Clarification from the agency

Current and permanent employees of VISN 21 Human Resources Management service (Station 497). A current Non-Award SF-50 must be submitted with application to meet the Area of Consideration requirement.

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This position is responsible for supervising VISN Recruitment and Placement Staff and administering the VISN's Federal recruitment, placement, and staffing programs. They provide expert level human resource advice and guidance on these programs to the VISN and medical Centers' management and staff.

Major duties for the position may include but are not limited to:

Recruitment & Placement Oversight/Evaluation

• Administers the VISN's recruitment and placement activities supporting the mission and operations of the VISN and its MCs to include plans for hard to recruit positions and executes special recruitment programs to attract well qualified candidates.
• Provides R&P guidance and renders decisions on complex issues/situations unresolved by subordinates on a continuous basis through review of completed work and production goals achieved.
• Reviews administrative and technical procedures to attain maximum efficiency, economy, and effectiveness of operations.
• Manages the daily operations of the R&P SSU with the responsibility for integrating and coordinating all areas of the R&P program.
• Provides advisory services on staffing actions. Advises management on recruitment strategies, sources, and special programs. Provides managers and employees with information and interpretation of the VA's HR policies.
• Provides guidance on merit system principles, prohibited personnel practices, and the development and use of valid selection criteria.
• Leads internal reviews of the R&P program and procedures, with teams of specialists, collaborating with other VISN HR functional specialists, ensuring that the full scope of process, records, and information are reviewed for accuracy and that the relationship of the work performed across functions is assessed for overall accuracy, efficiency and effectiveness.
• Leads or serves as team member on special projects or comprehensive studies to examine a spectrum of problems or issues that may cross VISN/MC organizational lines.
• Reviews one time and recurring quality control reports and ensures proper follow-up action to include required corrections.
• Advises management on a wide range of staffing issues such as workforce shaping/reduction-in-force, special placement programs, recruitment methods, and special pay incentives.
• Ensures the all VISN R&P policies are reflective of current rules, regulations and procedures as mandated through VHA, VA, OPM, and other regulatory agencies.

Supervisory Duties

• Plans and directs staffing section operations. Provides guidance and renders decisions on complex determinations unresolved by subordinates on a continuous basis through review of completed work and assessment of results obtained.
• Recommends awards or bonuses for nonsupervisory personnel and recommends changes to work assignments, subject to approval by higher-level officials.
• Effects minor disciplinary measures, such as warnings and reprimands, recommending other action in more serious cases and identifies and arranges development and other training needs of employees.
• Counsels subordinates, develops performance standards, and rates staff. Encourages and acts upon employee suggestions for work improvement.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: HR Specialist Total Rewards

Work Schedule: Full-time; Monday - Friday; Must work VISN 21 core hours; Subject to change to meet the needs of the Agency
Compressed/Flexible: 9/80 alternative work schedule available; ten hour shifts not authorized
Telework: Ad-hoc telework authorized
Virtual: This is a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Supervisory Human Resources Specialist (Recruitment and Placement) - Detail/Temporary Promotion/PD99973A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/28/2026.

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-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. 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.

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-13 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-11 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: knowledge of experience in recruitment and placement policies and regulations; training subordinate staff in recruitment and placement policies and procedures; plans and directs subordinate staff providing guidance and decisions in complex HR Situations. ~OR~

Criteria 2: Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 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: Experience in a full range of human resources recruitment and placement programs including job analysis, merit promotion procedures and requirements, qualification determinations, pay administration, appointment procedures, special hiring authorities, and alternative candidate sourcing methods. Additionally, this experience includes analyzing personnel procedures, guidelines, regulations and policy reference materials and developing recommendations and solutions based on research and providing guidance and training to peers and lower grade HR specialists.

Impact of Time-in-Grade Restrictions: Unless excluded from coverage under 5 C.F.R. Part 300, Subpart F, current (and some former) Federal Grade employees must meet time-in-grade requirements to qualify for the grade level through Criteria 1: graduate degree and specialized experience.

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:

• Critical Thinking
• Performance Management
• Recruitment/Placement

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.