This position is established in VHA Workforce Management and Consulting's Human Resources Operations Office. HROO is the exclusive operational HR service provider for VHA's Central Office (VHACO). This position uniquely specializes in the Employee Benefits discipline, and accordingly is located within HROO's Work Life Benefits Shared Services Unit.

Duties

This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed represent the full performance level of GS-12. At the lower grade levels, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence. You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher-level work, and availability of funds. Promotion is not guaranteed, and no promise of promotion is implied. Responsible for administering and providing advisory services on federal leave programs, workplace flexibilities, tours 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 advice on insurance coverage options. Resolves problems in the administration of Work Life/Employee benefits programs. Training employees and supervisors regarding the latest information on all federal benefits (i.e., leave programs, FEHB, etc.). Preparing communications to inform as large an audience as possible of current and future requirements and information relating to federal benefits. Serving as the policy and regulatory specialist for Work Life/Employee benefits programs. Meets with employees to explain Work Life programs. Provides counseling for employees regarding the benefits of any of the available Work Life programs. 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; 40 hours per week; tour of duty based on organizational need. Compressed/Flexible: This position may be authorized for a compressed/flexible work schedule. 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. Remote job: Not Authorized. This is NOT a remote position. Position Description/PD#: Human Resources Specialist (Em/PD52359A Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary with long periods of sitting at a desk, working with computers daily. Some work may require walking in offices and similar areas for meetings. Work may also require walking and standing in conjunction with travel to and attendance at meetings and conferences away from the worksite. The work does not require any special physical effort.

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/04/2024. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. In order to meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet 3/5 of the following examples of specialized experience. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-09 Specialized Experience: Do you possess at least one (1) full year of specialized experience, which equips you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the Human Resource Specialist, GS-09 position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, this specialized experience must have been equivalent to the GS-07 level in Federal service to qualify at the GS-09. Examples of specialized experience include: 1) Serves as the specialist on leave and benefits issues, including general information about retirement benefits, resolution of health benefits issues, and advice on insurance coverage options. 2) Serving as the policy and regulatory specialist for Work Life/Employee benefits programs. 3) Develops Work Life Benefits program information materials (in both electronic and print formats) for employees, including fact sheets, brochures, booklets, designed to increase program awareness, participation, and employee satisfaction. 4) Provides management advisory services in conformance with established criteria to resolve complex problems that arise in administering WLB services. 5) Plans and carries out efforts to initiate, streamline, or modify Work Life programs to optimize their usefulness in meeting employee needs. Note: Evidence of specialized experience must be supported by detailed documentation of duties performed in positions held on your resume. You must provide work experience information such as hours per week, salary, and starting/ending dates of employment (month and year format) to establish you have one (1) full year of Specialized Experience at or comparable to the required grade level. OR GS-09: Substitution of Education for Experience (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED): Do you possess a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 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? OR GS-09: Combination of Education and Experience (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED): Do you possess Equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate education and specialized experience directly related to the work of the Human Resource Specialist position, which may be substituted to meet the experience requirements for GS-09 position? For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

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

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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

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]