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Human Resources Specialist

Department of State
Department of State - Agency Wide

Summary

This position is located in the Office of the Under Secretary for Management, Executive Office, Office of Workforce Operations (M/EX/WO). WO is responsible for M Family Human Capital Management (except for CA and DS) and serves as the primary liaison with the Bureau of Human Resources (HR) on human capital matters for Bureaus receiving service by M/EX. This office also oversees the Performance Management, Employee Relations and onboarding/offboarding of M family employees.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
04/17/2026 to 04/23/2026
Salary
$102,415 - $158,322 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12 - 13
Location
Many vacancies in the following location:
Arlington, VA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Occasional travel may be required for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
13
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Secret
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Announcement number
M-MPI-2026-0008
Control number
865438700

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., career 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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  • At the GS-12 level, the incumbent performs essentially the same duties as outlined below; however, the scope and complexity of assignments are of less responsibility and independence and receives closer than normal supervision.
  • Reviews, analyzes and resolves a variety of Employee Relation cases and claims to determine appropriate action and facilitate next steps. Interprets agency policy on unique/complex cases and submits claim forms for adjudication.
  • Resolves problems related to complex employee leave cases, involving a combination of leave with pay, sick leave, and holidays. Assists in the research, preparation, maintenance, and filing of necessary documents for third party review.
  • Maintains liaison with the Department's central HR offices on HR functions within the scope of the work duties by providing statistics, back ground information, justifications, and other related data as required.
  • Assists with planning informational events and materials related to work-life balance programs and initiatives. Coordinates work-life programs activities for the bureau. Disseminates bureau guidelines regarding work-life programs and options.

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 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.

GS-12

Applicants applying for the GS-12 must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 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 researching, interpreting and applying appropriate Federal laws, regulations, policies and guidelines in at least two human resources functional areas (e.g., recruitment and placement, classification, employee relations, and performance management).
  • Experience analyzing facts related to employee conduct or performance issues to determine if there are justifiable grounds to take action and elevate a case.
  • Experience training and/or advising users on navigating the performance management system.

There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-12 position.

GS-13

Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 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 researching, interpreting and applying appropriate Federal laws, regulations, policies and guidelines in at least two human resources functional areas (e.g., recruitment and placement, classification, employee relations, and performance management).
  • Experience drafting a variety of reports, policy, memoranda, and other correspondence on personnel management issues.
  • Experience providing consultative guidance to managers about appropriate disciplinary or corrective performance management techniques. 

There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-13 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: score an 85 or above, 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.

A review of your resume will be conducted and compared against your responses to the crediting plan questions to determine if you are qualified for this job.  Applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements, as described in the “Qualifications” section of this announcement, will be assigned a score between 70 and 100. The evaluation process consists of an online assessment and a subject matter expert  resume review of applicants found to be among the top qualified candidates based on the crediting plan assessment. Resumes longer than two pages will be deemed ineligible and will not be considered further.  Responses to questions that are not fully supported by the information in your resume may result in adjustments to your rating.  

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies: 

  • Knowledge of employee relations functions, principles, practices, laws, rules and regulations.
  • Knowledge of Performance Management standards and systems.
  • Skill in gathering data, conducting analysis and evaluating results.
  • Ability to provide advisory services on a variety of human resources matters.
  • Ability to effectively communicate technical information, both orally and in writing.

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. 

Applicants found to be among the top qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview.  Qualified non-competitive candidates must be deemed best qualified based on the applicant assessment in order to be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview. 

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 earning a score of 85 or above and meeting minimum qualifications, candidates must demonstrate proficiency in some, but not all of the major aspects of the position. 


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Department of State - Agency Wide

The U.S. Department of State, our country’s lead foreign policy agency, provides employees with a dynamic international career whether at home or abroad and unique professional development opportunities.  Each day, our employees make a difference as they advance the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity, through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance.  We embrace our talented workforce which reflects the personal, professional, and educational strengths of our country. 

Named one of America’s Best Employers by Forbes, we offer a workplace that values and rewards leadership, collaboration, innovation, and personal and professional development. Visit careers.state.gov to learn more about what it's like to work at the U.S. Department of State, what the agency does, the wide range of careers this agency offers, and the benefits available to employees.

Agency contact information

Brianna D. Skinner
Phone
000-000-0000
Fax
000-000-0000
Email
SkinnerBD@state.gov
Address
U.S. Department of State
Not accepting applications by Mail
Charleston, South Carolina 29405
United States

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