Human Resources Specialist (Generalist)

Clarification from the agency

Your application will be considered if you: are eligible under GSA’s Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP); Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP); VEOA eligible Veteran; Are a Military spouse or Are an eligible Land Management employee.

As a Human Resources Specialist (Generalist), you will perform the following duties:

GS-7 Duties

• Assists higher-graded specialists with recruitment and placement assignments by reviewing position and vacancy information; assisting with vacancy announcements, correspondence, reports, recruitment documentation, and case files; responding to routine inquiries; assisting with orientation and onboarding; processing background investigation requests; and referring unusual or technical matters for higher-level review.
• Assists higher-graded specialists with employee relations and performance management assignments by applying established guidance to limited-scope issues; gathering and analyzing facts; assisting with disciplinary actions, grievances, appeals, and related case files; preparing analytical work products; and communicating factual and procedural information while referring matters requiring higher-level interpretation.
• Assists higher-graded specialists with labor relations assignments by researching applicable laws, regulations, negotiated agreements, and precedents; applying established guidance to limited-scope issues; providing procedural assistance concerning employee rights; and assisting with grievances, unfair labor practice matters, pre-negotiation activities, FOIA requests, and other assigned matters.
• Conducts basic research and analysis supportingrecruitment and placement, employee relations, and/or labor relations by locating authoritative information; gathering, evaluating, organizing, and summarizing facts; identifying routine HR issues or discrepancies; preparing analytical work products; and providing information to support higher-graded specialists in evaluating options and courses of action.
• Communicates factual and procedural information orally and in writing to managers, supervisors, employees, applicants, and other customers; responds to routine inquiries; prepares HR correspondence and reports; assists with briefings, presentations, training, orientation, and onboarding; and maintains effective working relationships while supporting assigned HR activities.

GS-9 Duties

• Assists higher-graded specialists with recruitment and placement assignments by providing limited advisory support to program officials; participating in recruitment discussions; developing job analyses and vacancy announcements for less-complex positions; determining applicant qualifications and referrals; applying hiring authorities and placement procedures; reviewing personnel actions for compliance; responding to inquiries; and researching less-complex recruitment issues and recommending appropriate action.
• Assists higher-graded specialists with employee relations assignments by advising managers and employees on routine issues involving leave, attendance, disputes, discipline, grievances, appeals, and performance; researching applicable laws, policies, precedents, and case information; analyzing recurring cases; assisting with disciplinary and performance actions; maintaining case files; and advising on performance improvement and appraisal matters.
• Assists higher-graded specialists with labor relations assignments by preparing labor-management proposals; researching and evaluating applicable laws, regulations, negotiated agreements, and precedents; providing guidance concerning employee rights; assisting with negotiations, grievances, unfair labor practice matters, arbitration, negotiability, impasses, and pre-negotiation planning; and researching assigned labor relations matters.
• Conducts research and analysis supporting recruitment and placement, employee relations, and/or labor relations by evaluating information from multiple sources; researching laws, regulations, policies, precedents, and case law; identifying HR issues; preparing reports, correspondence, briefings, and other work products; developing supportable courses of action; and identifying matters requiring additional guidance or higher-level review.
• Develops and delivers briefings, training presentations, reports, correspondence, and other written and oral communications; presents recommendations to managers concerning routine to moderately difficult HR matters; provides advice and assistance on assigned HR matters; and establishes and maintains effective working relationships with managers, supervisors, employees, and other stakeholders.

Conditions of employment

• US Citizenship or National (Residents of American Samoa and Swains Island)
• Meet all eligibility criteria within 30 days of the closing date
• Meet time-in-grade within 30 days of the closing date, if applicable
• Register with Selective Service if you are a male born after 12/31/1959

If selected, you must meet the following conditions:

Qualifications

To evaluate your qualifications, your resume must clearly demonstrate how you meet the specialized experience described below. Your resume must not exceed two pages. To ensure your qualifications can be fully evaluated, we recommend including the following information: 

• Name, address, telephone number, email address;

• Job Title (if Federal Service, provide series and grade; if not in GS plan, provide GS equivalent grade);

• Relevant work experience—should include employer name, job title, start and end dates (month/year), the number of hours worked per week and descriptions that explain how you meet the required qualifications in the job announcement.

• Education, certifications or licensures—If the job announcement requires any education, certifications or licensures, make sure to include the required information and any required documents like transcripts.

Your resume should contain enough information to make a valid determination that you fully meet experience requirements for each grade level you are applying to. If you do not provide enough information for us to determine your qualifications, you may be rated ineligible.

If you have volunteered your service through a National Service program (e.g., Peace Corps, Americorps), we encourage you to apply and include this experience on your resume.

The GS-7 salary range starts at $51,283 per year. The GS-9 salary range starts at $62,729 per year. 

Locality will be determined upon selection.  If you are a new federal employee, your starting salary will likely be set at the Step 1 of the grade for which you are selected.  

GS-07 Grade Level

To qualify at the GS-7 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level or higher in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as experience applying fundamental human resources (HR) concepts, laws, regulations and principles in order to analyze routine HR issues and problems in two or more of the following HR specialties: compensation, recruitment/ placement, benefits, employee relations, labor relations, employee development, performance management, and records retention. 

OR

Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) at the baccalaureate level is fully qualifying at the GS-7 level.  To claim SAA, submit documentation of one of the following:

1. Class standing -- You must be in the upper third of your graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses.

2. Grade-point average (rounded to one decimal point) of:

a. 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on your official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of your curriculum; or

b. 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in your major field or the required courses in your major field completed during your final 2 years of the curriculum.

3. Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society in one of the national scholastic honor societies listed by the  Association of College Honor Societies.

OR

Successfully completed at least one fully year of graduate level education (18 semester hours or the equivalent).

OR

Possess a combination of graduate level education and appropriate experience that together meet the qualification requirements of this position.

GS-09 Grade Level

To qualify at the GS-09 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level or higher in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience applying HR concepts, laws, regulations, principles, practices, policies, precedents, and systems in order to identify, evaluate, and recommend solutions to HR problems/issues in two or more of the following specialties: compensation, recruitment/placement, benefits, employee relations, labor relations, employee development, performance management, and records retention. 

OR

Possess a master's or equivalent level degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or an LL.B. or JD.

OR

Possess a combination of graduate level education and appropriate experience that together meet the qualification requirements of this position.

How you will be evaluated

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

A panel of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) will review the application of qualified candidates and assign a score for each of the five required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) based on the experience documented in the resume and narrative responses.

GS-7:

1. Knowledge of basic principles, concepts, practices, and techniques of recruitment and placement sufficient to perform highly structured, entry-level work assignments.
2. Knowledge of basic principles, concepts, practices, and techniques of employee relations sufficient to perform highly structured, entry-level work assignments.
3. Knowledge of basic principles, concepts, practices, and techniques of labor relations sufficient to perform highly structured, entry-level work assignments. 
4. Ability to gather, analyze, evaluate, and summarize facts and information to identify human resources issues and develop appropriate recommendations. 
5. Skill in written and oral communication to communicate factual and procedural information clearly, orally and in writing, and establish and maintain effective relationships with managers, supervisors, and employees. 

GS-9:

1. Knowledge of principles, concepts, practices, and techniques of recruitment and placement sufficient to apply established methods, evaluate information, and perform routine analysis.
2. Knowledge of principles, concepts, practices, and techniques of employee relations sufficient to apply established guidance, evaluate information, and perform routine analysis.
3. Knowledge of principles, concepts, practices, and techniques of labor relations sufficient to apply established guidance, evaluate information, and perform routine analysis.
4. Ability to research, analyze, evaluate, and summarize information from multiple sources to identify human resources issues and develop appropriate recommendations. 
5. Skill in written and oral communication to communicate factual and procedural information clearly, present information effectively, and respond to questions from managers, supervisors, and employees. 

Demonstration of these KSAs must be supported by your application. Applicants should also make note of each KSA, as you will be asked to address them later in the application process.

Consideration will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in merit promotion selection decisions in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3). You should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards in your resume so that information will be taken into consideration during the selection process.  If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation.

If you are eligible under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) or GSA’s Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), your resume must clearly demonstrate experience in at least 3 of the 5 required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) to receive priority consideration.

ALL required documents must be submitted before the closing date. Review the following list to determine what you need to submit.

Resume: Must not exceed two pages. Refer to the Qualifications section for resume requirements. 

If you are a 30% or more disabled veteran, VEOA or VRA applicant or qualified spouse, widow/widower, or parent:

(a)  Copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, DD-214 that shows your type of discharge and the dates of your active duty service.
(b)  If you are a disabled veteran, or are applying under VRA or VEOA as a spouse, widow/widower, or parent of a veteran, submit both of the following in addition to the DD-214: (1) completed SF-15 form; and (2) proof of your entitlement (refer to SF-15 for complete list).

If you are active duty military- Certification on a letterhead from your military branch that includes your rank, character of service (must be under honorable conditions) & military service dates including discharge/release date (must be no later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted).

Current or former Land Management Agency Employee - Submit a and b:

     (a) one or more SF-50s, including your most recent one that shows you were on a competitive time-limited appointment(s) with a Land Management Agency and served on the appointment for a period(s) totaling more than 24 months without a break of 2 or more years.
     (b) Copy of your agency’s annual performance appraisal(s) or written reference(s) from a supervisor at the agency verifying satisfactory performance during your appointment(s).

ICTAP/CTAP eligible - submit a, b, and c: (a) proof of eligibility including agency notice; (b) SF-50, and (c) most recent performance appraisal.

Current or former political appointee: Submit your SF-50.

College transcripts: If you are using some or all of your college education to meet qualification requirements for this position, you must submit a copy of your college transcript(s). Transcripts MUST show: name of the institution, student's name, course work/degree(s) completed/conferred and dates. If selected, an official transcript will be required prior to appointment.

For education completed outside the United States, also submit a valid foreign credential evaluation that substantiates possession of the required education.

Superior Academic Achievement: Submit transcripts as described above. If you qualify based on your class rank or honor society membership, submit documentation of it.

Next steps

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