Clarification from the agency

Open to current permanent VISN-9 Human Resources employees and CTAP eligible applicants. Location negotiable but must meet the Return to Office requirements.

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

The Associate HR Officer reports to the VISN Deputy HR Officer. Bridges the gap in the silos of the different functional areas of HR as well as with the Strategic Business Units to ensure all assigned functional areas operate in unison. Utilizes office-based and virtual teams to direct, oversee, coordinate and provide to executives, supervisors and employees the tools, administrative HR services, and legal, regulatory and/or management advice for the success of the organization's operations.

• Serves as the point of contact for national workgroups-advocating and thinking broadly of the various program areas
• Monitors and advocates for the integration of HR-related technological and administrative trends and best practices to ensure cohesive movement of services through the Network HR Office.
• Responsible for executing HR modernization endeavors and sound decisions on workflow/assignment when this crosses multiple functional areas and ultimately responsible for ensuring process improvement and continuous improvement occurs for all assigned functional areas.
• Works with functional area chiefs and supervisors to identify long and short-range needs, formulate proposals for top management consideration, and plans and initiates improvement actions.
• Develops methods of measurement to assess the success of new programs and/or initiatives in accomplishing established goals and objectives.
• Reports on findings and the procedures established or improved in response to the findings.
• Develops and advises on organizational structures and positions necessary to effectively carry out the VISN-wide goals and objectives. · Communicates performance and quality targets and ensures subordinate Chiefs and Supervisors of HR Shared Services units.
• Responsible for the leadership development and accountability of assigned Chiefs and Supervisors.
• Shares data, measurements and updates specific to team accomplishments as well as updates relevant to all VISN, VHA, and VA employees.
• Directly supervises HR Section Chiefs and Supervisors (Supervisory HR Specialists) of at least three specialty subject areas; Recruitment and Placement, Compensation, Classification, Manpower or HR Information Systems.
• Acknowledges and rewards project team or HR consultants' contributions through both informal and formal methods such as quality step increases.
• Provides SOPs, white papers, etc. to supplement and guide staff, support consistent decision making and the application of rules and regulations.
• Provides performance standards to the Section Chiefs and Supervisors and ensures the parity of rating techniques used by the Chiefs to rate the subordinate staff members.
• Approves HR group and individual trainings or face-to-face workshops of the subordinate sections upon recommendation of the Section Chief or based upon independent firsthand determination.

Work Schedule: Administrative day tour, Monday - Friday
Compressed/Flexible: Available at supervisory discretion
Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Supervisory Human Resources Specialist/PD99943S
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved
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, 04/24/2026.

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-14 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-13. 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.



he 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-14 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-12 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: Expert knowledge of and ability to apply a wide range of HR concepts, principles, laws, regulations, and practices, to include OPM requirements, VHA specific policy and labor organization agreements for Title 5, Hybrid T38 and full Title 38 positions. Resolving difficult and controversial internal and external staffing and placement problems building coalitions and consensus through persuasion. Utilizing current HR database systems to query, retrieve, and analyze information to complete and monitor routine and special assignments. Providing consultative services to HR staff and Service Chiefs across Network facilities on technical matters which involve recruitment decisions. Knowledge of veterans' preference regulations, and Special Hiring Authorities (VRA, CPS, Schedule A, etc.) and flexibilities. Knowledge of Title 5, Title 38 and Hybrid Title 38 appointment requirements. Providing oral and written reports or correspondence outlining recommendations and results and coordinates results with local and regional stakeholders.
~OR~
Criteria 2- Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 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: ???????Possess in-depth federal HR system knowledge applicable to local, regional, and national federal healthcare delivery to provide expert advisory service and/or authoritative policy interpretations on highly complex VISN-wide or equivalent issues (e.g., organizational reengineering and continuous improvement of HR processes); Develop, implement, and assess the effectiveness of varying HR systems to solve problems of extensive difficulty and complexity. Expert knowledge of the full spectrum of applicable HR functions (e.g., recruitment and placement, position classification, compensation, HR information systems, manpower, etc.).

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:


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

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
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• 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.

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx.

Next steps