Human Resources Specialist (Employee Benefits)

Summary

Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) is seeking VA employees at the GS-11 and GS-12 grade level to support the establishment of a new Human Resource Service Center (HRSC). Temporary promotions are not authorized. Applicants must submit their current supervisor's approval to be considered for this detail. Failure to submit approval at the time of application will result in an ineligible rating.

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Overview

• Accepting applications

• Open & closing dates

06/26/2024 to 07/03/2024

• Salary

$94,626 - $147,439 per year

• Pay scale & grade

GS 11 - 12

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Locations

• Washington, DC

• Location Negotiable After Selection

• Remote job

No

• Telework eligible

Yes-as determined by the agency policy.

• Travel Required

Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

• Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

• Appointment type

Detail

• Work schedule

Full-time

• Service

Competitive

• Promotion potential

12

• Job family (Series)

0201 Human Resources Management

• Supervisory status

No

• Security clearance

Not Required

• Drug test

No

• Position sensitivity and risk

Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

• Trust determination process

Credentialing

National security

• Announcement number

CCLC-12458463-24-JBT

• Control number

797472100

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This job is open to

• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.

• Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of this agency.

Clarification from the agency

This detail is open to current, permanent employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) at the GS-11 and GS-12 grade levels and CTAP eligible applicants only.

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Duties

Major Duties Include:

• Administering and providing advisory services on workplace flexibilities, tour of duty, group life insurance, health benefits, and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) programs.

• Serving as the specialist on benefits issues, including general information about retirement benefits, resolution of health benefits issues, and advising on insurance coverage options. Resolving problems in the administration of Work-life/Employee benefits programs.

• Training employees and supervisors regarding the latest information on all federal benefits.

• Assisting supervisors in planning and carrying out Work-life projects to inform employees regarding a range of available Work-life programs.

• Developing Work-life benefit's program information materials (in both electronic and print formats) for employees, including fact sheets, brochures, booklets, designed to increase program awareness, participation, and employee satisfaction.

• Counseling management, employees, and beneficiaries on program coverage, options, variances in coverage, and advantages and disadvantages of benefits decisions.

• Evaluating trends in missions, technology, federal benefits laws and regulations, and other factors influencing employee WLB needs; coordinating with other HR functional areas in support of difficult and unusual recruitment and retentions issues or problems.

• Administering and providing advisory services on federal leave programs. Providing advice and consultation on Federal leave programs, including Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Advanced Leave, Voluntary Leave Transfer Program (VLTP), Disabled Veterans Leave, Leave Without Pay (LWOP), Weather and Safety Leave, Authorized Absence (AA), etc.

• Explaining to employees the relationship of federal retirement and insurance programs to other retirement and insurance programs (Social Security, worker's compensation, and private insurance companies) and providing referral to additional resources, when appropriate.

Special Salary Rate: HR Specialists in the VA are on a Special Salary Rate

Work Schedule: To be determined upon selection

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

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Subject to a background/security investigation.

• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.

• You may be required to serve a probationary period.

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job.

• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.

• Supervisor approval needed when applying.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9.

For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11.

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-11 level, you must meet one of the following:

Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 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: experience that has provided you with knowledge of federal employee benefits; answering questions related to federal employee benefits entitlements; preparing communications to inform individuals of federal employee benefits; assisting in the development of work-life benefits programs.

~OR~

Education: Successful completion of a Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree, three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.M., if related. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.

~OR~

Combination: of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the first two years) and specialized experience, as described above, to meet the total requirements. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position.

To qualify for this position at the GS-12 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-09 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: experience that has provided you with knowledge of federal employee benefits; answering questions related to federal employee benefits entitlements; preparing communications to inform individuals of federal employee benefits; assisting in the development of work-life benefits programs.

~OR~

Criteria 2-Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 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: counseling management, employees, and beneficiaries on federal employee benefit program coverage, options, variances in coverage, and advantages and disadvantages of benefits; resolving issues in the administration of the federal employee benefits program; interpreting, applying, and explaining federal retirement and insurance laws and regulations to employees.

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.

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.

Education

Qualifying education for the GS-0201 series includes courses and programs in HR, HR development, HR management, business, business management/administration, industrial relations, labor relations, industrial psychology, organizational psychology, organizational development, management, organizational behavior, pre-law/law, legal studies, health care management/administration, public administration, public policy, human services, leadership and/or humanities. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

PLEASE NOTE: 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 (particularly positions with a positive education requirement). Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education.

Additional information

The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Veterans Affairs competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/.This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional details.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

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• Benefits

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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 window

Learn more about federal benefits.

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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.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

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.