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Human Resources Specialist

Employer
USAJobs
Location
Washington, D.C
Closing date
Nov 21, 2019
Duties

Summary

This position is located in the Division of Human Resources, Office of the Executive Director for the Bureau of Africa Affairs (AF/EX/HR). The specialist provides staffing and recruitment and/or position classification services to bureau managers and staff.

If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to other positions in other Bureaus/Offices in the Department.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

  • Provide services and consultations to bureau mangers/supervisors & employees. Use analytical, diagnostic, qualitative & quantitative techniques to identify, evaluate and recommend solutions to complex interrelated human resources problems/issues.
  • Analyze and resolve broad, complex, controversial & high priority recruitment issues requiring extreme care in problem resolution. Advise management on recruitment strategies to attract, hire and retain a skilled, diverse and motivated workforce.
  • Prepare recruitment requests for job opportunity announcement, develop crediting plan, review job applicants in order to rate applicants' basic eligibility and qualifications, issue certificate of eligibles for the selecting official's review.
  • Review, prepare, and/or coordinate controversial, high priority and complex position classification requests from management officials; assess the accuracy and adequacy of the requests and its supporting documentation.
  • Conduct technical reviews to ensure performance plans, progress reviews & summary ratings comply with policies/procedures. Serve as an expert for staffing & recruitment, position classification, performance management, employee relations, benefits.


Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
13

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
  • One year probationary period, unless excepted by regulation.
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Verification of employment eligibility in the United States is required.


Qualifications

Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements, including education, and any selective placement factors described below by the closing date of this announcement.

If you are qualifying based on education OR if there are mandatory education requirements listed below, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript with your application.

NOTE: Applicants must meet time-in-grade and time after competitive appointment requirements, by the closing date of this announcement.

Time-In-Grade Requirements: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions, per 5CFR 300, Subpart F.

Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service which provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position.

Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:
  • Experience researching, interpreting and applying appropriate Federal laws, regulations, policies and guidelines in at least two human resources functional areas (e.g., recruitment and placement, classification, employee relations, performance management, HR development, employee benefits).
  • Experience providing authoritative management advisory services, which includes researching, analyzing and evaluating the issues, determining applicable precedents, recommending innovated methods and strategies to resolve complex integrated human resources problems, and identifying the most effective approach.
  • Experience drafting a variety of reports, letters, memoranda, position descriptions, position evaluation statements, and other correspondence on a full range of sensitive management issues.

There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-13 position.

Education

See the qualifications section of this vacancy announcement for education requirements, if applicable.

Additional information

EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION PROGRAM (E-Verify) - U.S. law requires organizations to employ only individuals who may legally work in the United States - either U.S. citizens, or foreign citizens who have the necessary authorization. This agency utilizes E-Verify to compare information from the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration (SSA) records to confirm employment eligibility. If the employee's information does not match DHS and/or SSA records, the employee is given an opportunity to resolve the problem. If eligibility cannot be verified, employment will be terminated.

For reasonable accommodation at the U.S. Department of State, please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations at (202) 663-3474 or ReasonableAccommodations@state.gov.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs) and other characteristics that are relevant to the duties of this position and must be fully supported by information in your resume:
  • Ability to research, interpret and apply human resources laws, regulations, policies, and procedures.
  • Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
  • Ability to provide advisory services on a variety of human resources matters.
  • Ability to analyze a human resources problem or situation and determine best course of action.

Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must highlight your most relevant and significant work experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to this job opportunity. 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; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Your resume should include the dates of all qualifying experience (from month/year to month/year) and the number of hours worked/volunteered per week. For assistance with creating a resume, please click here .

Qualified candidates are assigned a score between 70 and 100. Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) candidates must be rated "Well Qualified" for the position and earn a score of at least 85 (when applicants are rated in a range of 70 to 100) to receive consideration for selection priority.

If, after reviewing your resume and self-assessment questionnaire responses and a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, a score will be manually determined that reflects your documented experience. This may result in a lower score, which may also eliminate you from consideration for this position.

Applicants must meet all the qualification requirements and submit any required supporting documentation by the closing date of this job opportunity. Your application package must contain sufficient information to make a valid determination that you fully meet the basic/specialized experience requirements as stated in this job opportunity announcement for each grade level(s) for which you are applying. Applicants found to be among the top qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview. Qualified non-competitive candidates must be deemed best qualified based on the applicant assessment in order to be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview.

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Top Secret

Drug test required
Yes

Required Documents

All required documents listed below, that are applicable to you, must be submitted to our automated system "Gateway to State" by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.

1. Resume - your resume or any other written format you choose should contain the required information as specified in the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section. Insufficient information will result in an ineligible rating.

2. A completed online job specific self-assessment questionnaire through the Department's automated system "Gateway to State".

3. Transcripts - if applicable, see the Qualifications section of the announcement. If selected, an official/sealed college transcript(s) will be required to verify education prior to employment.

4. If you are qualifying based on other criteria listed under the Qualification Section of this announcement, you must submit the required supporting documentation (certificates, certifications, etc.) with your application by the closing date.

5. Performance Appraisal - All current Federal employees and reinstatement eligible applicants must submit a copy of your most recent completed annual performance appraisal that includes the final rating. If a performance appraisal does not exist, is incomplete or unavailable, a Form DS-1812 (Applicant Appraisal) or equivalent form from another agency signed by the current supervisor is acceptable. Mid-year progress reviews will not be accepted.

6. Current, former, and non-competitive Federal employees must submit SF-50s (Notification of Personnel Action) that show: effective date, position title, series, grade, salary, tenure, position occupied, full promotion potential, and name of agency. Examples include promotion & within-grade increase actions. Award SF-50s often do not show this information. Multiple SF-50s may be needed to show all information.

7. Veterans who are preference eligibles OR who have been separated from the Armed Forces under honorable conditions (honorable or general discharge) after 3 or more years of continuous active service may apply under the Veterans Employment Opportunities act (VEOA). You must submit a DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (Member Copy 4 is preferable) showing the dates you served as well as your type of discharge and qualifying service campaign medals OR if you are still on active duty, you MUST submit a certification on letterhead from your military branch which contains your military service dates, expected date of discharge or release, and the character of service to show that your military service was performed under honorable conditions. The expected date of discharge or release must be no later than 120 days after the certification is submitted for consideration for this job announcement.

Current Federal employees applying under the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) must submit a qualifying SF-50 to show you meet time-in-grade requirements.

If you are applying as a preference eligible with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more, in addition to the DD-214 or certification, you must also submit a current version of the SF-15 (Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference), dated October 2013, and the required supporting documents listed on that form. Previous editions of the SF-15 will not be accepted. For more information on veterans' preference, click here .

To gain access to your DD-214 online, please visit: http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/get-service-records.html. For more information on Veteran Authorities, consult the Vet Guide .

8. CTAP/ICTAP eligibles must submit a copy of the appropriate documentation with their application. See links below:

ICTAP Considerations

CTAP Considerations

9. If you are applying under a special hiring authority you MUST submit proof of eligibility with your application. For information related to special hiring authorities for severely disabled persons visit: http://www.opm.gov/disability/PeopleWithDisabilities.asp

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

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. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

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