Human Resources Specialist

Summary

The VA is seeking exceptional HR Specialists for high-impact detail assignments supporting enterprise transformation under OCHCO. These high-visibility roles require seasoned experts who can operate at an executive level and drive initiatives that influence strategic workforce priorities across VA. Selectees will provide authoritative advisory support, oversee mission-critical HR functions, and lead complex, fast-moving work from day one to advance VA HR modernization efforts.

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Duties

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To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/05/2026.

Serves as a HR Specialist (Recruitment/Placement) GS-0201-12/13 on multiple VA wide initiatives, contributing to the realignment and reorganization of functions across the administration, you will:

• The position provides expert guidance on staffing and placement laws, policies, and regulatory requirements.
• Analyzes staffing data, interprets complex federal hiring guidelines, and supports the development of standard operating procedures.
• Resolves challenging staffing issues, advises stakeholders on assessment and recruitment needs, and strengthens staffing processes and best practices.
• Advises on complex staffing matters and contributes to effective staffing and placement practices.
• Provides expert program support of VACO HR programs by developing comprehensive solutions to a broad range of the most difficult operational issues handled by the team.
• Provides advice and guidance to VACO managers regarding internal/external placement, including carrying out special placement activities and providing interpretation and assistance.
• Executes special recruitment programs to attract well qualified candidates for positions where applicants are in short supply, utilizing imaginative approaches and simultaneous searches for candidates from sources outside the existing work force.
• Ensures that assigned employee recruitment and placement programs meet requirements outlined in agency guidance.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm; or as negotiated

Compressed/Flexible: Available at supervisor discretion

Telework: Yes - as determined by agency policy

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Travel: Up to 25% travel may be required (paid by funds transfer but subject to availability)

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required

Detail to begin immediately upon selection.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• May be subject to background/security investigation
• Must meet time and grade.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/05/2026.

An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.

You may qualify based on your experience as described below:

Detail Opportunities: HR Specialist (Recruitment/Placement) GS-0201-12/13 - Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO), Office of Human Resources and Administration (HRA). In order to qualify for the GS-12, you must meet the following: You must demonstrate in your resume at least one year (52 weeks) of qualifying specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal government, obtained in either the private or public sector, to include:

• Reviewing recruitment packages for completeness, filling out required forms, reviewing applicants, issuing certificate, auditing files, and processing Passovers of Veterans.
• Knowledge of, and skill in applying, laws, Executive orders, regulations, policies, concepts, and various HR policies, practices, procedures, and management controls of the recruitment and placement functions
• Knowledge necessary to conduct job analysis of serviced positions, develop related crediting plans and assessment criteria for a wide variety of occupations as well as determining appropriate rating and ranking selective factors based on the product of job analysis.

In order to qualify for the GS-13, you must meet the following: You must demonstrate in your resume at least one year (52 weeks) of qualifying specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal government, obtained in either the private or public sector, to include:

• Conducting recruitment and placement activities from cradle to grave for a variety of professional, administrative and technical positions;
• Interpreting and applying qualification standards/requirements to determine applicant qualifications
• Providing technical guidance and consultation regarding rules and regulations laws, policies and procedures pertaining to recruitment and staffing and personnel actions;
• Explaining recruitment and placement policies, processes, and rules to manager in developing recruitment packages;
• Utilizing USA Staffing (or other automated staffing programs) to prepare vacancy announcements, issue referrals to managers and onboard selectees, coding actions in HR Smart such as new hires, promotions, change to lower grade, temporary promotions, details, and with-in-grade increases along with cancelling and correcting personnel actions as needed;
• Issuing tentative and official job offers to selectees along with conducting pre-employment processes to ensure selectee has cleared to come onboard and closing out new hire onboarding records.

Detail Opportunities: HR Specialist (Classification) GS-0201-12/13 - Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO), Office of Human Resources and Administration (HRA). In order to qualify for the GS-12, you must meet the following:

You must demonstrate in your resume at least one year (52 weeks) of qualifying specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal government, obtained in either the private or public sector, to include:

• Demonstrating: Analyzing, evaluating, and classifying positions and conducting studies to establish or realign organizational structures, eliminate duplicative functions, and ensure proper alignment with agency missions and objectives.

In order to qualify for the GS-13, you must meet the following: You must demonstrate in your resume at least one year (52 weeks) of qualifying specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal government, obtained in either the private or public sector, to include:

• Delivering authoritative technical advice and guidance to Human Resources Specialists, managers, and supervisors on complex position classification, position management, and organizational analysis issues, ensuring compliance with OPM and agency policies; Monitoring position management, position sensitivity, classification, and organizational management workload.
• Providing advisory services to management and supervisors on extremely complex, sensitive, and controversial position classification issues.

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; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Note : Resume must include job title and employer name, number of hours worked per week, start and end dates (including month and year), list of duties and responsibilities for each position held. In addition, if the experience was a federal position, you must list series and grade for each position held. Failure to include this information may result in an ineligible rating. A full year of work is considered to be 40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

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

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level. This detail is open to current, permanent employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) at the GS-12 and GS-13 grade level.

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 (HRA) at The Fair Chance Act.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members : Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

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.