The incumbent of this position serves as a HR Specialist (Employee Relations) and provides expert level guidance concerning complex advisory services essential to leadership, managers and HR Specialists in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) in both VHA Central Office (VHACO), VISN and field facilities to properly plan, develop, organize, manage, and evaluate employee relations, worklife and performance management concerns.

Duties

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: HR Specialist Total Rewards Duties include, but are not limited to: Responsible for planning, developing, publishing, and implementing policy/guidance concerning significant issues in ER, Performance Management, Worklife, and related fields. Serving as a VHA subject matter to complete special assignments (time sensitive as well as, highly confidential), studies and projects as assigned relating to ER, worklife, and performance management in conjunction with various levels of the organization. Providing complex advisory services to all levels of VHA leadership on Title 5, Title 38 and Hybrid Title 38 ER, Worklife, and Performance Management and additional related topics. Providing expert level guidance concerning complex advisory services essential to enable the Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs, Under Secretary for Health, senior executive service (SES) level executives and other senior leadership officials, human resources specialists and line managers in VHA and VHACO, VISN and field facilities to properly plan, develop, organize, manage, and evaluate employee relations, disciplinary actions, awards, drug free workplace, leave administration, performance management, employee time management, and telework concerns. Providing advisory services for Title 5, Title 38, and Hybrid Title 38 including such areas as adverse and major adverse actions, fitness for duty recommendations, hearings and litigation, disciplinary actions, awards, drug free workplace, leave administration, performance management, employee time management, and telework. Serving as a SME, may participate in or lead one or more of the following human resources activities or programmatic areas concerning the entire ER/PM/WL arenas and delivery of related training in partnership with WMC - Human Resources Development. Preparing a wide variety of written documents including letters, memoranda, option/decision papers, white papers, legislative proposals, cost estimates, reports, surveys, action plans, proposed policy, etc. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00am - 4:30pm; or as negotiated Compressed/Flexible: May be available. Telework: VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This position may be filled virtually. However, the selectee will be required to report to either a VA Facility, Agency/VA approved leased space, or any Federal building designated by VA. Position Description/PD#: Human Resources Specialist (Employee Relations)/PD99408A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized 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. A pre-placement physical examination is not required.

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/25/2024. Grade Requirement: For CTAP eligibility, an applicant's selection priority applies when the vacancy: (1) is at a grade or pay level with a representative rate no higher than the representative rate of the grade or pay level of the CTAP eligible's permanent position of record; (2) has no greater promotion potential than the CTAP eligible's permanent position of record; (3) is in the same local commuting area as the CTAP eligible's permanent position of record; (4) is filled during the CTAP eligible's eligibility period; and, if applicable, (5) is filled under the same excepted appointing authority as the CTAP eligible's permanent position of record if the CTAP eligible is an excepted service employee and the agency CTAP provides selection priority in the excepted service. The BASIC REQUIREMENT for the HR Specialist GS-0201 series is presumed met if found qualified at the GS-0201-7 level and above. To qualify for this position at the GS-14 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-12 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: skill in applying employee relations principles, practices, laws, and regulations, as well as a wide range of analytical and evaluative techniques sufficient to: serving as a point of contact on employee relations issues; experience interpreting laws, regulations, executive orders, HR policies and procedures as they pertain to employee relations/labor relations issues; providing employee and labor relations advice and to management officials and employees. ~OR~ Criteria 2- Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 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: evaluating, publicizing and establishing operating procedures for employee relations programs that are typically complex or controversial, and/or potentially impact large numbers of employees; informing management of regulatory and other requirements to be considered in effecting disciplinary actions, removals, suspensions and in resolving grievances and appeals related to formal disciplinary actions taken and assisting in the development of required correspondence/documents; supplementing management's efforts to analyze and resolve conduct or performance inadequacies in the overall HR management programs; completing qualitative/quantitative reviews of employee conduct, performance management system, recognition program, attrition rates, grievances, complaints or other underlying matters potentially leading to the existing climate; providing interpretations, advice, and guidance on Federal laws, executive orders, OPM directives/decisions, as well as policies and procedures as they relate to employee and labor relations issues.

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.

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 Central Office - Human Capital Management 810 Vermont Avenue NW Washington, DC 20420 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]