Clarification from the agency

This position is open only to current, permanent employees of the VA Mid-Atlantic Healthcare Network - VISN 6 HRMS. Not to Exceed (NTE) one (1) year. This vacancy may be used to fill future permanent recruitments.

The VA Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network VISN 6 has one (1) Lead Human Resources Specialist (Strategic Business Unit) to support the Hampton VA Healthcare System vacancy Not to Exceed (NTE) one (1) year. This vacancy may be used to fill future permanent recruitments.

Duties of the Lead HR Specialist (Strategic Business Unit) include but are not limited to:

• Collaborates with the SSBP, facility executives and VISN leadership to execute and align human capital goals and priorities.
• Leads staff while also functioning in a technical capacity to work collaboratively with the all levels of leadership and the VISN 6 HR Shared Service Units.
• Monitors and recommends action on all pay limitation areas.
• This position advises, communicates, and supports the execution of Human Capital Management (HCM) programs, products, and services into the organization.
• Key member in various VISN committees and activities working directly with leadership to develop an HR strategy.
• Provides expert management consultative service to the SSBP and local leadership involving the full spectrum of HR functions (e.g., recruitment and placement, employee performance, and conduct issues) on highly complex VISN-wide or equivalent issues.
• Assesses the needs and strategic objectives and analyzes trends and priorities for the future, to focus on implementation strategies.
• Provides consultation and advice on ways to address process, structure, culture and people challenges or opportunities with initiatives that are aligned with the HCM policies and strategies.
• Collaboratively drives complex employee relations issues for field-based employees such as employee complaints, harassment allegations, and work performance issues while ensuring legal compliance.
• Conducts exit interview, analyzes trends in turnover, separations and grievances to determine support or actions needed to adjust unfavorable trends.
• Analyzes, evaluates, and develops major aspects of agency-wide labor relations programs that require isolating and defining unknown conditions.
• Develops management strategies to respond to labor issues. As a key member of the management team, explains management and labor rights and the legal and contractual implications of management actions.
• This position may require occasional travel to trainings and/or conferences.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: HR Specialist Total Rewards

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm, specific tour during core business hours will be discussed upon interview and selection
Compressed/Flexible: May be authorized based on supervisor's 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#: Lead Human Resources Specialist (SBU)/PD99880S
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
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.

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 dentification 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, 03/30/2026.

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-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. 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-13 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-11 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: providing continuing advice and guidance in areas which include, but not limited to, basic employment policy, appointment authorities, recruitment and staffing; advising staff on difficult and unusual recruitment, placement, pay issues or problems; troubleshooting and resolving internal and external issues related to HR and provide expert level HR advice and guidance on programs for customers.
~OR~
Criteria 2- Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 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: Federal Human Resources Specialist experience; knowledge of local labor market to advise executive leadership on all HR matters; workload management for HR functional areas: employee relations consultation; strategic talent acquisition and management (staffing); policy interpretation, application, and implementation; and performance and compensation management consultation.

Preferred Experience: Experience with mentoring/leading individuals. Experience and knowledge in HR Smart Personnel Processing and Quality Review, Position Management, Compensation, Recruitment and Placement, USA Staffing Onboarding, Salesforce, Employee/Labor Relations, Performance Management, Health Profession Trainees, Fee Basis, and Time and Attendance

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:

• Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
• Developing Others
• Influencing/Negotiating
• Interpersonal Effectiveness
• Organizational Stewardship

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.

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

• Resume
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.

• Cover Letter
• Other (1)
• Resume
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):

• Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
• An SF-50 showing 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
• Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
• Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
  • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
  • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
  • SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.

Next steps