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HR Specialist (Classification)

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has adopted the HR Modernization and Shared Services Implementation. This improvement will best support the needs of the VISN's diverse workforce and the expectations of management and staff and the execution of HR-related administrative functions. This streamlined and focused approach moves VHA forward in its continuum of providing comprehensive, compassionate, and coordinated care to Veterans.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
01/12/2022 to 01/26/2022
Salary
$79,363 to - $103,176 per year

Salary listed is for Rest Of U.S. . Actual Salary will be set based on location for which selected

Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Location
2 vacancies in the following location:
Location Negotiable After Selection, United States
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
CAZJ-11347213-22-LPG
Control number
630628200

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Duties

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**This position may be considered for telework and/or the ability to work virtual for highly qualified candidates ONLY. The determination of highly qualified will be based on the applicant's competency level in Classification and is dependent upon management approval**

The Human Resources Specialist (Classification) position is located in the Consolidated Classification Unit of VISN 22 Human Resource Management Service. The network employs thousands of clinical, professional, administrative, technical, and support staff and serves tens of thousands of Veterans annually. Performs duties for all geographic areas serviced by the network as a member of a network CCU. Duties include but are not limited to:

  • Reviews PD and classifies positions, explains findings through in-depth written evaluation statements, and signs Optional Form-08 for PDs, including one-of-a-kind, complex, rare, unusual and standardized PDs
  • Assesses information related to the classification request from the customer and/or HR staff on positions that are general schedule, wage system, leaders, or supervisors.
  • Researches and analyzes documentation to support classification actions
  • Develops methodologies to aid in understanding the organization's needs and goals for the position.
  • Identifying, interpreting, analyzing, cross-referencing, and applying classification standards, flysheets, functional guides, and OPM, VA and VHA guidance to render technically correct classification determinations for Title 5 position
  • Makes fine distinctions in the proper crediting of factor levels and ultimate allocation of grade levels
  • Communicates grade variations to management with supporting criteria and justification to foster understanding and acceptance of findings.
  • Performs position reviews to affirm or correct classifications when directed by VA, VHA, OPM, and as warranted
  • Develops statements of difference for career ladder positions, addendums and appropriate non-competitive promotion actions, ensuring criteria is met
  • Coordinates the submission of documents for appeals. Conducts thorough desk audits of difficult cases and prepares comprehensive written results that explain conclusions
  • Provides advice on Title 38 Functional Statement (FS) formatting and answers questions related to their development and use.
  • Participates in meetings (in-person, online, or over the phone) to interpret and correlate policy, procedures, and guidelines related to controversial or contentious actions and recommends solutions.
  • Provides technical explanations in layman's terms of complex issues referred by customers and HR staff.
  • Consults with customers to fully understand the duties being classified and its impact on the health care system.
  • Collaborates with customers and reconciles conflicting viewpoints to deliver high quality products and timely service.
  • Conducts position management assessments, identifies any inconsistencies or missed opportunities, and makes recommendations on position and organizational design.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday (08:00a - 04:30p)
Compressed/Flexible: Available
Telework: May be available for highly qualified candidates and TOD's must be within the above business hours for PST/MST.
Virtual: May be available for highly qualified candidates and TOD's must be within the above business hours for PST/MST.
Position Description/PD#: HR Specialist (Classification)/PD99984A and PD99984S
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
  • All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period
  • Subject to background/security investigation
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
  • Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Personnel

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 01/26/2022.

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-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. 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.

You may qualify based on your experience as described below:

  • Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Applying, a wide range of classification, position management, and job grading principles, practices, laws, regulations, policies, and precedents sufficient to provide substantive HR management consultations, training, and technical services; Reviewing positions, writing in-depth reports of findings related to unique issues, conducting desk audits, and preparing evaluation statements; working knowledge of classification computer programs, Position Designation Records (PDR) and Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) determinations to render a decision on each position submitted.
You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
  • Attention to Detail
  • Classification
  • Communication
  • Critical Thinking
  • Technical Competence


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.

Note: 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.

Physical Requirements: the work is primarily sedentary and requires long periods of time working and keyboarding at a computer workstation. It may involve some walking, standing, bending, or carrying of small items such as files, books and papers.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

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

As required by Executive Order 14043, Federal employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 regardless of the employee's duty location or work arrangement (e.g., telework, remote work, etc.), subject to such exceptions as required by law. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required exception from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

Due to COVID-19, VA is currently in an expanded telework posture. If selected, you may be expected to temporarily telework, even if your home is located outside the local commuting area. Once employees are permitted to return to the office, you will be expected to report to the duty station listed on this announcement. Management officials will provide information about returning to the official, pre-pandemic worksite, when applicable. At that time, you may be eligible to request to continue to telework depending upon the terms of your organization's telework policy and the duties of the position.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

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