Equal Employment Specialist
What you'd do
The incumbent serves as an Equal Employment Opportunity Specialist for the Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Employment (EEO/AE), Diversity and Inclusion (D&I), Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), and external Civil Rights (CR) functions for the VA Central Iowa Health Care System located in Des Moines, Iowa.
Major duties
Duties include, but may not be limited to the following: EEO Duties (100%): Serves as an EEO/D&I Specialist responsible for providing a wide range of administrative and technical support while performing a variety of duties to ensure that all EEO/D&I Program activities are administered and implemented to the organization's leadership, staff and employees; Develops and presents training programs and provides advice regarding the broad range of EEO/D&I and Affirmative Employment issues impacting the organization; Develops and maintains appropriate statistical data regarding the discrimination complaint process, responds to routine inquiries from complainants and responding management officials and assists with preparing various reports; Maintains appropriate contact with officials (from the Office of Resolution Management, managers and supervisors and the Office of Regional Counsel) pertaining to the EEO discrimination complaint process and other related EEO/D&I Program matters. Reviews EEO/D&I policies and guidance and updates as needed. Provides advisory services to all levels of management regarding the requirements and implications of the office services provided. Assists with the management of the Special Emphasis Programs. Drafts Equal Employment Opportunity Program Status Report, Federal Equal Opportunity Recruitment Program (FEORP) Report, Disabled Veterans Affirmative Action Plan (DVAAP) Report and other EEO reports as required. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for Ad-hoc telework only. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Equal Employment Specialist/PD11002A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.
What you need to qualify
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/17/2026. 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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: assisting in the planning, development, and implementation of an Equal Employment Opportunity Program; advising management on specific actions in support of affirmative action and strategies for handling discrimination complaints; analyzing data and preparing reports concerning an EEO program; employing the methods and techniques typical of the program including factfinding, analysis, and resolution of complex problems; maintaining appropriate contact with officials pertaining to the EEO discrimination complaint process and other related EEO/D&I Program matters; providing trainings to staff regarding a variety of EEO Program activities. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LL.M. if related that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an equivalent combination of successfully completed education and specialized experience directly related to the work of the position as outlined above that meets the requirements of the position. Only education in excess of a master's or equivalent graduate education may be used to qualify applicants for the GS-11 level. NOTE: If using education combined with specialized experience to qualify, a copy of your transcript is required. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
Before you apply
Federal applications are different: your resume should be 3–5 pages and mirror the language of this announcement. Read our federal resume guide first — it's the #1 reason qualified people get screened out.
Don't miss the next one.
Get an email the moment a similar federal job opens — postings can close in as little as 5 days.