Veterans Integrated Service Network 10 Human Resources Management Service (VISN 10 HRMS) is recruiting for a Human Resources Specialist (Employee Benefits) who will function at the Columbus VAMC. This position may be authorized for telework for highly qualified candidates only.

Duties

Worklife: Employee Benefits & Leave Administration Responsible for administering and providing advisory services on federal leave programs, workplace flexibilities, tour of duty, group life insurance, health benefits, and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) programs. Serves as the specialist on leave and benefits issues, including general information about retirement benefits, resolution of health benefits issues, and advises on insurance coverage options. Resolves problems in the administration of Worklife/Employee benefits programs. Assists supervisors in planning and carrying out Worklife projects to inform employees regarding a range of available Worklife programs regarding childcare, emergency back-up dependent care, opportunities to participate in charitable community services activities, available federal employee discount programs, employee assistance, health and wellness promotion, flexible work schedules, domestic partner benefits, Take Your Child to Work events, workplace flexibility, paid time off, caring for dependents and elderly relatives, financial support, recreation, stress and health management, and related programs. Develops Worklife benefit's program information materials for employees, including fact sheets, brochures, booklets, designed to increase program awareness, participation, and employee satisfaction. Consultation Evaluates trend in mission, technology, federal benefits laws and regulations, and other factors influencing employee WLB needs; coordinates with other HR functional area in support of difficult and unusual recruitment and retentions issues or problems. Consults with leadership stakeholders, including local, regional and national leadership in support of the human capital acquisition and in furtherance of employee engagement and productivity. Provides advice and consultation on Federal leave program, including Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Advanced Leave, Voluntary Leave Transfer Program (VLTP), Disabled Veterans Leave, Leave Without Pay (LWOP), Weather and Safety Leave, Authorized Absence (AA) to all employees withing the Network. Processes leave requests for special leave programs as noted above. Codes leave without pay for greater that 30 days in HR Smart. Submits approved leave packages to Payroll/FSC for processing. Provides management advisory services in conformance with established criteria to resolve complex problems that arise in administering WLB services. Assists individual employees with WLB problems, including correcting employee records as necessary Counsels management, employees, and beneficiaries on program coverage, options, variances in coverage, and advantages and disadvantages of benefits decisions. Explains to employees the relationship to federal retirement and insurance programs to other retirement and insurance programs (Social Security, worker's compensation, and private insurance companies) and provides referral to additional resources when appropriate. Provides information about creditable military service, Social Security entitlements and off-set retirement options and benefits, TSP options and life and health insurance options and elections to ensure new employees make decisions with full awareness of the federal benefits package. Explains to individual employees and candidates the TSP options and funds available, the benefits and costs of the basic entitlements upon separation. Directs former employees and family member to appropriate retirement counseling service organizations. Responds to benefits inquires from attorneys and courts on divorce cases and other civil matters. Provides innovative WLB solutions to their Community of Practice (COP) for purposes of improving VHA HR services. Skill in written and oral communication techniques related to developing and delivering various forms of correspondence to employees and managers, such as briefings and status/staff reports designed to promote understanding and acceptance of findings and/or recommendations. Preforms other related duties as assigned. 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. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 4:00pm Compressed/Flexible: May be authorized for highly qualified candidates only Telework: This position may be authorized for telework for highly qualified candidates only. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Human Resources Specialist (Employee Benefits)/PD99935A Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment.

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/19/2023. To qualify for this position at the GS-7 level, you meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level in federal service that demonstrates HR management knowledge, concepts and principles and the performance of work in one or more of the HR specialty areas. Such experience may be gained in administrative, professional, technical or other responsible work positions in the public (i.e., Government or military) or private sector. Qualifying specialized experience includes: Knowledge of basic principles and practices of the HR specialization(s) sufficient to: perform highly structured, entry-level work designed to develop broader and more in-depth knowledge and skill to perform higher-level assignments; communicate factual and procedural information clearly, orally and in writing; and gather and analyze basic facts and draw conclusions. . ~OR~ Education: Successful completion of one full year of graduate level education or Superior Academic Achievement (S.A.A.). The S.A.A. provision is an educational achievement based on class standing, grade-point average or honor society membership. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. ~OR~ Combination: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond a bachelors degree) and specialized experience, as described above, to meet the total requirements. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position. To qualify for this position at the GS-9 level, you must meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level in federal service that demonstrates HR management knowledge, concepts and principles and the performance of work in one or more of the HR specialty areas. Such experience may be gained in administrative, professional, technical or other responsible work positions in the public (i.e., Government or military) or private sector. Qualifying specialized experience includes: Possess a knowledge of, and skill in applying, basic laws, regulations, policies, and precedents of Federal employee retirement, group life insurance, health benefits, and Thrift Savings Plan programs sufficient to counsel management, employees, and beneficiaries on program coverage, options, variances in coverage, and advantages and disadvantages of benefits; resolve problems in the administration of the program; interpret and explain to employees the relationship of the Federal retirement and insurance programs to other retirement and insurance programs (Social Security, military provisions, worker's compensation, and private insurance companies); determine the appropriate treatment of matters as they apply to moderately complex retirement and insurance benefits issues relating to the validity of marriage, divorce, and descent and distribution of property; and interpret, apply, and explain retirement and insurance laws and regulations to employees. ~OR~ Education: Successful completion of a Master's or equivalent graduate degree, two full years of progressively higher- level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.B. or J.D., if related. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. ~OR~ Combination: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the first year) and specialized experience, as described above, to meet the total requirements. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position. To qualify for this position at the GS-11 level, you must meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in federal service that demonstrates HR management knowledge, concepts and principles and the performance of work in one or more of the HR specialty areas. Such experience may be gained in administrative, professional, technical or other responsible work positions in the public (i.e., Government or military) or private sector. Qualifying specialized experience includes: Possess a knowledge of, and skill in applying, HR principles, concepts, laws, regulations, techniques, and guidelines sufficient to: support an organization's WLB programs; conduct analyses on a wide variety of complex issues using research, interviews, observation, and analytical techniques to gather, document, and analyze information to develop documentation supporting WLB decisions; determine appropriate actions and steps required; and ensure documents are correct and processed within the time limits set.. Employee must be able to explain the methodology to management, supervisor and other coworkers; counsel management, employees, and beneficiaries on program coverage, options, variances in coverage, and advantages and disadvantages of benefits; resolve problems in the administration of the program; interpret and explain to employees the relationship of the Federal retirement and insurance programs to other retirement and insurance programs (Social Security, military provisions, worker's compensation, and private insurance companies); determine the appropriate treatment of matters as they apply to moderately complex retirement and insurance benefits issues relating to the validity of marriage, divorce, and descent and distribution of property; and interpret, apply, and explain retirement and insurance laws and regulations to employees. . ~OR~ Education: Successful completion of a Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree, three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.M., if related. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. ~OR~ Combination: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the first two years) and specialized experience, as described above, to meet the total requirements. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position. To qualify for this position at the GS-12 level, you must meet one of the following listed Criteria: Criteria 1- Graduate Degree and Specialized Experience: Successful completion of a graduate level degree or higher and three years of progressive specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level. Such experience may be gained in administrative, professional, technical or other responsible work positions in the public (i.e., Government or military) or private sector. Qualifying specialized experience includes: (SEE ABOVE UNDER QUALIFICATIONS FOR GS-09) . ~OR~ Criteria 2- Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in federal service that demonstrates HR management knowledge, concepts and principles and the performance of work in one or more of the HR specialty areas. Such experience may be gained in administrative, professional, technical or other responsible work positions in the public (i.e., Government or military) or private sector. Qualifying specialized experience includes:(SEE ABOVE UNDER QUALIFICATIONS FOR GS-11)

Education

Qualifying education for the GS-0201 series includes courses and programs in HR, HR development, HR management, business, business management/administration, industrial relations, labor relations, industrial psychology, organizational psychology, organizational development, management, organizational behavior, pre-law/law, legal studies, health care management/administration, public administration, public policy, human services, leadership and/or humanities.

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Superior Academic Achievement S.A.A. (S.A.A. is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership. The full provision for Superior Academic Achievement (S.A.A.) is described in the OPM General Schedule Operating Manual.

1. Class standing--Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses.
2. Grade-point average (G.P.A.)--Applicants must have a grade-point average of: 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum. Grade-point averages are to be rounded to one decimal place. For example, 2.95 will round to 3.0 and 2.94 will round to 2.9.
3. Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society--Applicants can be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies listed below. These honor societies are listed in the Association of College Honor Societies: Booklet of Information (1992-95) and/or Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (1991). Agencies considering eligibility based on any society not included in the following list must ensure that the honor society meets the minimum requirements of the Association of College Honor Societies. Membership in a freshman honor society cannot be used to meet the requirements of this provision. (UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED)

Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix F1; Human Resources Specialist Qualification Standards GS-0201. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office.

Contacts

• Address VHA VISN 10 Human Resources 11500 NORTHLAKE DRIVE SUITE 200 CINCINNATI, OH 45249-1642 US
• Name: Erika Bond
• Phone: 317-225-3905
• Email: [email protected]