Human Resources Specialist (Generalist) - Office of Human Resources Management

About the role

As a Human Resources Specialist (Generalist), you will perform the full range of recruitment and placement and labor and employee relations services for GSA organizations. This position may be filled in multiple locations: Washington, DC, Kansas City, MO, Lakewood, CO, Tacoma, WA, Raleigh, NC, Atlanta, GA, New York, NY, Boston, MA, San Francisco, CA, Philadelphia, PA, Chicago, IL.

Duties

GS-7 Duties

• Assists higher-graded specialists with recruitment and placement assignments by reviewing position and vacancy information; assisting with vacancy announcements, correspondence, reports, recruitment documentation, and case files; responding to routine inquiries; assisting with orientation and onboarding; processing background investigation requests; and referring unusual or technical matters for higher-level review.
• Assists higher-graded specialists with employee relations and performance management assignments by applying established guidance to limited-scope issues; gathering and analyzing facts; assisting with disciplinary actions, grievances, appeals, and related case files; preparing analytical work products; and communicating factual and procedural information while referring matters requiring higher-level interpretation.
• Assists higher-graded specialists with labor relations assignments by researching applicable laws, regulations, negotiated agreements, and precedents; applying established guidance to limited-scope issues; providing procedural assistance concerning employee rights; and assisting with grievances, unfair labor practice matters, pre-negotiation activities, FOIA requests, and other assigned matters.
• Conducts basic research and analysis supporting recruitment and placement, employee relations, and/or labor relations by locating authoritative information; gathering, evaluating, organizing, and summarizing facts; identifying routine HR issues or discrepancies; preparing analytical work products; and providing information to support higher-graded specialists in evaluating options and courses of action.
• Communicates factual and procedural information orally and in writing to managers, supervisors, employees, applicants, and other customers; responds to routine inquiries; prepares HR correspondence and reports; assists with briefings, presentations, training, orientation, and onboarding; and maintains effective working relationships while supporting assigned HR activities.

GS-9 Duties

• Assists higher-graded specialists with recruitment and placement assignments by providing limited advisory support to program officials; participating in recruitment discussions; developing job analyses and vacancy announcements for less-complex positions; determining applicant qualifications and referrals; applying hiring authorities and placement procedures; reviewing personnel actions for compliance; responding to inquiries; and researching less-complex recruitment issues and recommending appropriate action.
• Assists higher-graded specialists with employee relations assignments by advising managers and employees on routine issues involving leave, attendance, disputes, discipline, grievances, appeals, and performance; researching applicable laws, policies, precedents, and case information; analyzing recurring cases; assisting with disciplinary and performance actions; maintaining case files; and advising on performance improvement and appraisal matters.
• Assists higher-graded specialists with labor relations assignments by preparing labor-management proposals; researching and evaluating applicable laws, regulations, negotiated agreements, and precedents; providing guidance concerning employee rights; assisting with negotiations, grievances, unfair labor practice matters, arbitration, negotiability, impasses, and pre-negotiation planning; and researching assigned labor relations matters.
• Conducts research and analysis supporting recruitment and placement, employee relations, and/or labor relations by evaluating information from multiple sources; researching laws, regulations, policies, precedents, and case law; identifying HR issues; preparing reports, correspondence, briefings, and other work products; developing supportable courses of action; and identifying matters requiring additional guidance or higher-level review.
• Develops and delivers briefings, training presentations, reports, correspondence, and other written and oral communications; presents recommendations to managers concerning routine to moderately difficult HR matters; provides advice and assistance on assigned HR matters; and establishes and maintains effective working relationships with managers, supervisors, employees, and other stakeholders.

Requirements

• US Citizenship or National (Residents of American Samoa and Swains Island)
• Meet all eligibility criteria within 30 days of the closing date
• Meet time-in-grade within 30 days of the closing date, if applicable
• Register with Selective Service if you are a male born after 12/31/1959
• Current or former political appointees (Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-Career SES within the last 5 years) must disclose this information to the HR Office
• Serve a one-year probationary period, if required
• Undergo and pass a background investigation (Tier 2 investigation level)
• Identity and work status eligibility verification via e-Verify (if not a GSA employee); discrepancies must be resolved as a condition of continued employment

Qualifications

GS-7 Grade Level

To qualify at the GS-7 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level or higher in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as experience applying fundamental human resources (HR) concepts, laws, regulations and principles in order to analyze routine HR issues and problems in two or more of the following HR specialties: compensation, recruitment/placement, benefits, employee relations, labor relations, employee development, performance management, and records retention.

OR

Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) at the baccalaureate level: Class standing in the upper third of graduating class; OR GPA of 3.0 or higher (out of 4.0) overall or based on final 2 years, or 3.5 or higher in major field; OR election to membership in a national scholastic honor society listed by the Association of College Honor Societies.

OR

Successfully completed at least one full year of graduate level education (18 semester hours or the equivalent).

OR

A combination of graduate level education and appropriate experience that together meet the qualification requirements.

GS-9 Grade Level

To qualify at the GS-09 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level or higher in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience applying HR concepts, laws, regulations, principles, practices, policies, precedents, and systems in order to identify, evaluate, and recommend solutions to HR problems/issues in two or more of the following specialties: compensation, recruitment/placement, benefits, employee relations, labor relations, employee development, performance management, and records retention.

OR

Possess a master's or equivalent level degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or an LL.B. or JD.

OR

A combination of graduate level education and appropriate experience that together meet the qualification requirements.

Pay

The GS-7 salary range starts at $51,283 per year. The GS-9 salary range starts at $62,729 per year. Locality will be determined upon selection. If you are a new federal employee, your starting salary will likely be set at the Step 1 of the grade for which you are selected. On a case-by-case basis, credit toward vacation leave may be approved if you are new to the federal government.