This position is located at the Battle Creek VA Medical Center Human Resources Management Service. As a Human Resources Specialist, the incumbent is responsible for performing the full range of complex and difficult Recruitment and Placement activities. Duties include but are not limited to:

Providing technical advice, information, guidance, and training to management, employees and applicants in all areas of the recruitment and placement process covered under Title 5, Title 38, and Hybrid Title 38 positions.

Developing recruitment strategies utilizing various hiring authorities and flexibilities.

Aiding managers and supervisors in the development of crediting plans to identify the best qualified candidates in keeping with agency staffing goals and programs.

Announcing vacancies under the Merit Promotion Program, Direct Hire, Delegated Examining Authority, or through the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

Making qualification determinations, rating and ranking applicants against crediting plans, and advising subject-matter experts and panels who may assist with the recruitment process.

Preparing certificates of eligible applicants and ensuring that all placement actions meet regulatory requirements.

Collaborating with management in developing short and long-range staffing and recruitment plans to forecast mission requirements.

Assessing employee turnover patterns, reviewing past recruitment practices, technological changes and local labor market conditions, and providing advice on future staffing and recruitment strategies.

Work schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.

Compressed/Flexible Schedule: Available
Telework: Maybe available after the first 90 days of hire
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description Title/PD#: Human Resources Specialist/ GS-7 7464-A, GS-9 7422-A, GS-11 7007-A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Time and Grade will apply

Physical Requirements: The work is mainly sedentary, except for walking to local meetings and carrying briefcases and luggage when in travel status.

Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 01/30/2018.

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. 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. 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.

GS-7 Grade Level Requirements:
Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-5) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: explaining recruitment and placement processes, rules, regulations, and laws; researching and analyzing staffing requirements and trends; and processing personnel actions.
OR
Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 1 full year of graduate level education or a bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement.
OR
Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond the GS-5 grade level.

Note: Superior Academic Achievement is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society
membership. 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.

Grade-point average (G.P.A.)- Applicants must have a grade-point average of: a.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.

GS-9 Grade Level Requirements:
Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-7) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: providing recruitment and placement services for a variety of different types of positions; explaining recruitment and placement processes, rules, regulations, and laws; researching and analyzing staffing requirements and trends; and processing personnel actions.
OR
Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 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.
OR
Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond the GS-7 grade level.

GS-11 Grade Level Requirements:
Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-09) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Interpreting and applying human resources regulations, policies, and procedures related to staffing; Assisting selecting officials in developing recruitment strategies; Preparing and posting job announcements using automated staffing or similar computerized system; Screening job applications for basic qualifications; Preparing job analysis.
OR
Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-11 grade level. Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related.
OR
Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-11 level. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-11 grade level.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

Competency 1 The skill to recruiting and placing applicants and employees by processing personnel actions using automated programs.
Competency 2 The ability to advise supervisors, management and staff on HR matters, including policy, regulatory and legal.
Competency 3 The ability to apply special initiatives and programs: EEO, hiring authorities and recruitment tools.
Competency 4 The ability to provide in depth technical review of required documents to ensure they are consistent with laws, rules and regulations.
Competency 5 Ability to facilitate employee orientation using effective oral instructions
Competency 6 Skill in providing superior customer service to both internal and external customers
Competency 7 The ability to prepare electronic correspondence with attention to detail.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

How you will be evaluated

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

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview.Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.