HR SPECIALIST (EMPLOYEE BENEFITS/COMPENSATION) Job in Santa Fe, NM

Vacancy No. NM-12988213-AF-T32-026-016 Department Air National Guard
Salary $62,392.00 to $98,141.00 Grade 9 to 11
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 6/16/2026 Close Date 7/1/2026
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Santa Fe, NM


HR SPECIALIST (EMPLOYEE BENEFITS/COMPENSATION)

Department of the Air Force
Air National Guard

Summary

THIS IS A NATIONAL GUARD TITLE 32 EXCEPTED SERVICE POSITION.
THIS IS A NM AIR NATIONAL GUARD FUNDED POSITION.
*You must be a member of the New Mexico Army OR Air National Guard to be eligible for this position.


This National Guard position is for a HR SPECIALIST (EMPLOYEE BENEFITS/COMPENSATION), Position Description Number D1029P01 and is part of the NM HR Office, National Guard.

This job is open to

National Guard and reserves

Current members, those who want to join or transitioning military members.

Duties

This position is located in the JFHQ-State Human Resources Office (HRO). The purpose of this position is to perform employee benefit and retirement advisory services to both Army (ARNG) and Air National Guard (ANG) organizations and the full-time workforce within the state. Trains and provides technical assistance to lower graded specialists.

  • Advises and counsels management, employees, annuitants, and family members of deceased employees by interpreting, applying, and explaining retirement and insurance laws, regulations, and policies on available retirement insurance benefits, death benefits, entitlements/options. Researches and interprets appropriate regulations to provide advice to employees concerning reinstatement of insurance, conversion of life insurance and features of the programs and options associated with retirement. Assist employees in the preparation of retirement applications and related documents and forwards to the Army Benefits Center Civilian (ABC-C). Determines type of separation and completion of eOPF maintenance for documents. Maintains a current knowledge of legislative development, agency reorganizations and other pertinent activities that may have an impact on management and employees. Provides technical guidance and assistance in the development and implementation of benefit program changes and open seasons. Determines entitlement to retirement annuities, eligibility for continuation of life and health insurance. Provides technical advice to personnel on a variety of programs such as health and life insurance and Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). Provides initial overview to new employees on the benefit programs available to them.
  • Provides technical advice to personnel on programs such as the Mass Transit, Reasonable Accommodations (RA), Telework, Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act, military, or civilian deposits for CSRS/FERS, disability benefits, Light Duty Program, and Workers Compensation Program. Develop and process termination memorandums. Compose termination memorandums (30-day notice) in compliance with formats contained in the correspondence regulation for non-retention, mandatory removal date (MRD), mandatory separation date (MSD), medical disqualification, age 60, etc. Monitors and ensures the Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA) program is properly publicized and supervisors are provided the appropriate guidelines for use of the program. In coordination with the NGB J1-Functional Manager ensures prompt submission of claims and medical documents. Works with Department of Labor (DOL), Defense Civilian Personnel Advisory Service (DCPAS), to ensure only legitimate claims are submitted.
  • Provides technical advice on flexibilities and appropriate use of leave issues such as Sick Leave for Family Care and Bereavement, Disabled Veterans Leave, Advanced Leave, Compensatory Time, Leave Without Pay, Absence Without Leave, Presidential Leave, Court Leave, and Military Leave. Provides technical advice on the use of the Family and Medical Leave Act, Paid Parental Leave, and Voluntary Leave Transfer Program. Interprets guidance and regulations to provide advice to management and employees on pay schedule adjustments, severance pay, back pay, debts, and compensation. Process donated leave requests within the State. Use automated system to effectively process personnel actions in accordance with the Guide to Processing Personnel Actions and local personnel systems checklists as required.
  • Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

  • NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERSHIP IS REQUIRED. If you are not sure you are eligible for military membership, please contact a National Guard recruiter prior to applying for this position.
  • This is an excepted service position that requires membership in a compatible military assignment in the employing state's National Guard, required prior to the effective date of placement.
  • Selectee will be required to wear the military uniform.
  • Acceptance of an excepted service position constitutes concurrence with these requirements as a condition of employment.
  • Applicants who are not currently a member of the National Guard must be eligible for immediate membership and employment in the National Guard in the military grade listed in this announcement.
  • Males born after 31 December 1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • Federal employment suitability as determined by a background investigation.
  • May be required to successfully complete a trial period.
  • Participation in direct deposit is mandatory.
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain the appropriate clearance designated at the State through the use of the Position Designation Tool.
  • This position is covered by the Domestic Violence Misdemeanor Amendment (30 Sep 96) of the Gun Control Act (Lautenberg Amendment) of 1968. An individual convicted of a qualifying crime of domestic violence may not perform the duties of this position.

Qualifications

Military Grades: Officer (O-2 and below), Warrant Officer (CW3 and below), Enlisted (E-9 and below)

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: GS-09- Must have at least one year specialized experiences at the GS-07 level or the equivalent which provided a working knowledge of National Guard missions, organizations, and federal civilian or military personnel programs. Must have experiences in executing personnel programs and Human Resources Information Systems, as applicable to the specific position and its position description.

GS-11- Must possess specialized experiences at the GS-09 level or the equivalent which provided a working knowledge of National Guard missions, organizations, and federal civilian or military personnel programs.

Education

You must provide transcripts or other documentation to support your Educational claims. To receive credit for Education, you must provide documentation of proof that you meet the Education requirements for this position.

Additional information

If you are a male applicant who was born after 12/31/1959 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency (Register | Selective Service System : Selective Service System (sss.gov)).

PROBATIONARY PERIOD: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 2-year probationary 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 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.

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the announcement has closed, your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine if you meet the qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application package, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this position. If you are found to be among the top qualified candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:

1. Your resume showing:

  • Contact Information-your name and the best way to contact you.
  • Relevant work experience-include the employer's name, job title, start and end dates (month/year), the number of hours worked per week and describe how you meet the required qualifications of the job. Federal jobs should include series and grade.
  • Education, certifications or licensures.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application/Occupational Questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. To view the Occupational Questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12988213

A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.

To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.

Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.

You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.


To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

Agency contact information

Jonelle Suina
Phone
505-407-3610
Email
jonelle.l.suina.civ@army.mil
Address
NM HR Office
47 Bataan Boulevard
Santa Fe, NM 87508-4695
US

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.

Air National Guard

THIS IS A NATIONAL GUARD TITLE 32 EXCEPTED SERVICE POSITION.

The National Guard is the oldest component of the Armed Forces of the United States. Since the earliest American colonial days, citizens have joined together for collective defense. We have a proud tradition of coming to the aid of our friends and neighbors in times of serious emergencies. Join our National Guard team and serve your nation, your states and your community!

Agency contact information

Jonelle Suina
Phone
505-407-3610
Email
jonelle.l.suina.civ@army.mil
Address
NM HR Office
47 Bataan Boulevard
Santa Fe, NM 87508-4695
US

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