Summary The primary purpose of this position is to serve as a Lead Human Resources Specialist with subject matter expertise in all matters of Employee/Labor Relations within the VISN. This position is physically located at one of the (9) facilities within the VISN 4 catchment area. Responsibilities The Lead Human Resources Specialist (ER/LR) is responsible for performing a full range of lead duties relating to ER/LR Shared Services staff. Major duties include, but may not be limited to: Oversight of the supervisor, plans and directs work, assigns tasks, evaluates work, advises employees, handles complaints, and grievances. Ensures adequate training of subordinates. Provides advice and direction regarding production and quality requirements. Evaluates unit productivity, quality, regulatory compliance, and technical competence. Makes changes in work assignments and workflow; balances workload among positions to increase effectiveness of operations. Meets with subordinates to discuss production reports, offers and solicits recommendations for improvement, and ensures staff maintain optimum case load management. Ensures that the VISN's and Shared Service Section's strategic plan, mission, vision and values are communicated to the team and integrated into the team's strategies, goals, objectives, work plans and work products and services. Leads the team in identifying, distributing and balancing workload and tasks among employees in accordance with established work flow, skill level and/or occupational specialization; making adjustments to accomplish the workload. Maintains a high level of work production in the section. Plans work and carries out activities to manage employee/labor relations for an integrated healthcare network. The incumbent is responsible for Employee Relations/Labor Relations, Reasonable Accommodation, Performance Management, and Drug-free Workplace for the Network. Continuously monitors, evaluates, and adjusts plans, considering organizational needs and viewpoints, regulatory and legal limits, and organizational changes. Provides guidance in especially unresolved, complex cases, referring to the supervisor only those problems which exceed the scope of the organizations serviced. In providing advice and assistance, recognizes legitimate management needs and explores alternatives to meet those needs without sacrificing legal and regulatory compliance. Interprets and clarifies policies for managers and employees. Ensures actions are appropriately coordinated with other HR functions, as required. Ensures HR Program specialty training courses for managers and supervisors are delivered. Develops new operating procedures as necessary to deal with emerging human resource management issues within the serviced area. The incumbent provides technical guidance, information, and assistance to management and senior leadership officials on sensitive, serious, and controversial employee labor relations issues regarding employees in a wide variety of occupations, including Title 5 General Schedule (GS) and Wage Grade (WG), administrative and clinical, and Title 38, with substantial differences in working conditions, entitlement, and occupational practices and policies. Technical guidance, information and assistance provided includes subject matter, such as actions of a disciplinary or adverse nature, grievances, demands to bargain, impasse proceedings, local bargaining, performance management and recognition, employee counseling, appeals, complaints, drug testing, and other related functions. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: 7:30am - 4:00pm, Monday - Friday Telework: Ad-hoc only Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Lead Human Resources Specialist / PD99969S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 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. 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 period 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 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, 02/23/2026. 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 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-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: Analyzes and interprets operating procedures to deal with emerging human resource management issues within employee and labor relations; identifies, distributes and balances workload and tasks among employees in accordance with established work flow; provides training and coaching on appropriate work methods, practices and procedures; serves as subject matter expert regarding policies and procedures; applies laws, executive orders, regulations, collective bargaining agreements concepts, principles and guidelines in support an employee and labor relations program; represents management at arbitrations and in situations involving proceedings before other third parties; responds to inquiries about disciplinary actions, grievances, and appeals in especially unresolved, complex cases. 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: Analyzes, interprets and develops new operating procedures as necessary to deal with emerging human resource management issues within employee and labor relations; identifies, distributes and balances workload and tasks among employees in accordance with established work flow, skill level and specialization; provides training and coaching on appropriate work methods, practices and procedures; serves as subject matter expert regarding policies and procedures; applies laws, executive orders, regulations, collective bargaining agreements concepts, principles and guidelines in support an employee and labor relations program; represents management at arbitrations and in situations involving proceedings before other third parties; responds to inquiries about disciplinary actions, grievances, and appeals in especially unresolved, complex cases. Skill and technical knowledge managing and/or supporting all HR leaders, co-workers, service lines, and applicants with knowledge of government and local laws, policies and regulations in Labor and Employee Relations for a large or complex facility. 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/. Education A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide 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 well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. 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/.
