Human Resources Specialist (Classification)

Summary This position is located in the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Human Resources (HR), Office of Talent Services (TS), Classification Branch (C). HR Classification is charged with providing the full range of position classification, position management, organizational design and program development and improvement services for the Department of State. Responsibilities Provides technical and authoritative advisory services throughout the department pertaining to position classification and position management to Civil Service and Domestic Foreign Service managers, supervisors, and employees. Provides position classification determinations and advisory services to client bureaus and offices where there are significant differences in guidance between the General Schedule series and Foreign Service skills and/or pay plan. Determines adequacy of Personnel Documents, conducts employee or supervisory audits to determine accuracy of the documents; determines title, pay plan, series, grade level, Fair Labor Standards Act coverage, and prepares evaluation statements. Provides advice and guidance to high-level managers, supervisors, and specialists concerning extensive reorganizational proposals and major changes to administrative systems, such as pay banding, restructuring, data administration and re-engineering. At the GS-11 and GS-12 levels, the incumbent performs essentially the same duties as outlined above; however, the scope and complexity of assignments are of less responsibility and independence and receive closer supervision than at the GS-13 level. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement. If you are qualifying based on education OR if there are mandatory education requirements listed below, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript with your application. NOTE: Applicants must meet time-in-grade and time after competitive appointment requirements, by the closing date of this announcement. Time-In-Grade Requirements: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions, per 5CFR 300, Subpart F. GS-11 Applicants applying for the GS-11 grade level must meet one of the following requirements: A. Have at least 1 full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service which provided you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position. Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following: Experience interpreting and applying Federal laws, regulations, and procedures to position description development, i.e., determining proper occupational series, titles, and grades in compliance with OPM standards. Experience providing advice and technical consultation for clients to resolve individual classification questions and clarifying classification requirements for non-routine administrative, technical, professional and clerical positions. OR B. Have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree OR 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.M. from an accredited college or university. OR C. Have a combination of graduate level education and specialized experience (as described above), which is equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal Service. This experience and education together meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position. Combination of Experience and Education: When an applicant has less than one year of specialized experience as described in the announcement, he or she may combine successfully completed graduate-level education with experience to meet the total qualification requirements. Generally, 18 graduate semester hours is equivalent to 1 full-time year of graduate study (your school and department determine what constitutes 1 full time year of graduate study). The percentage of specialized work experience and the percentage of graduate study must total at least 100%. Note: All applicants WILL BE required to submit transcripts as verification of educational requirement. If you fail to provide requested information, or the information you submit is insufficient to verify your eligibility, you may lose consideration for this position. GS-12 Applicants applying for the GS-12 must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service which provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position. Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following: Experience researching and interpreting Federal classification laws, regulations and appeals decisions to analyze unprecedented or unique classification issues and developing well-supported recommendations. Experience employing position classification standards and guidelines to professional, administrative, interdisciplinary, and mixed-series position classification actions with and without clear precedent to determine appropriate pay plan, occupational series, title and grade level. Experience providing advice and technical consultation for clients to resolve individual classification questions and clarifying classification requirements for non-routine administrative, technical, professional and clerical positions. There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-12 position. GS-13 Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service which provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position. Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following: Experience interpreting and applying Federal laws, regulations, and procedures, providing final classification determinations, and providing consultative services to senior officials. Experience researching and interpreting relevant OPM classification and appeals decisions to analyze unprecedented or unique classification issues and develop well-supported recommendations to resolve position classification actions, ensuring consistency with established classification principles and standards. Experience managing and prioritizing multiple high-priority assignments in a fast-paced, metrics-driven, and customer-focused environment while responding to evolving requirements and customer needs. There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-13 position. Education See the qualifications section of this vacancy announcement for education requirements. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For a list of accredited organizations recognized as specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials, visit: Additional Information To request a reasonable accommodation for additional time on the timed sections of the assessment, please submit your request using the “Request a Reasonable Accommodation” button within the Assessment Application. For all other reasonable accommodations at the U.S. Department of State, please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations (OAA) at View email address on click.appcast.io. OAA is responsible for reviewing and adjudicating reasonable accommodation (RA) requests for the Assessment Battery being used for this announcement. The following applies to all RA requests: RA requests cover additional time on timed sections only. Applicants submitting a RA request MUST attach supporting medical documentation signed by a licensed, treating medical provider. The documentation should describe the nature, severity, and expected duration of the condition, identify the relevant medical condition or diagnosis, and explain the basis for the requested extension. RA requests that do not contain supporting medical documentation attachments at the time of initial request may be subject to further review. Note: the following documents do not, on their own, qualify for automatic approval of the RA request: Schedule A letters, VA benefits letters, or SSA letters. Applicants MUST submit their application before the vacancy closes, even if pending an accommodation decision. Applicants are encouraged to carefully follow instructions related to medical documentation provided in the vacancy announcement prior to beginning the RA process. Applicants will have 48 hours after their RA request is adjudicated to complete the assessment battery. Scores generated after the allotted timeframe will not be admissible and the applicant will not be considered further for the vacancy. If a different type of RA is needed, please contact OAA directly at View email address on click.appcast.io. If eligible, situational telework agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval. Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to other similar positions in other Bureaus/Offices in the Department for up to 240 days and may require a higher or lower security clearance. Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions. Agency & Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP & ICTAP): View OPM's CTAP & ICTAP eligibility website for more information. You must be rated in the Well-Qualified category and submit supporting documents under the required documents section of this announcement to receive selection priority consideration. To be considered Well-Qualified applicants must: score an 85 or above, meet Minimum Qualifications, and demonstrate proficiency in some, but not all major aspects of the position.