4
  • Labor Day September
  • Indigenous People's Day
  • General Election Day November (first Tuesday after the first Monday, even years)
  • Veterans' Day November 11
  • Thanksgiving Day November
  • Friday after Thanksgiving*
  • Christmas Eve- ½ day (full day off depends on day of the week)
  • Christmas Day December 25
  • New Year's Eve- ½ day (full day off depends on day of the week)

Vacation**

• 80-hour bank of vacation at the time of hire
• Eight hours of vacation per month for the first year of continuous service, then accrue twelve hours of vacation per month after the first year of continuous service.

Medical**

• Eight hours of medical leave for each month employed.

PERA- The County and all employees pay into both Social Security and PERA

• Employer contribution to Social Security: 7.65% of salary
• Employer contribution to PERA (Local Government Division- most county employees: 14.76%

*The District Attorney's Office observe Francis Xavier Cabrini Day on the first Monday in October and omit the Friday after Thanksgiving
**Vacation and Medical leave are based off of full time FTE accruals. Part-time FTE/term employees accrue leave based on the percentage of time they work.
More in depth information regarding our benefits can be found
01
Please describe how you meet the minimum of eight years of professional experience in a related human services program (required)?
02
Are you an honorably discharged veteran from the military forces of the United States (required)?

• Yes
• No

03
Did you attach a copy of your DD214 with your application (required)?

• Yes
• No

04
Are you an accredited Veteran Services Officer?

• Yes
• No

05
If you have personal experience with VBA claims, thinking back, if you were the VSO in that scenario, what would you change about the claims experience in general (communication, customer service, guidance, etc.)?
06
What steps do you take when there is an immediate decision to be made, but without having all the information or guidance?
07
When deciding how to organize your work, how do you assess what tasks need to be given priority?
08
How would you go about simplifying a complex issue in order to explain it to a client or colleague?
09
Do you prefer to work independently or as part of a team and why?
10
What kinds of experiences have you had working with others with different backgrounds than your own?
11
In what way do you see that racial equity is relevant work for Boulder County as an organization?
Required Question