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Human Resources Specialist (Employee Relations)

Department of State
Department of State - Agency Wide

Summary

This position is located in the Human Resources Division of the Office of the Executive Director (NEA-SCA/EX) for the Bureaus of Near Eastern Affairs (NEA) and South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA) within the Department of State.

*** Amended: This position is not eligible for relocation expenses.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted this week · Apply by 06/23/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on June 23, 2026
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—Yes - as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$143,913 - $187,093 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 14
Promotion potential
14
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Occasional domestic travel may be required for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Top Secret
Position sensitivity and risk
NCS/High Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Announcement number
P/NEA-MPI-2026-0008
Control number
872978700

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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  • Advises managers and employees on ER, disciplinary, grievance, appeal, payroll, benefits, and HR matters.
  • Analyzes workplace issues, counsels staff, mediates disputes, and prepares ER documentation.
  • Reviews performance plans and ratings and provides performance management training.
  • Conducts inquiries, prepares reports, and drafts disciplinary and adverse actions.
  • Represents the bureau, advises on workforce issues, and serves as POC for workers’ compensation and complex leave cases.

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 Top 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 analyzing documents and advising supervisors and employees on a wide variety of emplyee relation isssues;
  • Experience providing advisory on employee relation matters;
  • Experience in providing advisory services to managament on disciplinary actions.

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

  • To request a reasonable accommodation for additional time on the timed sections of the assessment, please submit your request using the “Request a Reasonable Accommodation” button within the Assessment Application. 

    For all other reasonable accommodations at the U.S. Department of State, please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations (OAA) at OAA@state.gov.    

    OAA is responsible for reviewing and adjudicating reasonable accommodation (RA) requests for the Assessment Battery being used for this announcement.  The following applies to all RA requests: 

    • RA requests cover additional time on timed sections only.   

    • Applicants submitting a RA request MUST attach supporting medical documentation signed by a licensed, treating medical provider. The documentation should describe the nature, severity, and expected duration of the condition, identify the relevant medical condition or diagnosis, and explain the basis for the requested extension.  RA requests that do not contain supporting medical documentation attachments at the time of initial request may be subject to further review.  

    • Note: the following documents do not, on their own, qualify for automatic approval of the RA request: Schedule A letters, VA benefits letters, or SSA letters. 

    • Applicants MUST submit their application before the vacancy closes, even if pending an accommodation decision.  

    • Applicants are encouraged to carefully follow instructions related to medical documentation provided in the vacancy announcement prior to beginning the RA process. 

    • Applicants will have 48 hours after their RA request is adjudicated to complete the assessment battery.  Scores generated after the allotted timeframe will not be admissible and the applicant will not be considered further for the vacancy.   

    • If a different type of RA is needed, please contact OAA directly at OAA@state.gov.       

  • 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 this Bureau 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.

The evaluation process consists of the ApplyGov Competency Based Assessments for which applicants will be assigned a score between 70 and 100. A resume review will be conducted for minimum qualification (MQ) requirements, per the “Qualifications” section of this announcement, of applicants found to be among the top qualified candidates based on assessment scores.  Resumes longer than two pages will be deemed ineligible and will not be considered further.  All applications that meet the required qualifications and the cutoff score will be referred to the selecting official in the order in which the applications were received.

You will be assessed on the following job-related competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

Non-Supervisory: Oral Communication, Writing, Interpersonal Skills, Problem Solving, Teamwork, Technology Orientation, Customer Service, Attention to Detail and Self-Management.

Set aside at least 2 hours to take the external assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. There are timed sections that must be completed within the allotted timeframe.

Your score from the external assessment (i.e., Non-supervisory) will remain on file for 180 days, allowing you to apply for multiple DOS-announced positions without needing to retake the assessments.

Top applicants may be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration. The assessment is used to measure the degree in which your background matches the competencies and KSAs required for this position. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies:

•  Experience analyzing documents and advising supervisors and employees on a wide variety of employee relations cases.

•  Experience identifying employee relations functions.

•  Ability to gather facts related to a problem or issue, analyzing them, and making supportable recommendations for resolution of the problem or issue.

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 may result in your removal from consideration.


You may preview questions for this vacancy.

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

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

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