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Employee and Labor Relations Program Manager

Department of Commerce
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Office of Human Resources Management, Workforce Programs Division

Summary

The Office of Human Resources Management, Workforce Programs Division, is seeking a Employee and Labor Relations Program Manager to provide advice and guidance on employee and labor relations matters. This role provides policy development, compliance, and advisory services on employee and labor relations issues.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
04/14/2026 to 04/20/2026
Salary
$102,415 - $187,093 per year
Pay scale & grade
ZA 3 - 4
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Gaithersburg, MD
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Occasional Travel to other NIST sites as needed.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
4
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
OHRM-176-26-12934829-MP
Control number
864958200

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Duties

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ZA-III

  • Provides advice and guidance on employee and labor relations matters (unfair labor claims, grievances, impact and implementation matters, notifications, bargaining unit determinations, etc.).
  • Provides policy development, compliance, and advisory services on employee and labor relations issues.
  • Participates in evaluating the effectiveness of the Employee and Labor Relations Program. Provides employee relations advice and guidance to management and employees, serving as a technical resource on performance and conduct-based actions and related employee and labor relations policies and practices.
  • Advises management on employee discipline, adverse actions, performance, grievances, attendance and leave issues, employee conduct, workplace violence, medical issues, harassment, and related HR issues.
  • Develops defendable work products to include disciplinary/adverse actions, performance-related and based actions, grievances, administrative inquiries, addressing workplace violence incidents, and related HR issues, i.e., leave, medical, suitability, etc.
ZA-IV
  • Serves as NIST's Employee and Labor Relations Program Manager.
  • Provides operational activities, advice, policy development, and guidance on employee and labor relations matters.
  • Performs administration of multiple union contracts and serves as lead negotiator in negotiations.
  • Addresses unfair labor practice claims and arbitrations. Addresses complex, novel, and unique labor issues and evaluates program effectiveness.
  • Provides employee relations advice and guidance to management and employees, serving as a technical resource on performance and conduct-based actions and related employee relations policies and practices.
  • Advises management on employee discipline, adverse actions, performance, grievances, attendance and leave issues, employee conduct, workplace violence, medical issues, harassment, and related HR issues.
  • Develops defendable work products to include disciplinary/adverse actions, performance-related and based actions, grievances, administrative inquiries, addressing workplace violence incidents, and related HR issues, i.e., leave, medical, suitability, etc.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. citizenship
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
  • Suitable for Federal employment
  • Merit applicants must meet time-in-grade/band requirements, as applicable
  • Bargaining Unit Position: No

Qualifications

ZA-III

To qualify, applicants must have one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level (or ZA-II at NIST). Specialized experience is defined as experience serving as a resource on performance and/or conduct-based actions; and/or serving as a point of contact on labor-management matters of overall concern (e.g., grievances, unfair labor practice charges, information sharing, and contract interpretation).

ZA-IV

To qualify, applicants must have one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 level (or ZA-III at NIST). Specialized experience is defined as experience serving as a technical advisor on employee and labor relations program policies, regulations, and practices and providing operational employee relations activities to include advising on employee relations matters (e.g., performance-based actions, disciplinary/adverse actions, grievances, administrative investigations).

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; religious; 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 qualification requirements in this vacancy announcement are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook.

If requesting reconsideration of your qualification determination, please refer to the following site: Applicant Reconsideration

Education

Qualifications are based upon meeting specialized experience only. Education cannot be used to qualify for this position.

Additional information

This position is covered under NIST's Alternative Personnel Management System (APMS), a pay-for-performance system with excellent HR flexibilities to help NIST recruit and retain top talent Learn more about the APMS here!

  • We may share your application package with other selecting officials. Additional selections may be made through this vacancy.
  • Click all links in this vacancy announcement to view additional information or instructions.
  • You MUST select at least ONE ELIGIBILITY to be considered for this position.
  • All documents submitted for this announcement must be legible to make qualification or eligibility determinations.
  • A probationary period may be required.
Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: Reasonable Accommodation Overview - Agency Resource Center

NIST strives to build a flexible and encouraging work environment to bring out the best in our employees. To help our employees balance responsibilities at home and at work, NIST offers a variety of work-life flexibilities. For more information, please visit our Careers website.

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.

Please prepare a resume that is no longer than two pages; only the first two pages will be considered during the review process. Ensure your font is 11 points or larger and upload your resume as a .pdf document. This helps ensure your formatting looks exactly the way you intended.

How you will be evaluated:
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Accountability, Attention to Detail, Customer Service, Decision Making, Flexibility, Influencing/Negotiating, Integrity/Honesty, Interpersonal Skills, Learning, Reading Comprehension, Reasoning, Self-Management, Stress Tolerance, and Teamwork

To preview the questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12934829

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed in this announcement. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

The USA Hire Assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.

Structured Resume Review. Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. SMEs will review ONLY two (2) pages of your resume. SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume. Applicants passing the structured resume review will move to the next phase of the assessment process.

Referral: If you are among the top-qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. You may be required to participate in a selection interview. You will be referred based on your eligibility (e.g., Merit candidate, veterans' preference, etc.). Please review the Evaluation Process on how applicants are review and referred based upon how they wish to be considered for the position.

CTAP or ICTAP eligibility: If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP), you must submit proof of eligibility (See REQUIRED DOCUMENTS SECTION) and be determined eligible and rated as well-qualified to receive special selection priority. "Well Qualified" means that in addition to meeting the minimum qualification requirements and selective placement factor(s), if applicable, you must receive a score of 85 or higher. Please review the following site regarding required documents to support CTAP or ICTAP eligibility and additional information regarding this authority - CTAP/ICTAP Eligibility

National Institute of Standards and Technology

NIST works with industry and science to advance innovation and improve quality of life.

Agency contact information

Sarah Sadler
Phone
301-366-1164
Email
sarah.sadler@nist.gov
Address
Workforce Programs Division
100 Bureau Drive
Gaithersburg, MD 20899
US

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https://www.nist.gov/careers

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