Clarification from the agency

This position is open to current, permanent VISN 4 employees aligned under Legacy VISN 15, Legacy VISN 16, Legacy VISN 17 and Legacy VISN 19 VISN Network Offices (*SF-50 must show your current position is aligned under the VISN Director's Office) and those eligible for CTAP.

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Duties include but are not limited to:

HR Program Management

The position is an executive advisor and consultant to top management at HSA facilities and executives in the HSA & VISN offices. Provides senior level direction on human resources (HR) management concepts, practices, and innovations in day-to-day operations. Responsible for the operating budget and oversight of all major program activities to ensure conformance with OPM, VA, VHA, VISN, HSA and Medical Center objectives, regulations, handbooks, directives, and policies; and tracks and measures compliance and remediates if necessary. Provides definitive advice and guidance to executive and other high-ranking leaders throughout the VISN on human resources management principles, techniques, acceptable personnel practices, as well as statutory, regulatory, and procedural requirements from agencies/organizations such as the Federal Labor Relations Authority, Merit Systems Protection Board, Office of Personnel Management, Office of Inspector General, Joint Commission, and other bodies. Collaborates with other organizations such as the Office of QSV, clinical leaders, fiscal leaders, etc., to align HR practices VISN-wide consistent with healthcare operations.

Supervision of HR Teams

• Exercises independent judgment to administratively and technically direct the work of subordinate supervisors and their direct reports. Utilizes subordinate supervisors and leads to direct, coordinate, and/or oversee work.
• Sets and ensures implementation of HR functional area's team goals. Establishes performance and quality targets and ensures HR staff consultants and support staff throughout the organization understand and are working purposefully and with clarity to
  meet them.
• Approves HR group and individual trainings or face-to-face workshops and authorizes funding. Ensures cross-training opportunities are provided and advocates for the creation of Individual Development Plans as appropriate.
• For serious incidents, counsels employees on behavior and initiates disciplinary actions if required. Takes corrective action to resolve escalated staff performance problems. Addresses staff grievances or recommends action to the VISN Director.
• The position maintains a continuous review of the organizational structure and personnel ceilings of the HR services under supervision.

HR Program Oversight

• Recruitment & Placement (R&P) - The position is responsible for a responsive, consultative, and focused R&P program that ensures VISN-wide supervisors receive expert technical guidance and service. Ensures HR staff apply critical, time-sensitive, and technical recruitment, placement, and appointment type strategies and timely and comprehensive execution of other tasks such as onboarding, new employee orientation, and retention.
• Employee/Labor Relations - The position is responsible for program oversight and responsibility for staff assignments that require analyzing and evaluating controversial and complex projects or cases, interpreting new or existing Employee and Labor relations policy, providing formal and informal assistance and advice, and conducting special assignments. Provides executive-level evaluations of the HR employee relations program.
• Classification - The position has full and finally delegated classification authority, oversight, and evaluation of the VISN Consolidated Classification Unit. Accountable for the impact of specific classification actions and findings into specific corrective actions including
  new or revised requirements or guidance, training, tool development, or other appropriate measures.
• Compensation - The position is responsible for the HR organization's administration of innovative HR compensation, pay, and salary options of a complex, technologically oriented healthcare facilities with diverse work forces that encompass a wide variety of occupations and grade levels.
• Worklife Benefits & OWCP - The position is the top HR executive responsible for program oversight and HR staff's interpretation of directives and regulations for many different and unrelated programs, processes, and methods related to FEGLI, TSP, FMLA, FEHB, FSAFEDS, Long-term Care, Open Enrollment, Leave, and other subsidies and benefits

Work Schedule: Employees are required to work the regular business hours and applicable core hours of the Health Service Area (HSA) to which they are assigned. Work schedules will be aligned with the time zone(s) served by the assigned HSA and may differ from the employee's local time zone.
Compressed/Flexible: May be authorized at supervisory discretion.
Telework: This position may be authorized for Ad-hoc telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Human Resources Officer/S0010A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

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 identification 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, 11/09/2026.

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-15 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-14. 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. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

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-15 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-13 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: mastery of, and skill in applying, a wide range of advanced HR principles, concepts, and practices, as well as seasoned consultative skills sufficient to provide management consultative service involving the full spectrum of HR functions; directing, overseeing and coordinating work projects and action items with concurrent deadlines; providing advice and guidance to all supervisory levels on human resources management principles, techniques and acceptable practices; providing sound principles and techniques and acceptable practices that are compliant with all Federal and VA regulations; providing staff assistance in analyzing personnel problems and exploring possible solutions; providing advice to management on the interpretation and implementation of union agreement and identifying developmental and training needs of employees and provides and/or arranges for needed development and training. (Transcripts Required).
~OR~
Criteria 2- Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 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: mastery of, and skill in applying, a wide range of advanced HR principles, concepts, and practices, as well as seasoned consultative skills sufficient to provide management consultative service involving the full spectrum of HR functions; directing, overseeing and coordinating work projects and action items with concurrent deadlines; providing advice and guidance to all supervisory levels on human resources management principles, techniques and acceptable practices; providing sound principles and techniques and acceptable practices that are compliant with all Federal and VA regulations; providing staff assistance in analyzing personnel problems and exploring possible solutions; providing advice to management on the interpretation and implementation of union agreement and identifying developmental and training needs of employees and provides and/or arranges for needed development and training.

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.

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:

• Personnel and Human Resources
• Planning and Evaluating
• Technical Competence
• Organizational Stewardship
• Critical Thinking
• Interpersonal Effectiveness

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.