Duties

Summary

The Human Capital Management Division, Employee and Labor Relations Branch, is seeking a strategic business partner who will have responsibility for enhancing and administering a progressive and dynamic employee and labor relations program. Functions include performance management; employee recognition; leave programs, including FMLA; conduct and disciplinary actions; workplace violence; and administration of appeals and grievances.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

At the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), we are proud to be ranked as one of the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government. Our employees are passionate about AOC's mission to serve Congress and the Supreme Court. AOC is a legislative branch agency, the recognized authority on the preservation, maintenance and construction of the world's most iconic treasures and buildings on Capitol Hill. As a global destination for thousands of visitors every day, Capitol Hill intersects history, architecture and art with the birthplace of our nation's laws.

Reporting to the Deputy Chief Human Capital Officer, the Chief of the Employee and Labor Relations Branch will manage day-to-day activities and provide strategic leadership of the AOC's employee and labor relations program. As a strategic business partner, the incumbent will have primary responsibility for enhancing and administering progressive employee and labor relations programs. Functions include performance management; rewards and recognition; labor relations; leave programs, including FMLA; conduct and disciplinary actions; workplace violence; and administration of appeals and grievances.

The Supervisory Human Resources Specialist (Employee and Labor Relations) must have exceptional communication and interpersonal skills in working effectively with AOC staff, management and executives to serve as an advisor to management, working to achieve buy-in regarding employee and labor relations programs, activities, and policies; and promoting engagement, as appropriate to foster positive and collaborative working relationships.

Specific responsibilities include:

• Providing oversight for the development and maintenance of sound and positive employee and labor relations practices.
• Leading effectively from both a strategic and tactical perspective, driving the management and delivery of key agency and human capital strategic goals and initiatives pertaining to employee and labor relations, while ensuring day-to-day functions operate successfully.
• Leading and championing the needs of a talented Employee and Labor Relations team with diverse skills and competencies to foster employee engagement.
• Serving as an advisor to supervisors and senior AOC management, working to achieve buy-in regarding employee and labor relations programs, activities, and policies; and seeking engagement, as appropriate, to foster dynamic working relationships.
• Developing and implementing new programs, solutions and systems to support employee and labor relations strategies, including the frameworks necessary to ensure compliance with employment laws, regulations and agency policies.
• Helping to drive change within the organization by assessing and proposing opportunities for process improvements; adoption of new technologies, workflows and business models.
• Supporting the Labor Relations Officer and Employee Relations Specialists by serving, when needed, as management's representative in grievance hearings; arbitrations, collective bargaining negotiations, investigations and other related forums.
• Developing and using collaborative relationships to facilitate the achievement of shared goals.
• Developing and/or revising employee relations policies and procedures to respond to a dynamic work environment with changing priorities.
• Providing guidance and interpretation of HR policies; practices and procedures to senior leaders and managers.
• Developing and analyzing metrics to assess the effectiveness of employee and labor relations programmatic initiatives.
• Establishing priorities and assigning, directing and evaluating the work of subordinate employees.
• Developing and conducting training programs for supervisors on various employee relations topics, including coaching and performance management.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
Yes

Promotion Potential
14

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

You must be a U.S. Citizen.

You must be able to pass a drug test and background check.

Your resume and question responses must demonstrate the job-related KSAs.

You must meet the definition of specialized experience.

Qualifications

Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level.

Candidates for the GS-14 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-13) in the Federal service. Candidates must meet at least 5 of the specialized experience criteria listed below in order to be referred for consideration.

Examples of specialized experience for this position include:

(1) Experience in advising and guiding management in correcting/addressing performance deficiencies, misconduct and leave abuse; (2) Experience in providing advice on regulatory requirements, agency policies and practices to effect disciplinary actions, removals and suspensions and in resolving grievances, appeals and other employee relations matters/programs; (3) Experience in writing correspondence and memorandum to document employee relations matters; (4) Experience researching facts and legal precedents to define the parameters of employee relations cases; (5) Experience in providing formal leader training on employee relations issues to ensure management readiness related to employee relations matters; (6) Experience providing HR business partner skills including a consultative approach to work, strong analytical skills to leverage knowledge in employment law and fact-based data to provide sound counsel, and coaching skills with a demonstrated track record of exceptional client service delivery; (7) Experience leading people and achieving buy-in to advance organizational goals to drive effective results; (8) Experience applying excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both verbal and written, sound judgement with strong planning and problem solving skills; and (9) Experience managing multiple initiatives in a fast-paced environment with competing and changing priorities.

Education

There is no educational requirement for the Human Resources Management series (0201); however, a Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university is preferred.

Additional information

Welcome Veterans. The Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) gives veterans' preference rights in the legislative branch to certain veterans as applied by the Congressional Accountability Act. Veterans' preference is applied on this vacancy announcement. If you are a veteran and have been separated under honorable conditions, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility; SF-15, if applicable; and Department of Veterans Affairs documentation of disability, if applicable. For more information, please visit http://www.opm.gov/veterans/html/vetguide.asp#6 .

If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information.

DRUG TESTING: The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is a Drug Free Workplace. As part of the AOC's suitability assessment, a candidate tentatively selected for a position who is not an AOC employee is required to submit to screening for illegal drug use. Satisfactory completion of a drug test is a condition of employment with the Agency. A candidate must test negative prior to being eligible for appointment into a position. We will schedule, provide, and cover the cost for the drug test.

BACKGROUND CHECK: The selectee(s) under the vacancy announcement for this position is subject to a criminal record check by the U.S. Capitol Police and satisfactory adjudication to be eligible for employment at the Architect of the Capitol.

E-VERIFY: The Architect of the Capitol is an E-VERIFY Participant. E-VERIFY is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment authorization in the United States. If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the DHS Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" electronic system. For more information on E-Verify, please visit http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc_1185221678150.shtm

The Architect of the Capitol is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, genetic information and/or disability.

This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis.

Moving expenses are not authorized.

Relocation expenses are not authorized.

PROBATIONARY PERIOD: A newly appointed selectee(s) is subject to the completion of a one-year trial/probationary period, regardless of whether or not a trial/probationary period has been completed previously with the Architect of the Capitol or another Federal agency.

This vacancy announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies in any of the jurisdictions of the Architect of the Capitol.

All application materials become the property of the Architect of the Capitol.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Review your resume and responses carefully. Your eligibility for consideration and qualifications for the position will be determined based upon a review of your detailed resume and your responses to job specific self-assessment questions.

Your resume will be evaluated based on evidence of your ability to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) for this position, possession of any specialized experience, and how well your background and experience relates to the self-assessment questions in the job announcement. The self-assessment questions relate to the following knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies:

• Ability to supervise and lead people toward meeting the agency's and division's vision, mission and goals.
• Ability to provide oversight of sound and positive employee and labor relations practices.
• Skill in leading from both a strategic and tactical perceptive to achieve strategic goals and meet day-to-day work requirements while managing competing and changing priorities.
• Skill in writing employee relations policies and procedures.
• Skill in applying employee relations laws, regulations, principles, precedents and policies.
• Skill in advising management and in developing networks to build strategic relationships and achieve common goals.
• Skill in developing and conducting supervisory training.

Your responses to the self assessment questions serve as the basis for your initial rating. You will receive a numerical score based on your responses to these questions. Next, your responses will be evaluated by a Human Resources Specialist and/or a subject matter expert against the information provided in your resume and optional cover letter. Your resume must support your answers to the self assessment questions. Falsifying your background, education, and/or experience is cause for not hiring you or disqualification for further consideration.

Please note that a complete application is required for consideration. (Please review the "Required Documents" section of this job announcement to see what must be included in a complete application).

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
Yes

Required Documents

The Architect of the Capitol's (AOC) job application process is designed to ensure you only provide information necessary to evaluate your qualifications and eligibility for the position vacancy.

To apply for this position, you only need to submit: a) your resume and b) answers to the online vacancy assessment questionnaire. The online questionnaire contains eligibility and screening questions and other relevant information. No additional documentation or attachments are required at the time of application.

Your resume should list your education, training and work experience including job titles, employment dates, duties and accomplishments.

Nothing further is required until it is requested by AOC's Human Capital Management Division. If additional documentation is required for the position, you will be asked to provide it during the interview or selection process. At that time, you may be asked to submit documentation to support statements made in your resume.

For example, you may be asked to provide a copy of your diploma, college transcripts, or proof of Federal employment status. If the position requires licensure or certification, you will be asked to provide proof at the time of selection.

If Veterans' preference is claimed, you will be asked to submit proof (DD-214, and, if claiming a 10-point preference, a SF-15 and the proof required by that form).

Failure to provide the required documents will end further consideration and/or result in the withdrawal of any tentative job offers.