Clarification from the agency

Open to current and permanent facility ER/LR Service Line employees ONLY. Location may vary based on the selected candidate's current reporting location.

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This position serves as the Shared Service Unit (SSU) ER/LR Chief responsible for providing employee relations, labor relations, performance management, work life, reasonable accommodations, suitability, worker's compensation, training and development and/or other special programs to a large, highly customized and innovative, complex, multi-mission VISN and its subordinate facilities.

Major Duties Include:

• The Shared Service Unit ER/LR Chief plans and carries out short-and long-range projects and studies to identify and resolve problems pertaining to various HR program areas.
• Responsibility for implementation of an effective program in the following program areas: employee relations, labor relations, performance management, work life, reasonable accommodations, suitability, worker's compensation, training, and development and/or other special programs.
• Continually monitors and reviews assigned VISN-wide HR management program areas to increase effectiveness of the program.
• Develops guidance, procedures, and standards for new and/or changing program areas to maximize personnel management support.
• Assures that all policy, regulatory and program issuances are properly integrated with other staff actions and are thereby fully supportive of the mission requirements, equal employment opportunity objectives and the Federal merit system.
• Analyzes and evaluates program execution in VISN activities; recognizes problem areas; and originates solutions to complex and unusual issues.
• Researches HR laws, policies, regulations and reference materials; analyzes information; selects appropriate approach; and recommends corrective action.
• Coordinate and review decisions on complex determinations unresolved by subordinate supervisory staff on a continuous basis through review of completed work and production goals achieved.
• Directs, coordinates, and oversees the work of subordinate supervisors and employees within the VISN SSU.
• Plans work to be accomplished by subordinates, sets, and adjusts short-term priorities and prepares schedules for completion of work.
• Provides advice, counseling and/or instructions to employees on both work and administrative matters. Responsible for exercising significant responsibilities in dealing with officials of other Sections or organizations, or in advising senior management officials.
• Assigns work to subordinates based on priorities, selective consideration of the difficulty and requirements of assignments, and the capabilities of employees.
• Assures reasonable equity among subordinates of both performance standards and rating techniques developed by subordinate supervisors.
• Makes decisions on work problems presented by subordinate supervisors; develops performance plans and evaluates subordinate supervisors and serves as the reviewing official on evaluations of nonsupervisory employees rated by subordinate supervisors.
• Through subordinate supervisors, oversees HR advisory services based on VISN priorities; takes proactive measures to anticipate the VISN's needs by pre-positioning work products in expectation of new projects and programs.
• Collaborates with staff on advising management on employee relations, labor relations, performance management, work life, reasonable accommodations, worker's compensation and training and development.
• Oversees the execution in applying HR employee and labor law principles, concepts, laws, regulations, techniques, and guidelines sufficient to explain the methodology to serviced customers and staff.
• Responsible for developing and overseeing services that provide the widest range of flexibility for comprehensive employee and labor relation services.

Work Schedule: Full-Time, Monday-Friday Admin Hours
Telework: This position may be authorized for AD-hoc telework.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Supervisory Human Resources Specialist (ER/LR Chief)/PD99979S

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.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/03/2026.

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-14 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-13. 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.

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 providing employee relations, labor relations, performance management, and other special programs to a large, highly customized, innovative and complex, multi-mission VISN and its subordinate facilities; assuring that all policy, regulatory and program issuances are properly integrated with other staff actions and are thereby fully supportive of the mission requirements, equal employment opportunity objectives, and the Federal merit system; advising management on a range of employee and labor law issues such as disciplinary and adverse actions, settlement agreements, congressional correspondence, OAWP, DAB, AIB, fact findings, grievance examiners, state licensure reviews, suitability, Drug Free Workplace, Workplace Violence Prevention Program, and third-party hearing representation; planning work to be accomplished by subordinates, set and adjust short-term priorities and prepare schedules for completion of work.
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: Skill in providing employee relations, labor relations, performance management, and other special programs to a large, highly customized, innovative and complex, multi-mission VISN and its subordinate facilities; assuring that all policy, regulatory and program issuances are properly integrated with other staff actions and are thereby fully supportive of the mission requirements, equal employment opportunity objectives, and the Federal merit system; advising management on a range of employee and labor law issues such as disciplinary and adverse actions, settlement agreements, congressional correspondence, OAWP, DAB, AIB, fact findings, grievance examiners, state licensure reviews, suitability, Drug Free Workplace, Workplace Violence Prevention Program, and third-party hearing representation; planning work to be accomplished by subordinates, set and adjust short-term priorities and prepare schedules for completion of work.

How you will be evaluated

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

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

• Administration and Management
• Decision Support
• Employee Relations
• Human Capital Management

Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. 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. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

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.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.