Human Resources Assistant (Employee Benefits) - HR Navigator

About the role

The 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. It is aligned to the local strategic unit and located on‑site, offering direct HR navigation support to staff, managers, and leadership. The closing date for this announcement is 09/21/2026.

Relocation and recruitment incentives are not authorized; permanent change of station (PCS) is not authorized.

Responsibilities

• Serve as primary point of contact for selectees from tentative job offer through Entry on Duty (EOD); coordinate pre‑employment steps, help submit forms, complete pre‑hire checks, schedule and communicate throughout onboarding, monitor progress, identify delays, ensure timely completion.
• Support completion of pre‑employment requirements such as background checks, fingerprinting, physical exams, drug testing, driving record reviews, and assist new hires with any additional steps before starting work.
• Conduct New Employee In‑Processing and prepare first‑day documentation.
• Serve as on‑site HR customer support representative handling inquiries via walk‑in, phone, email, and ticketing systems.
• Provide assistance with pay processes, payroll briefings, tax withholding, direct deposit.
• Review employee records, identify discrepancies, gather information for resolution.
• Help resolve basic HR issues and direct employees to correct resources; submit and track payroll service requests.
• Screen and resolve routine HR inquiries; refer complex issues to HR Specialists.
• Provide guidance and support on federal benefit programs (health, life, dental, vision, retirement, childcare assistance, transit benefits); meet with employees to explain options and give individualized guidance.
• Conduct new hire benefits enrollment, review forms for accuracy, upload required documentation.
• Support Open Season communications and enrollment activities; assist employees with benefits‑related changes tied to qualifying life events.
• Upload and verify documentation in HR systems and the electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF); use HR systems to submit tickets, process benefits updates, maintain HR data accuracy; ensure records meet compliance requirements.

Qualifications

To qualify, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date (09/21/2026). Qualification can be based on experience and/or education as described:

• GS‑5: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS‑04, or 4 years of education above high school, or an equivalent combination of experience and education (beyond 60 semester hours; 30 semester hours beyond the second year equals 6 months of experience). Examples of specialized experience include collecting/documentation review, customer service via phone/email/walk‑in, data entry/retrieval in automated systems, supporting administrative processes (payroll documentation, form completion, employee inquiry intake), preparing correspondence and follow‑up meeting arrangements.
• GS‑6: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS‑05, or equivalent combination. Examples include serving as onboarding point of contact, reviewing personnel documents for discrepancies, providing benefits guidance (health, life, dental, vision, retirement, etc.), conducting benefits enrollment and form review, 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 qualification standards, see the United States Office of Personnel Management website: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/

Schedule

Work Schedule: Monday‑Friday, 8 am‑4:30 pm. Telework may be authorized; eligibility discussed during interview process. This is not a virtual position.