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Human Resources Specialist (Payroll)

Legislative Branch
Architect of the Capitol
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The position is located in the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, Human Capital Management Division, Payroll and Processing Branch. The selected candidate is responsible for providing payroll and human resources coordination/liaison activities and processing of personnel actions and time and attendance for a diverse employee population.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
03/28/2025 to 04/10/2025
This job will close when we have received 100 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$101,401 to - $131,826 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
2nd and D Street, S.W.
Washington DC, DC
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent - Full Time
Work schedule
Full-time - This is an Excepted Service position and does not require or confer Civil Service Competitive Status.
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
12 - Full Performance Level is GS-12
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
HCMD-2025-228
Control number
834429300

Duties

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Personnel and Payroll Actions Processing

  • Independently codes and processes non-recruitment personnel actions.
  • Independently assists with resolving difficult issues surrounding personnel actions, payroll operations, and compensation.
  • Coding and processing of non-recruitment actions, including but not limited to promotions, temporary appointments, details, work schedule changes, re-assignments, re-alignments, change in duty station, changes to low grade, and temporary promotions.
  • Executes all Position Management System Online (PMSO) data in the National Finance Center (NFC) system.
  • Produces and reviews separation tracking, suspense errors, and nightly database application reports (SINQ, EPIC, SPPS, ABCO, and HCUP) and independently determine the need for further action.
  • Validates and inputs relevant data into the National Finance Center (NFC) and EmpowHR systems.
  • Resolves suspense inquiry (SINQ) listings.
  • Performs research to determine the root cause of errors and system rejects, including PMSO position identifiers, Service Computation Date (SCD) changes, breaks in service and military leave.
  • Processes personnel actions that update the Personnel Position Control Run Report and the Electronic Official Personnel File (EOPF).
  • Assists with analyzing and processing accurately all personnel actions and bi-weekly payroll for assigned jurisdictions, including complex actions.

Customer Service 

  • Independently initiates technical advice to AOC staff, including employees, supervisors, management officials, and HCMD staff, on payroll and personnel actions processes and procedures, personnel automation requirements, and system capabilities, including data usage for preparing various reports.
  • Performs human resources coordination and liaison activities to assist with requests and issues.
  • Maintains the highest degree of confidentiality and integrity for Personally Identifiable Information (PII).

Research and Analysis Work 

  • Independently researches and/or analyzes moderately complex program issues.
  • Carries out personnel and payroll projects and/or assists in carrying out projects or portions of broader studies to resolve controversial issues or problems.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must meet the definition of specialized experience.
  • You must be able to pass a drug test.
  • Your resume must demonstrate the job-related KSAs.

“To be employed by the Architect of the Capitol in a paid position, an individual must meet
one of the categories below:

  • A citizen of the United States;
  • A person who is lawfully admitted for permanent residence and is seeking citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)(B);
  • A person who is admitted as a refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157 or is granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. 1158 and has filed a declaration of intention to become a lawful permanent resident and then a citizen when eligible;
  • A person who owes allegiance to the United States (nationals of American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Northern Mariana Islands, and nationals who meet other requirements described in 8 U.S.C. 1408); or
  • A person who is currently an officer or employee of the Government of the United States.”

Qualifications

You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position. You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on the OPM web site at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications.
 
Specialized experience is the experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level.

Candidates for the GS-12 position must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service.

Specialized experience for this position is defined as the following:

  • Experience in federal agency payroll statutes, regulations, policies, procedures, and current practices to serve as a technical expert to process personnel and payroll actions.
  • Experience in a variety of procedures and techniques which enable the incumbent to work with a number of civilian payroll systems and recognize numerous types of transactions, reporting requirements and documents, database applications, different pay schedules and entitlements, and the ability to manage and analyze data to develop trend data.
  • Knowledge of pay-setting rules, regulations, and procedures as established by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
  • In-depth knowledge of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Guide to Processing Personnel Actions, Personnel Record keeping, Data Standards, various HR Information System coding, and NFC record-keeping principles and procedures.
  • Ability to compute and validate service computation dates.

Additional information

Welcome Veterans. The Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) gives veterans' preference rights in the legislative branch to certain veterans as applied by the Congressional Accountability Act. Veterans' preference is applied on this vacancy announcement. If you are a veteran and have been separated under honorable conditions, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility; SF-15, if applicable; and Department of Veterans Affairs documentation of disability, if applicable. For more information, please visit http://www.opm.gov/veterans/html/vetguide.asp#6.

If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information.

DRUG TESTING: The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is a Drug Free Workplace. As part of the AOC’s suitability assessment, a candidate tentatively selected for a position who is not currently an AOC employee is required to submit to screening for illegal drug use. Satisfactory completion of a drug test is a condition of employment with the Agency. A candidate must test negative prior to being eligible for appointment into a position. We will schedule, provide and cover the cost for the drug test.

The selectee(s) under the vacancy announcement for this position is subject to a criminal record check by the U.S. Capitol Police and satisfactory adjudication to be eligible for employment at the Architect of the Capitol.

The Architect of the Capitol is an E-VERIFY Participant. E-VERIFY is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment authorization in the United States. If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the DHS Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" electronic system. For more information on E-Verify, please visit http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc_1185221678150.shtm

The Architect of the Capitol is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information and/or disability.

This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Moving expenses are not authorized.

Relocation expenses are not authorized.

Probationary Period - A newly appointed selectee is subject to the completion of a one-year trial/probationary period, regardless of whether or not a trial/probationary period has been completed previously with the Architect of the Capitol or another Federal agency.

This vacancy announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies in any of the jurisdictions of the Architect of the Capitol.

All application materials become the property of the Architect of the Capitol.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Review your resume and responses carefully. Your eligibility for consideration and qualifications for the position will be determined based upon a review of your detailed resume and your responses to job specific self-assessment questions. 

Your resume will be evaluated based on evidence of your ability to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) for this position, possession of any specialized experience, and how well your background and experience relates to the self-assessment questions in the job announcement. The self-assessment questions relate to the following knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies:

• Expert knowledge of Federal and agency-specific laws, regulations, policies and directives on payroll-related topics.
• Proven ability in providing excellent customer services including customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and accuracy.
• Expert knowledge of Position Management System Online (PMSO) data in the National Finance Center (NFC) system.
• Ability to develop and maintain positive working relationships with team members and key client stakeholders.
• Ability to maintain and manage communication links with a variety of stakeholders.

Your responses to the self-assessment questions serve as the basis for your initial rating. You will receive a numerical score based on your responses to these questions.  Next, your responses will be evaluated by a Human Resources Specialist and/or a subject matter expert against the information provided in your resume and optional cover letter. Your resume must support your answers to the self-assessment questions. Falsifying your background, education and/or experience is cause for non-selection or disqualification from further consideration.

Please note that a complete application is required for consideration. (Please review the “Required Documents” section of this job announcement to see what must be included in a complete application).


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