Human Resources Assistant (Employee Benefits) - HR Navigator

Summary

These HR Navigator positions support the White River Junction VA Medical Center, in White River Junction, VT by providing in-person onboarding assistance, employee HR support, benefits education, and HR systems processing. The role ensures timely hiring, accurate HR data, regulatory compliance, and quality customer service. The position is aligned to the local strategic unit and located on-site, offering direct HR navigation support to staff, managers, and leadership.

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Duties

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The Human Resources (HR) Navigator serves three primary functions: (1) As a centralized onboarding and workforce navigation resource within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA); (2) providing Tier 1 HR support to current employees, connecting customers with appropriate HR teams responsive to customers' queries; and (3) providing education, researching and correction of discrepancies, and full range assistant level support for benefits and leave programs across the facility. The role ensures timely hiring, regulatory compliance, workforce readiness, benefits enrollment education, HR system data accuracy and positive employee experiences for the on-site workforce it serves.

Major duties include, but are not limited to the following:

Onboarding and Pre-Employment Coordination

• Serves as the primary point of contact for selectees from tentative job offer through Entry on Duty (EOD).
• Coordinates pre-employment steps with new hires.
• Helps new employees submit required forms and completes pre-hire checks.
• Supports scheduling and communication throughout the onboarding process.
• Monitors and tracks onboarding progress, identifies delays, and ensures timely completion of requirements.
• Supports the completion of pre-employment requirements such as background checks, fingerprinting, physical exams, drug testing, and driving record reviews, and helps new hires finish any additional steps needed before starting work.

Employee HR Support & Customer Service

• Conducts New Employee In-Processing and prepares first-day documentation.
• Serves as an on-site HR customer support representative handling inquiries via walk-in, phone, email, and ticketing systems.
• Provides assistance with pay processes, payroll briefings, tax withholding, and direct deposit.
• Reviews employee records, identifies discrepancies, and gathers information for resolution.
• Provides assistance to employees regarding HR-related questions and processes.
• Helps resolve basic HR issues and directs employees to the correct resources.
• Submits and tracks payroll service requests.
• Screens and resolves routine HR inquiries and refers complex issues to HR Specialists.

Benefits Program Support

• Provides guidance and support to employees on their federal benefit programs, including health insurance, life insurance, dental and vision coverage, retirement savings plans, childcare assistance, and transit benefits.
• Meets with employees to explain benefits options and provide individualized guidance.
• Conducts new hire benefits enrollment, reviews forms for accuracy, and uploads required documentation.
• Supports Open Season communications and enrollment activities.
• Assists employees with benefits-related changes tied to qualifying life events.

HR Systems Processing

• Uploads and verifies documentation in HR systems and the electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF).
• Uses HR systems to submit tickets, process benefits updates, and maintain HR data accuracy.
• Ensures records and documentation meet compliance requirements.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8am-4:30pm

Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Human Resources Assistant (Employee Benefits) - HR Navigator/ PD99237-S and PD99238-S

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurring physical activity, including walking throughout the facility to escort candidates and employees to various locations, standing for extended periods during onboarding activities, and navigating between offices and service points. These physical demands are essential to performing the in-person components of the role. 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.
• 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 ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification 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)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/29/2026.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

• Specialized Experience GS-5: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-04 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to :
  
  
  • Assisting with tasks such as, collecting documentation or reviewing forms for accuracy.
  • Providing customer service through phone, email, or walk-in support.
  • Using automated systems to enter or retrieve data.
  • Supporting administrative processes such as payroll documentation, form completion, or employee inquiry intake.
  • Prepares and types various correspondence, follow-up meeting arrangements, and similar functions required to administer operations. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 4 years above high school OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e., beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience
• Specialized Experience GS-6: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:
  • Serving as an onboarding point of contact for selectees and coordinating pre-employment requirements.
  • Reviewing personnel documents and identifying discrepancies.
  • Providing benefits guidance such as Health, Life, Dental, Vision, Retirement, and other benefit programs.
  • Conducting benefits enrollment and reviewing forms for accuracy/compliance.
  • Providing HR customer support and triaging inquiries.
  • Submitting and tracking HR troubleshooting tickets.
  • Using HR information systems to upload documents, maintain data integrity, and process actions.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit:

Additional information

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.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

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.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.