Summary The length of this temporary promotion is NTE 1 year, with the possibility of becoming permanent without further competition. Area of Consideration: Open to current, permanent VISN 12 ER/LR Service line employee's only. Location may vary based on the selected candidate's current reporting location. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Responsibilities The Lead Human Resources Specialist serves as a subject matter expert in all matters of Employee/Labor Relations within the VISN and resolves employee and labor relation issues within the VISN Shared Services Unit (SSU). Duties Include: Lead Duties -Plans and directs work, assigns tasks, evaluates work, advises employees, handles complaints, and grievances with the oversight of the supervisor. -Evaluates unit productivity, quality, regulatory compliance, and technical competence. -Makes changes in work assignments and workflow and 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. -Leads the team in identifying, distributing and balancing workload and tasks among employees in accordance with established workflow, skill level and/or occupational specialization. -Monitors and reports on the status and progress of work, checking on work in progress and reviewing completed work to ensure the supervisor's instructions on work priorities, methods, deadlines and quality have been met. -Intercedes on behalf of the supervisor in inform of any performance issues/problems noted and recommends/requests related actions, such as: assignments, reassignments, promotions, schedule changes and performance appraisals. -Coaches the team in the selection and application of appropriate methods and techniques, providing guidance on work methods, practices and procedures. Employee and Labor Relations -Plans work and carries out activities to manage employee/labor relations for an integrated healthcare network. -Responsible for Employee Relations/Labor Relations, Reasonable Accommodation, Performance Management, and Drug-free Workplace for the Network. -Monitors, evaluates, and adjusts plans, considering organizational needs and viewpoints, regulatory and legal limits, and organizational changes. -Provides guidance in unresolved, complex cases, referring to the supervisor only those problems which exceed the scope of the organizations served. -Interprets and clarifies policies for managers and employees. -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. -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 variety of occupations, including Title 5 General Schedule (GS) and Wage Grade (WG), administrative and clinical, and Title 38. -Provides technical guidance, information and assistance includes subject matters 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. -Researches and interprets legal and regulatory program guidance, including case law, collective bargaining agreements, United States Code, Code of Federal Regulations, and VA Handbooks and Directives. Work Schedule: Full-Time, Monday-Friday, Admin Hours Telework: This position may be authorized for ad-hoc telework. Position Description/PD#: Lead Human Resources Specialist (ER/LR)-Temp Promo/PD99969S 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. Requirements 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) Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 03/12/2026. 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-13position 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. Specialized Experience GS-13: You must possess at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-12 grade level in Federal service which involved providing the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the Human Resources (Employee Relations/Labor Relations) position. Specialized experience is considered to be expert knowledge of OPM, VHA Directives, organizational best practices, and HR case law, principles, and regulations; providing formal and informal assistance, advise and conducting special projects; serving as the principle management advocate in presenting and defending management positions on issues to arbitrators; providing formal and informal training on all aspects of employee and labor relations programs; knowledge of Federal time and attendance, leave administration, Equal Employment Opportunity, etc.; monitoring legislative and regulatory changes in employee relations in order to identify required changes in regulations, policy or instruction; reviews grievance's files and discusses with supervisors, managers, and researches potential union proposals in preparation for negotiation; knowledge of a wide range of FLRA, FSIP, MSPB, EEOC laws, regulations, policies and Federal HR management concepts, practices, analytical and diagnostic methods and techniques to identify, draw conclusions and/or resolve complex interrelated employee and/or labor relations issues; knowledge of Federal regulations pertaining to physical requirements, fitness of duty and accommodation of disabled employees; knowledge of and skill in mediation and alternative dispute resolution principles and applications; and skills in written and oral communication sufficient to prepare findings and recommends. Education There is no educational substitution for the GS-13 level. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. 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. 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.
