Duties

We encourage you to read this entire vacancy announcement prior to submitting your application.

APPLICATION LIMIT: This vacancy announcement is limited to the first 50 applications received and will close at 11:59PM Eastern Time on the day that we receive the 50th application, or at 11:59PM Eastern Time on the listed closing date, whichever occurs first.

As a Supervisory HR Specialist, GS-201-14, the incumbent supervises a staff of approximately 5-7 employees (HR Specialists and Assistants) supporting benefit services. Incumbent monitors the work of employees to ensure quality and timeliness. Interviews and selects candidates for position vacancies) assigns work; provides training and guidance; recommends personnel actions including promotions; reassignments; disciplinary and other personnel actions; reviews work; evaluates performance; and approves leave.

Incumbent ensures equal opportunity for all employees concerning selection for training, promotions, awards and recognition and other career development opportunities. Incumbent ensures fair employment practices in recruitment and selection of candidates for appointments to positions under supervision.

Serves as a consultant and advisor to managers on all matters related to benefits. As a senior human resources management official in the operating office, the HR. Specialist works closely with key regional operating officials to ensure that employees have access to benefits and retirement information.

Develops, implements, and evaluates comprehensive programs in the areas of retirement, insurance and employee benefits. This includes two primary retirement systems (CSRS and FERS), Thrift Savings Plan health and life insurances, Social Security, Medicare, leave, and various work-life programs and tools (leave share program, use of Employee Express, Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts, and Long Term Care.

Incumbent provides leadership and guidance on policies, processes, and practices related to the most complex benefits issues. Analyzes operational effects of changes in law or regulations, identifies benefit changes, clarifies procedural problems and issues, and determines or proposes recommendations as to the best means for implementing changes and/or solving problems.

Incumbent counsels managers, employees and family members on benefit program entitlements/options and on interpretations to the law, regulations, and policies. Incumbent may process retirement cases which include the most difficult and complex such as disability cases involving sensitive and/or controversial cases involving missing records. Makes coverage determinations based on entitlements for employees, dependent family members, and ex-spouses by court decree, social security eligibility and offset provisions. Incumbent counsels employees concerning service credit payments and post-19956 military deposits. Provides retirement estimates for employees.

Incumbent advises employees about Federal employee health benefits (FEHB) options, conditions for coverage changes, and extensions; transfer of coverage; temporary continuation of coverage; self-support determination issues; and non-pay status. Incumbent provides assistance and support to surviving family members in death cases. Plans, directs, coordinates, and evaluates the work of subordinates. Plans and assigns work to be accomplished and sets priorities.

Incumbent may serve as the contracting officer representative (COR) for various contracts to support human resources benefits operations. Plans and coordinates contract administration activities for long term, extensive technical services contracts for human resources services and administration. Incumbent serves as the office and/or Education representative on interagency and intra-Education working groups, both formal and informal to present, defend, and negotiate positions as a recognized senior management official and representative of the Workforce Relations Division.

Performs other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen
• Must complete a Background Investigation and fingerprint check.
• One year Supervisory Probationary Period May Be Required.
• Relocation Expenses will not be paid.

You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this vacancy announcement.

If you are a current federal employee, you must meet all time-in-grade and time-after competitive appointment qualifications within 30 days of the closing date of this vacancy announcement. To verify that you meet these requirements, we will review your responses to the core eligibility questions on the occupational questionnaire, as well as your submitted resume and required documents. To make an accurate determination, you will need to include on your resume your federal position title, pay plan, occupational series, grade level, agency, dates for which you held the grade level (stated as MM/YYYY to MM/YYYY, OR MM/YYYY to PRESENT), and total hours worked per week.

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).

As required by Executive Order 14043, Federal employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 regardless of the employee's duty location or work arrangement (e.g., telework, remote work, etc.), subject to such exceptions as required by law. If selected, you will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination by November 22, 2021 or before appointment or onboarding with the agency, if after November 22. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request of the agency a legally required exception from this requirement.

Qualifications

Specialized Experience for the GS-14:

One year of experience in either federal or non-federal service that is equivalent to at least a GS-13 performing two (2) out of three (3) of the following duties or work assignments:

Experience leading, planning, and organizing general and special personnel management evaluations.

Experience providing analysis, interpretation, and documentation on complex and novel technical issues in the various functional specializations of personnel management.

Experience responding to multiple high level priorities with technically sound, strategically aligned, and customer centric options addressing Benefits, Retirement, and Work Life programs.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):

The quality of your experience will be measured by the extent to which you possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs). You do not need to provide separate narrative responses to these KSAs, as they will be measured by your responses to the occupational questionnaire (you may preview the occupational questionnaire by clicking the link at the end of the Evaluations section of this vacancy announcement).

1. Mastery of laws, concepts, regulations, Executive Orders, court decisions, and policies applicable to employee retirement,
workers' compensation, health and life insurance, and Thrift Savings Plan in order to evaluate and analyze difficult issues,
interpret complex written material, provide advice, and devise logical, complete, and well-reasoned proposals for problem
resolution.

2. Ability to gather, analyze, and evaluate facts on complex issues in order to provide expert guidance, recommendations,
determinations, and decisions on benefits issues.

3. Knowledge of the interrelationship of benefits issues with other human resource functional areas in order to integrate and
coordinate activities with other HR specialists.

4. Ability to plan, organize and/or lead team efforts to gain acceptance and implement policy and program changes involving
substantial impact on and commitment of agency resources, or extensive changes to existing procedures and methods.

5.Ability to analyze proposed regulatory policy changes and prepare written recommendations in order to present
office/Department position to establish or modify agency strategic human resources management policies and objectives.

Additional information

Veterans' Career Counseling: If you are a veteran interested in receiving tips on preparing a Federal resume and/or how to prepare for an interview, you may email Iwork@ed.gov to schedule a session with a career counselor ("Veterans Counseling Session" should be placed in the subject line of the email).

Student Loan Default: If selected for this position, we will verify that you have not defaulted on any loan funded or guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Education. If you are found to be in default, we will contact you to make arrangements for repayment prior to making an official offer of employment.

Suitability and Investigation: If selected for this position, you will be required to complete the Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) to determine your suitability for federal employment and successfully complete a pre-appointment investigation/background check.

Non-Essential: This position is considered non-essential for purposes of reporting to work during federal government closures.

Financial Disclosure: This position does not require financial disclosure.

Telework: During the current period of mandatory telework required by the Agency's COVID-19 response, telework will be mandatory. When it is determined the Agency will be moving to the reopening phase, employees will be expected to physically return to the office of their official duty locations. Telework days and any required waiting period for eligibility will be determined at that time.

Bargaining Unit: This position is not included in the bargaining unit.

Selections: Agencies have broad authority under law to hire from any appropriate source of eligibles and may fill a vacancy in the competitive service by any method authorized. We may make additional selections from this vacancy announcement within 90 days from the date the selection certificates are issued, should vacancies occur. We may also share selection certificates amongst program offices across the agency.