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Lead HR Specialist

Office of Personnel Management
Federal Talent Management Center (FTMC)

Summary

Join the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Federal Talent Management Center! We're looking for talented professionals to help deliver solutions that support federal agencies nationwide. As a Lead Human Resources Specialist with the US Office of Personnel Management, Human Resources Solutions, Staff Acquisition Group, you will lead HR staff and deliver recruitment, staffing, onboarding, training, project management, and advisory services to Federal agencies.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted today · Apply by 07/17/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on July 17, 2026
Location
few vacancies in the following locations:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$107,446 - $139,684 per year

The salary range above is basic pay. Locality rate will be added based on location.

Pay scale & grade
GS 14
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Other
Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
26-SLS-12994895-ST
Control number
875176400

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Duties

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  • Lead a team of HR Specialists by assigning work, balancing workload, coaching staff, monitoring progress, and reporting accomplishments and issues to management.
  • Provide Federal recruitment and placement services, including job analysis, assessments, vacancy announcements, applicant reviews, certificates, and audits.
  • Advise agencies, applicants, managers, staff, and contractors on Federal hiring, onboarding, reasonable accommodation, and recruitment procedures.
  • Lead quality assurance reviews and audits to ensure recruitment and examining work complies with delegated examining rules and merit system principles.
  • Manage reimbursable HR projects by developing project plans, assigning work, monitoring deliverables, tracking costs, and communicating project status.
  • Develop and deliver HR training, workshops, coaching, presentations, and technical guidance on Federal staffing, assessments, and hiring systems.
  • Support business development by assessing customer needs, negotiating project scope and costs, and preparing agreements, pricing proposals, and funding documents.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
  • Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
  • Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin
  • Complete the initial online assessment and USAHire Assessment, if required
  • You will be required to report to an OPM assigned office.
  • This position is not eligible for inclusion in a bargaining unit

Qualifications

In order to be rated as qualified for this position, the HR Office must be able to determine that you meet the specialized experience requirement- this information must be clearly supported in the resume. You must include months, years and hours per week worked to receive credit for your work and/or volunteer experience. One year of specialized experience is equivalent to 12 months at 40 hours per week. Part-time hours are prorated. You will not receive any credit for experience that does not indicate exact hours per week or is listed as "varies".

For the GS 14: You must have at least one year (52 weeks, full-time) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level in the Federal service (or comparable level of experience from outside the Federal service) performing ALL the following duties:

  1. Leading or coordinating the work of HR staff by assigning work, monitoring progress, reviewing work products, or providing technical guidance; and
  2. Providing recruitment and placement services, such as job analysis, assessment development, vacancy announcement preparation, applicant qualification review, certificate issuance, or hiring audits; and
  3. Advising managers, agency officials, staff, or applicants on Federal hiring, onboarding, delegated examining, merit staffing, reasonable accommodation, or pay-setting requirements; and
  4. Managing or supporting HR projects by developing plans, tracking deliverables, communicating status, or preparing recommendations, briefings, guidance, or training materials.

Merit promotion applicants must meet the time-in-grade requirement as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. One year at the GS-13 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS14 level.

You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

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.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

Relocation assistance and/or incentives may be offered at the discretion of the supervisor.


If you are unable to apply online and would like to request information about the Alternate Application process, please use the contact information at the bottom of this announcement.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across OPM.

Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment under Merit Promotion procedures, the veteran must be a preference eligible or a veteran separated after 3 years or more of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions.

Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities: For more information on noncompetitive appointment authority eligibility
requirements visit the following websites:

Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/Home/Registration)

Reasonable Accommodation 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 an 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 an RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period, 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 period (or trial period) your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses to the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. 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
  • Teamwork


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.

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.

All qualified Non-Competitive applicants and the best-qualified Merit Promotion applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration.

Career Transition Assistance Programs: These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well-qualified for the position (obtain a score of 85 or higher on assessments); and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp.

Office of Personnel Management

At OPM, we are champions of talent for the Federal Government. We lead Federal agencies in workforce policies, programs, and benefits in service to the American people. We will create a new vision of work, together, positioning the Federal Government as a model employer for past and present employees through innovation and leadership. We will build a rewarding culture that empowers the workforce to solve some of our nation's toughest challenges.


The Federal Talent Management Center (FTMC) advances federal workforce excellence by delivering end-to-end talent solutions that uphold merit principles and align with Administration priorities. Rooted in a commitment to accountability and mission readiness, FTMC supports agencies through every stage of the talent lifecycle - from attracting and onboarding top candidates to developing, evaluating, and retaining a high - performing workforce. Its integrated programs - Assessment and Evaluation; Strategic Consulting; Classification, Strategy, and Operations; Staff Acquisition; Training and Development; and Employee Services and Records Management - provide agencies with the tools, expertise, and strategic guidance needed to build capable, resilient organizations that serve the American public effectively.

Agency contact information

OPM Human Resources
Phone
202-606-9321
Email
jobs@opm.gov
Address
OPM Human Resources
1900 E St., NW
Washington, DC 20415
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Office of Personnel Management, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://www.opm.gov/about-us/our-work/

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