Program Specialist (Human Resources Liaison)

Clarification from the agency

This vacancy announcement is open ONLY to current, permanent Veteran Benefits Administration (VBA) Regional Office employees of the listed locations and current/former Veteran Affairs (VA) employees who are Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) eligible. For the purpose of this job announcement, Fiduciary Hub bargaining unit employees in the commuting area are considered facility employees. Applicants may only apply to their respective Regional Office.

Specific duties are as follows:

• Communicates and performs duties involving the management of a large workload, a diverse workforce, and leaders tasked with significant responsibility for large numbers of federal employees. Offers viable strategy recommendations and courses of action in emotionally charged situations, often with imperfect information and short response times.
• Provides leaders and managers with strategic counsel and advice interpreting and implementing provisions of agency policy, management of programs, collective bargaining agreements, and practices as they apply to individual cases.
• Provides leaders, employees, and job applicants with accurate information and interpretations of Federal civilian recruitment policies and placement procedures.
• Provides information to all employees on matters pertaining to federal employee benefits to include Federal Employee Health Benefits(FEHB), Federal Employee Group Life Insurance (FEGLI), Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), Employee Assistance Program (EAP), leave, and the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
• Develops multiple recruitment strategies utilizing various hiring flexibilities and authorities. Prepare recruitment packages to include crediting plans, job analysis on a variety of complex positions using research, interview, observation, and analytical techniques.
• Provide assistance on Employee Relations and Labor Relation matters.
• Conduct in-processing and out-processing employee interviews.
• Process and tracks Office of Worker's Compensation Program (OWCP) cases.
• Provide training to leadership and employees in all HR matters.
• Provides outstanding customer service to both internal and external entities, as to enhance customer satisfaction; designs work processes and practices.

Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tour will be determined after final selections. Tour is subject to change based on Regional Office needs.
Telework: This position is eligible for situational (ad hoc) telework only. The selectee is required to report to the official duty station each scheduled workday. Telework may be approved only on a case-by-case basis with supervisory approval. Routine or recurring telework is not authorized for this position.
Travel Required: Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Compressed/Flexible: Not Available
Virtual: This IS NOT a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist (Human Resources Liaison), 39565A, 39564A, 39563A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: No
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Physical Requirements: The work normally involves mental rather than physical exertion.
Bargaining Unit: No

Conditions of employment

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary or 2-year trial period 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. Additional Conditions of Employment are as follows:

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary or trial period
• 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 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.
• If you receive a conditional offer of employment you will be required to complete an Optional Form-306 Declaration for Federal Appointment (OF-306).
• All federal employees are required to have federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choice.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/20/2026.

Time-in-Grade Requirements: Under competitive merit promotion procedures, any individual who is currently holding, or who has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under a non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet "time-in-grade" requirements (have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade of the grade for which you are applying). NOTE: All current or former Federal employees must provide a copy of their SF-50 (you may need to submit more than one), "Notice of Personnel Action" that indicates proof of status and time-in-grade eligibility. The SF-50 must include your position, title, series, grade, step, tenure (1 or 2), and type of service (Competitive or Excepted).

Applicants must demonstrate that they meet the Minimum Qualification requirements as noted below.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

GS-09 Level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience at least the next lower grade level (GS-07) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as experience applying and providing guidance on multiple fields of Human Resources rules, regulations, and procedures including Personnel Management, Recruitment and Staffing, Classification, Employee Benefits (OWCP, retirements, and insurance programs), and/or Labor Relations.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:

• Assist employees with advice on a variety of rules, regulations, and practices pertaining to human resources
• Provide leaders and employees with information and interpretations of the organization's policies, procedures, and guidelines;
• Provide advice regarding appropriate levels of personnel actions.

OR

Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have completed a Masters Degree. or equivalent doctoral degree OR two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree.

GS-11 Level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience at least the next lower grade level (GS-09) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as experience applying and providing guidance on multiple fields of Human Resources rules, regulations, and procedures including Personnel Management, Recruitment and Staffing, Classification, Employee Benefits (OWCP, retirements, and insurance programs), and/or Labor Relations.

Examples of specialized Experience would typically include but are not limited to:

• Provide advisory services to leaders and employees on a range of human resources concepts, laws, and policies;
• Assist leadership in solving a range of complex problems and issues;
• Participate in policy development groups or projects based on broad organizational requirements.

OR

Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree OR three full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree.

Combining Education substitution & Experience: If you do not fully meet the length of experience and education described for a specific grade level (e.g. have six months of experience and some coursework but not a degree), the two can be combined to total 100% of the requirement. Click here for more information

GS-12 Level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience which was at the GS-11 level and must have been held in the Federal Government. Specialized experience is defined as experience providing advisory services, quality review services, or experience drafting and approving standard operating procedures and/or other forms of regulatory guidance covering multiple fields of Human Resources rules, regulations, and procedures including Personnel Management, Recruitment and Staffing, Classification, Employee Benefits (OWCP, retirements, and insurance programs), and/or Employee and Labor Relations.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:

• Provide advice and guidance in the areas of classification and staffing and recruitment;
• Defending agency actions in front of a 3rd party hearing (FLRA, MSPB);
• Experience as the chief negotiator in labor negotiations.

Volunteer 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.

Full vs. Part-Time Employment: Full-time employment is considered to be at least 35 hours per week. Part-time experience will be credited on a pro-rated basis; when including part-time employment in your resume you must specify the average hours worked per week.

NOTE: 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; religious; 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. For work in the federal service, include the grade level for the position(s).

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 sedentary. Some work may require walking in offices and similar areas for meetings and to conduct HR work. Work may also require walking and standing in conjunction with travel to and attendance at meetings and conferences away from the worksite. The work does not require any special physical effort.

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

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.

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. Best qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview. All applicants' qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, and other characteristics):

• Technical Competence - Understands and appropriately applies procedures, requirements, regulations, and policies related to specialized expertise (for example, engineering, physical science, law, or accounting); maintains credibility with others on technical matters.
• Reasoning - Identifies rules, principles, or relationships that explain facts, data, or other information; analyzes information and makes correct inferences or draws accurate conclusions.
• Oral Communication: Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
• Written Communication: Expresses facts and ideas in writing in a succinct and organized manner
• Interpersonal Skills: Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual difference.
• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Learning
• Reading Comprehension
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

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.
To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12991343

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

• Resume
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package to include the documents detailed below.
Failure to submit the required documents may result in your application being considered incomplete and you being deemed ineligible. It is your responsibility to ensure your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. We will not request additional documentation or accept late or missing documents after the announcement has closed.

• Resume, limited to 2-pages, detailing specialized experience and competencies as they relate to this position.
  • For each position in your resume, you must specify the start and end dates (month/year) and a description of duties. If the position was Federal, you should also indicate the grade level. Resumes containing a general summary of all positions held, not specifying start/end dates, and/or not including documentation supporting Federal grade level(s) are insufficient to determine basic qualifications.
• Your most recent NON-AWARD SF-50. The SF-50 must indicate proof of status and should identify your position title, series, grade, step, salary, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted).
• Your SF-50 reflecting when you entered your highest grade (e.g. Promotion, Appointment, etc.) in order to verify time-in-grade requirements.
• Transcript if you are using education to qualify.
  • Your transcript must show coursework and the total number of credits earned to include graduation date and degree. A diploma is NOT sufficient to determine qualifications.

• Most recent Performance Appraisal (VA Form 0750)
• Award SF-50s
• CTAP documentation - RIF notice, SF-50 showing VA employee, and performance appraisal

Please use this checklist to 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.

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

Additional locations