Oluwafemi Ige

Strategic Operations Management:

• Developed and implemented a plan that reduced the Average Days Pending (ADP) for non-legacy claims from 120 days to 30 days within 60 days, significantly addressing backlog issues.
• Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of national and local programs aimed at increasing efficiency, service delivery, and employee development.
• Designed and executed a plan that reduced the disability claims deferral rate from 30% to 10%, ensuring disability claims were processed accurately and efficiently, minimizing rework.
• Coordinate enterprise-wide initiatives to improve service quality, overseeing program planning, execution, and outcome evaluation using data-driven approaches.
• Direct partnership efforts with internal and external stakeholders to enhance Veteran outreach, access, and satisfaction.
• Guide complex process improvements and develop standard operating procedures, incorporating stakeholder feedback and strategic goals.
• Provide high-level briefings and responses to senior executives and Congressional offices regarding program implementation, impact, and policy considerations.

Employee Engagement and Recognition:

• Created initiatives recognizing employees with zero avoidable deferrals and 100% production quality, fostering a culture of excellence and motivating teams to deliver high-quality service to Veterans.
• Organized team-building events for coaches, boosting morale and reinforcing alignment with organizational goals.

Policy Development and Implementation:

• Authored and implemented the Director’s Performance Plan (DPP) for FY25, outlining strategies for enhancing the Veterans Service Center’s operations and efficiency.
• Established the Pittsburgh RO Veterans Service Center Special Contribution Award Plan, focusing on improving attention to detail and claim quality.
• Developed the Pittsburgh RO Foreign Non-Rating Claims Plan, reducing the backlog of foreign non-rating claims from 5,000 to 400 within four months.

Training and Development:

• Designed a comprehensive training plan for supervisors, enhancing their ability to lead teams effectively and maintain high performance.
• Implemented the Rating Decision Complete (RDC) output initiative, assigning production targets to rating teams, resulting in increased daily output and achieving station production goals.

Stakeholder Collaboration and Resource Allocation:

• Developed an interim plan for reallocating Authorizers to address backlog issues in the development team, achieving operational balance.
• Established relationships with internal and external stakeholders to exchange information, ensuring alignment with agency programs and policies.

Employee Relations and Conflict Resolution:

• Effectively handled employee and union-related complaints, resolving issues in a manner that satisfied all parties while maintaining organizational standards.
• Processed reasonable accommodation requests, ensuring compliance with regulatory guidelines and fostering an inclusive workplace.

Performance Management:

• Conducted monthly and yearly performance evaluations for supervisors, providing actionable feedback that supported professional growth and organizational objectives.

Key Accomplishments

• Spearheaded the reduction of non-legacy claim backlogs, significantly improving processing times and Veteran satisfaction.
• Initiated quality-focused programs that enhanced accuracy and reduced rework rates, reinforcing a culture of excellence.
• Successfully implemented operational changes and managed resources to meet and exceed organizational goals.
• Developed initiatives that moved Pittsburgh RO from the 56th position in the RO production ranking to the 48th position in the first quarter of FY25.

Grade 14

40 hours/week

• Spearheaded the creation of instructional materials for an extensive range of over 70 courses within a span of less than a year. These courses were developed for BEST, Pre, RVSR, and Post, aligning closely with course objectives, and utilizing various training authoring tools to ensure effective content delivery.
• Conducts psychometric analysis for a cohort of over 9,000 claim processors, meticulously identifying knowledge gaps to inform tailored instructional strategies. This approach ensures that the planning, organization, and delivery of instruction maximizes student learning by addressing specific needs, while also consistently and fairly evaluating student performance.
• Spearheaded a high-priority initiative endorsed by the Under Secretary of Benefits, involving the comparative analysis of the Program Efficiency Training Series for Individual Unemployability, Routine Future Examinations, and Medical Examinations. This initiative, focused on quantitative and qualitative analysis, served to evaluate the effectiveness of training programs and operations in achieving established goals and objectives.
• Played a pivotal role within the Competency Based Training System (Training Certification and Curriculum Management Staff) that achieved exceptional results, including a remarkable 61.5% reduction in training hours. This achievement was coupled with a 14.4% increase in claim processor availability, all while maintaining high-quality training standards.
• Diligently monitored training programs and activities supporting compensation and pension benefits and services provided to Veterans, their dependents, or beneficiaries.
• Collaborates closely with various elements within VBA related to Veterans benefits, actively representing Compensation Service management at meetings, conferences, and engagements within the VA, other government agencies, and VA contractors.
• Formulated and recommended instructions, directives, guidelines, policies, plans, and procedures to support the delivery of benefits and services to Veterans. Additionally, played a pivotal role in developing and conducting national-level training programs that aligned with policies and procedures.
• Grade 13
• 40 hours/week

• Planned and conducted complicated, comprehensive analytical studies of organizations or significant segments of several major management functions to improve organizational structure and staffing levels.
• Advised management and senior leadership of unique conditions and issues which affect staff and the work environment and developed action plans and program activities to address them.
• Responsible for proactive management and tracking of VBA tasks and action items for regulations, legislation of vital interest and importance to OTED, as well as other oversight areas affecting OTED.
• Developed a network of liaisons to ensure proactive rather than reactive responses to oversight obligations and requests.
• Responsible for the establishment of tracking mechanisms, both automated and manual and development of requirements for automated tracking means.
• Analyzed human resource requirements and capabilities for current and projected workloads; tracked authorized and assigned workforce; kept management informed of workforce authorization issues.
• Worked with Human Capital Service and Human Resource Center to ensure personnel information was accurately captured for reporting purposes.
• Prepared special audit and control reports by collecting, analyzing, and summarizing operating information and trends.
• Ensured compliance with established internal control procedures by examining records, reports, operating practices, and documentation.
• Independently produced analytical reports that were made available to a wide variety of constituents, including oversight bodies and external stakeholders.
• Grade 12
• 40 hours/week

• Directed day-to-day activities of a claims process team in a Veterans Service Center and was responsible for both direct customer service and claims adjudication for benefits under VA's compensation and pension programs.
• Responsible for ensuring the team's quality and timeliness of service met VBA's organizational goals.
• Responsible for the cost-effective use of resources to accomplish the team's assigned outcomes.
• Gathered and interpreted a wide range of data addressing servicing concerns and recommending appropriate action based on the data.
• Responsible for administrative actions affecting the team and provides advice, counsel, and instruction to individual employees of the team with respect to technical and administrative matters.
• Ensured that all ready-to-rate cases were processed as expeditiously as possible to provide the benefits sought by the veteran, family member, or survivor.
• Responsible for personnel administration and actions, that is, developing performance standards and evaluating performance; interviewing and making recommendations for position appointments, promotions, or reassignments, hearing and resolving employee complaints; handling labor relations issues; effects disciplinary measures; and identifying training needs.
• Planned and assigned work priorities for subordinates and has final technical authority over the final work product.
• Provided advice, counseling, and instruction to team members on technical and administrative matters.
• Responsible for human resources administration and VSC actions, including performance management, promotions, etc.
• Ensured the team's quality and timeliness of service met VBA's performance and organizational goal.
• Grade 12
• 40 hours/week

• Adjudicated a vast array of complex claims related to and for disability compensation and pension cases in accordance with MR21-1MR and 38 CFR requirements.
• Analyzed claims to determine if diseases and/or injuries were incurred or aggravated by military service in the line of duty for purposes of compensation, pension, treatment, or hospitalization.
• Determined service-connection percentages of disabilities permanent and total disability and entitlement to compensation, pension, and vocational training.
• Prepared formal rating decisions in response to various compensation/pension claims submitted by Veterans.
• Prepared recommendations on questions of fact and the application of various laws, requests for field examinations, appointment of fiduciaries, and requests for legal action including potential fraud determinations.
• Evaluated medical assessments for claims associated with medical issues for compensation/pension eligibility.
• Communicated effectively, in writing and verbally, to a diverse audience ranging from individuals or groups within and outside the VA organization.
• Possessed broad and comprehensive knowledge of federal laws pertaining to compensation and pension and VA regulations and procedures which implement these laws, including M21-l and 38 Code of Federal Regulations.
• Grade 12
• 40 hours/week

• Program Management:
• Collaborated with first-line supervisors to increase team and station production goals, provide guidance in streamlining claims processing, and create more actionable work for my peers.
• Identified ready-to-rate work items involving Individual Unemployability, Permanent and Total decisions, and claims not established.
• Assigned rating decisions completed to designated VSRs to complete cases through VA programs.
• Served as a super-user to retrieve Social Security Administration records and classified service medical records for VSR development teams.
• Planning and Evaluating:
• Identified cases in VBMS that were in idle development stages, to increase workload for VSR development teams and RVSR teams, as permitted by management.
• Organizational Performance Analysis:
• Assigned special projects directed by senior management with tight deadlines.
• Networked with personnel from different teams in the Regional Offices to complete special projects.
• Managed multiple projects using dashboards and metrics to meet monthly target goals while decreasing the overall rating backlog.
• Selected to process time-sensitive and priority claims by management involving aging appeals cases, homeless-related cases, hardship cases, White House and/or Congressional cases.
• Processed cases in authorization stage involving pension, accrued benefits to deceased Veterans’ dependents.
• Grade 11
• 40 hours/week

• Program Management:
• Worked closely with nine staff managers and senior officials while serving as a counselor and advocate for Veterans and dependents.
• Provided information about a broad range of VA benefits, pensions, insurance, compensation, and services to Veterans and beneficiaries throughout the nation.
• Demonstrated the capacity to apply applicable Federal regulations, laws, guidelines, and precedent opinions necessary to analyze fact patterns, conducted research, and evaluate evidence to make decisions and determinations of entitlement for compensation and pension claims using automated system, while being familiar with rating procedures, to ensure proper notification to the claimant.
• Planning and Evaluating:
• Attended routine meetings with management to discuss proposed training curriculums that were designed to increase effectiveness of materials and congregational development.
• Reviewed training materials for punctuation, grammar, and visual presentation before use by instructors.
• Grade 10
• 40 hours/week