Duties

• Providing expert advice and assistance to managers on the full-scope of employee relations issues, including conduct and performance-based actions, leave and medical concerns.
• Drafting employee relations notices in accordance with applicable statutes, regulations, administrative and judicial decisions, policies, and national labor agreements.
• Performing fact-finding investigations, complaints and grievances related to employee relations issues.
• Developing and using alternative dispute techniques and methods for resolving employee relations disputes at the lowest level possible.
• Providing advice and assistance through in-depth written and/or oral advice and guidance to managers and human resources professionals in administering applicable labor agreements.
• Review grievances, unfair labor practice (ULP) charges and union complaints in pre-litigation stage for possible settlement or withdrawal.
• Advising on the impact and implementation of bargaining proposals and changes impacting bargaining units.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
• Pursuant to EO 14043, all Federal employees, regardless of duty location or work arrangement, must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 by November 22, 2021, or before entrance on duty if after November 22, subject to exceptions as required by law.
• If selected, the agency will provide information regarding what documentation is needed and how to request any legally required exceptions from this requirement.
• Proof of vaccination will be required. To ensure compliance with this mandate, review the vaccination requirements, to include timelines for receiving required doses, at the following: https://www.saferfederalworkforce.gov/faq/vaccinations/
• SECRET CLEARANCE - You must be able to obtain and maintain a SECRET security clearance.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected. See Proof of Eligibility for an extensive list of document requirements for all employment authorities.

• 30 Percent or More Disabled Veterans
• Current Department of Army Civilian Employees
• Current Permanent Department of Defense (DOD) Civilian Employee (non-Army)
• Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan
• Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act
• Military Spouses, under Executive Order (E.O.) 13473
• Non-Appropriated Fund Instrumentality (NAFI)
• Non-Department of Defense (DoD) Transfer
• Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Interchange Agreement Eligible
• People with Disabilities, Schedule A
• Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible
• Reinstatement
• Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) of 1998

In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document .

GS-11:
Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes: Assisting higher graded specialists with researching employee relations (ER) and labor relations (LR) laws; reviewing master agreements to provide management with information related to labor issues; and providing management with ER information when conduct and/or performance issues arise. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-09).
OR
GS-11 level: Education Substitution for Specialized Experience for GS-11: Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: Human Resources Management.
OR
Combination of Education and Experience for Specialized Experience for GS-11: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages.

GS-12:
Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes: Researching and applying employee relations (ER) and labor relations (LR) laws, regulations and case law to provide management with options and recommended courses of action; providing technical guidance on the application of negotiated union agreements; and providing guidance on employee conduct and performance issues. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-11).

Management may select at any of the grade levels announced. This recruitment provides promotion opportunity to the target grade of the position without further competition when selectee is eligible and recommended by management.

You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency in the following areas:

• Employee Relations
• Labor Relations
• Oral Communication
• Written Communication

Time in Grade Requirement (GS-12): Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-11).
Time in Grade Requirement (GS-11): Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-09).

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html .

Additional information

• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
• You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
• Two year trial/probationary period may be required.
• Direct deposit of pay is required.
• Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
• If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
• This is a Career Program (CP) 10 - Civilian Human Resources Management position.
• You may claim military spouse preference (MSP).
• If a MSP applicant is determined best qualified and selected, placement must be at the full performance level for priority consideration.
• Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
• Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
• If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application .
• Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is not authorized, based on a determination that a PCS move is not in the Government interest.
• Due to COVID-19, the agency is currently in an expanded telework posture. If selected, you may be expected to temporarily telework, even if your home is located outside the local commuting area. Once employees are permitted to return to the office, you will be expected to report to the duty station listed on this announcement within a designated time frame identified by the organization. At that time, you may be eligible to request to continue to telework one or more days a pay period depending upon the terms of the agency's telework policy.