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Human Resources Specialist

Department of State
Department of State - Agency Wide

Summary

This position is within the Executive Resources and Performance Management Division, Office of Civil Service Talent Management, Bureau of Personnel and Training (PERT/CSTM/ERPM). ERPM oversees four major programs: Senior Executive Service (SES) recruitment staffing; SES & General Schedule/Prevailing Rate performance management; Presidential Appointee with Senate Confirmation, Non career SES and Schedule C's; Position Management & Classification for serviced employees and Executive Development.

Overview

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Open & closing dates
03/12/2026 to 03/18/2026
Salary
$125,776 to - $187,093 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 14
Locations
2 vacancies in the following locations:
Washington, DC
Charleston, SC
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Occasional travel may be required.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
14
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Secret
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Announcement number
M/PERT-MPI-2026-0023
Control number
860832200

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

U.S. Department of State career or career conditional status employees in the competitive service; employees who are on temporary or other non-status appointments who have reinstatement or non-competitive eligibility for a competitive service appointment (e.g., tenured Foreign Service employees, employees on an excepted service appointment at the USUN who have previous career status, etc.); and CTAP.

Duties

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  • Serves as a chief strategist and advisor, providing guidance on a range of policy, administrative, and operational support functions. Responsible for immediate and long-term development of the Department's executive talent management enterprise.
  • Provides guidance on significant or unusual problems and frequent precedent setting recommendations to recruitment/placement, performance management, development of Presidential appointees, career and non-career SES, and Schedule C appointees.
  • Conducts in-depth analysis of program policy and develops recommendations for new, revised or termination of executive resources management programs/procedures in response to legislative changes, regulatory updates and operational challenges.
  • Serves as a principal liaison and point of contact for ERPM. Advises bureau management and HR offices on SES position management, organizational design, and classification strategies to improve overall program effectiveness and efficiency.
  • Develops and establishes SES position classification controls, procedures, and processes and provides technical guidance to assist in classification actions to ensure consistent, and accurate interpretation of statutory, regulatory, and evaluative.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement. 

NOTE: Applicants must meet time-in-grade and time after competitive appointment requirements, by the closing date of this announcement.

Time-In-Grade Requirements: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions, per 5CFR 300, Subpart F.

Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level in the Federal service which provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position.

Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:

  • Experience implementing program objectives and procedures governing the Department’s Senior Executive Service (SES) and Senior Level (SL) positions.

  • Experience advising senior leadership on policies and regulations that affect the administration of the Department’s Performance Management program for SES and SL positions.

  • Experience consulting on one of the following HR Functions, as it relates to senior executive level positions: Recruitment and Staffing that includes initiating personnel actions in GEMS, preparing announcement packages for vacancies posted to USAJOBS and for Executive Resources Board (ERB) clearance OR Position Management services and Classification determinations for Senior Executive Service (SES) positions.

There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-14 position.

Education

Education requirements do not apply to this vacancy announcement.

Additional information

  • If eligible, situational telework agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval. 

  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.  If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to other similar positions in other Bureaus/Offices in the Department for up to 240 days and may require a higher or lower security clearance.  Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions. 

  • Agency & Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP & ICTAP): View OPM’s  CTAP & ICTAP eligibility website for more information. You must be rated in the Well-Qualified category and submit supporting documents under the required documents section of this announcement to receive selection priority consideration. To be considered Well-Qualified applicants must: meet Minimum Qualifications, and demonstrate proficiency in some, but not all major aspects of the position. 

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the application process is complete, a review of your resume limited to two pages will be conducted and evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications for this position. The evaluation process consists of an online assessment and a subject matter expert review of your resume. Resumes longer than two pages will be deemed ineligible and will not be considered further. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies:

  • Knowledge of advanced Human Resources principles, concepts, laws, regulations, and practices across executive resources management, recruitment and staffing, performance management, and/or position classification.
  • Knowledge of unique regulations and requirements for Senior Executive Service (career and non-career), Senior Level positions, Schedule C appointees, and other excepted service executive positions.
  • Skill in communicating technical information (both oral and written) to develop authoritative policy guidance, prepare analytical reports, deliver briefings to senior executives, conduct training, and represent the Department in interagency forums.
  • Ability to apply a wide range of qualitative and/or quantitative methods and techniques to analyze and interpret program information, evaluate program effectiveness/accomplishments, and resolve mission affecting issues.
  • Ability to provide authoritative advice and guidance to senior management officials on complex and potentially controversial executive resource management program issues with broad and widespread impact.

In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. We do not make assumptions regarding your experience. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials may result in your removal from consideration.

Resume review: Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine your qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. Your resume should demonstrate how you meet all aspects of the specialized experience statement. SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., links embedded in your resume will not be opened.). If meeting basic qualifications through education only or a combination of education and experience, applicants will not be referred to the SME panel but will be reviewed by the HR Specialist for referral. 

Agency Career and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP and ICTAP) candidates must be considered well-qualified for the position and submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this job announcement to receive consideration for selection priority. To be considered well-qualified, in addition to meeting minimum qualifications, candidates must demonstrate proficiency in some, but not all of the major aspects of the position.


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