Human Resources Specialist (Recruitment and Placement)
What you'd do
This position is located Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer, Department of Veterans Affairs, Central Office (VACO) Human Resources Service Center (HRSC) that focuses on the establishment and transition of human capital services for VACO staff offices from the Veterans Health, Veterans Benefits, and National Cemetery Administrations.
Major duties
The position will serve as a senior recruitment and placement specialist providing a high level of program support in the staffing, recruitment, and pay administration program areas. Assignments include developing and applying recruitment and placement processes, rules, regulations, and laws and suggesting changes and new methodologies to management. The incumbent provides managers and employees with information and interpretations of HR policies, procedures and guidelines, when the issues addressed require substantial interpretation, there is potential for controversy, or the issue involves more than one area of HR policy. Provides expert program support of VACO HR programs by developing comprehensive solutions to a broad range of the most difficult operational issues handled by the division. Evaluates staffing and recruitment programs to assess if they meet basic program goals and objectives. Provides recommendations that meet immediate as well as long-term needs. Provides advice and guidance to VACO managers regarding internal/external placement, including carrying out special placement activities and providing interpretation and assistance. Executes special recruitment programs to attract well qualified candidates for positions where applicants are in short supply, utilizing imaginative approaches and simultaneous searches for candidates from sources outside the existing work force. Reviews and interprets draft regulations, standards or other guides for impact on the recruitment program. Determines the degree of compliance with regulations and other employment program requirements. Ensures that assigned employee recruitment and placement programs meet requirements outlined in agency guidance. Research cases prepares/provides detailed documentation and/or responses for resolution of formal grievances/complaints on qualifications ratings or related merit actions (other than non-selection). Preferred experience as certified DEU consultant. This requires reviewing recruitment packages for completeness, filling out required forms, reviewing applicants, issuing certificate, auditing files, and processing Passovers of Veterans. Reviews recruitment and placement actions and provides advice on difficult issues. Takes appropriate action to correct any inefficient, inadequate, or invalid actions and methods. Identifies problems and conflicts with current or acceptable policies and procedures. Reviews new or proposed HR policies, procedures and guidelines and makes recommendations to management on the need for changes in existing policies. Reviews and analyzes new or proposed HR policies, procedures and guidelines for impact on organization practices. Establishes and maintains a cooperative working relationship with managers. Meets with managers to develop adequate and accurate vacancy announcements and recruitment strategies. Carries out special projects (independently or in conjunction with Division Chief) relating to program operations and resources utilization. Develops and/or monitors proposals or plans related to the implementation of HR programs or projects. Leads ad hoc work teams on special projects, etc. Work Schedule: Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Available Telework: May be authorized in accordance with agency policy. Virtual: This position may be authorized for Virtual Work. Virtual Work eligibility is for current VA employees that are already subject to the return to in person work mandate in their current position. Definition of Virtual Work: Employee works outside of original hiring duty station at a VA owned or leased space. Return to Office (RTO): RTO mandates are in affect and selectees will be required to report to in person work unless they have an approved exemption already in place Position Description/PD#: PD41148A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
What you need to qualify
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/05/2026. 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 some former Federal employees applying for reinstatement, as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. See the Required Document section below for more information regarding the SF-50s needed to verify time-in-grade. 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: Conducting recruitment and placement activities from initial consultation through completion of the personnel action for a variety of Title 5 positions; applying and interpreting qualification standards, regulatory requirements, and recruitment and placement policies to determine applicant eligibility and qualifications; providing technical guidance to managers on recruitment strategies, staffing procedures, applicable laws, regulations, and policies; utilizing automated staffing and human resources systems, such as USA Staffing to develop vacancy announcements, issue certificates of eligibles and onboard selectees; utilize HR Smart to process personnel actions, including appointments, promotions, details, and within-grade increases. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED). ~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: Independently managing and providing recruitment and placement advisory services from initial recruitment consultation through completion of personnel actions for complex and diverse professional, administrative, and technical positions; interpreting and applying complex qualification standards, laws, regulations, policies, and procedures to resolve staffing issues, determine applicant qualifications, and develop appropriate recruitment and placement solutions; serving as a technical advisor to managers and leadership by providing authoritative guidance on recruitment strategies, merit promotion and hiring procedures, staffing flexibilities, assessment and referral processes, and associated personnel actions; utilizing automated staffing and human resources systems, such as USA Staffing to develop and manage vacancy announcements, issue referral certificates, onboard selectees; Utilizing HR Smart to process a broad range of personnel actions, including appointments, promotions, changes to lower grade, temporary promotions, details, and within-grade increases. 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: Resume must include job title and employer name, number of hours worked per week, start and end dates (including month and year), list of duties and responsibilities for each position held. In addition, if the experience was a federal position, you must list series and grade for each position held. Failure to include this information may result in an ineligible rating. A full year of work is considered to be 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: Work is primarily sedentary. 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/. The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provides eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be found well qualified, applicants must meet the following qualifications: possess comprehensive experience independently managing complex recruitment and placement actions from initial consultation through final personnel action, with demonstrated expertise in applying qualification standards, staffing laws, regulations, policies, and procedures to resolve complex staffing issues. They demonstrate a high level of proficiency in advising managers and leadership on recruitment and placement strategies, utilizing automated staffing and HR systems, and executing timely, accurate, and compliant staffing and personnel actions. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. Local Commuting Area: The local commuting area for this position is defined as being within 50 miles of available VA office space.
Before you apply
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