Associate Director, Classification

This Associate Director, Classification position is with Veterans Health Administration (Department of Veterans Affairs) in Phoenix, AZ. The HR Specialist (Classification) serves as the Associate Director, Classification in the Human Resources Center of Expertise (HRCoE), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Business Office (BO) Human Capital Management (HCM) under Workforce Management and Consulting (WMC). Key duties: • The HR Specialist (Classification) - Associate Director, Classification serves as the first-line supervisor for three GS-0201-14 HR Specialists, and performs all duties and responsibilities related to enterprise-wide management of the VHA Classification program. Major duties include, but are not limited to: Advises key VHA officials as an authority on all matters related to classification and position management particularly on complex matters related to application of legislation, policy, and flexibilities within VHA's healthcare setting. Supports key VHA officials in analysis and development of solutions to significant, complex HR challenges in situations in which existing policy and/or precedents are often not applicable and require significant innovation and application of sound judgment. Develops and provides a wide variety of written and oral briefings to VA and VHA stakeholders and decision makers to inform, make recommendations, advocate, and influence acceptance and administration of sound HR concepts, principles, and operations. Has ability to adjust to changing situations, and implement innovative solutions to make organizational improvements, ranging from incremental improvements to major shifts in direction or approach, as appropriate. Provides a full range of supervisory responsibilities by planning, directing, and executing program goals and objectives for the Classification team staff. Utilizes project management strategies to lead diverse work groups to design and implement projects having significant impact on the VHA workforce and healthcare delivery Stays abreast of new developments in healthcare delivery to anticipate evolving needs and opportunities to support through changes in HR policy, partnering with VA OCHCO's office, OPM, OMB, GAO, etc. to accomplish. Exercises authority and responsibility for supervision of the VHA Classification and Position Management policies and programs, including oversight and direction of the subject matter experts in assigned functional areas. Ensures subordinate's commitment to efficient work execution. Models self-accountability and holds subordinates accountable for high-quality results. Recognizes, supports, and rewards excellent work from employees supervised. Timely and efficiently addresses poor and mediocre performance of employees supervised - including seeking appropriate action up to removal from the Federal service. Designs and implements strategies that optimize employee performance, connects the organization horizontally and vertically, and fosters core values and high ethical standards in meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals. Promotes a learning organization and employee engagement by modeling and supporting servant leadership at all levels. Explains, advocates, and expresses facts and ideas in a convincing manner and negotiates with individuals and groups internally and externally, as appropriate. Develops a professional network with other organizations and identifies the internal and external politics that affect the work of the organization. Has ability to adjust to changing situations, and implement innovative solutions to make organizational improvements, ranging from incremental improvements to major shifts in direction or approach, as appropriate. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Available Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This position may be authorized for Virtual Work. Virtual Work eligibility is for current VA employees that are already subject to the return to the in-person work mandate in their current position. Definition of Virtual Work: Employee works outside of original hiring duty station at a VA-owned or leased space. Return to Office (RTO): RTO mandates are in effect and selectees will be required to report to in-person work unless they are approved for an exception or an exemption. Any approval for an RTO exception, exemption, or extension will happen after a tentative job offer, but before a final job offer. Position Description/PD#: Associate Director, Classification/PD992400 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Qualifications: To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/08/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-14 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-13. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. 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. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: BASIC REQUIREMENT: To qualify for the HR Specialist position, candidates must meet the following basic requirements as described in one of the following methods: a. Merit-Based Method, b. Education-Based Method or c. Training-Based Method: Method 1: Merit-Based Method The candidate must possess one year of specialized experience requiring knowledge of and/or skill in applying basic HR concepts, laws, principles, policies, methods, practices and/or HR systems. Such experience may be gained in administrative, professional, technical or other responsible work positions in the public (i.e., Government or military) or private sector. This experience must be equivalent to at least the GS-4 level of the Federal Government. Method 2: Education-Based Method Successful completion of bachelor's degree (or higher). Method 3: Training-Based Method Training 1: Successful completion of at least 12 credit hours of college-level (associate degree or higher level) course work in any of the following types of fields, majors or programs or those closely related as evidenced by the course or programs: HR (general), HR development, HR management, business, business management/administration, industrial relations, labor relations, industrial psychology, organizational psychology, organizational development, management, organizational behavior, pre-law/law, legal studies, health care management/administration, public administration, public policy, human services, leadership and humanities. Training 2: Successful completion of at least four formal training courses in HR. The focus of these HR courses will be in areas or those closely related to general HR, Federal HR, private sector/corporate HR or HR management. These courses must be offered through VA (i.e., Talent Management System courses), Federal agencies/departments (i.e., OPM Federal Human Resources Institute) or through external organizations (i.e., HR Certification Institute (HRCI®) Learning, HR University or Management Concepts). For the purpose of this standard, formal means interactive (online or in-person) training that includes communication between the participants and/or the instructor. Successful completion is evidenced by documentation of successful completion by the training organization. Training 3: Successful completion of a formal certificate program in any of the areas (or related areas) listed in Training 1 (above) or those closely related as evidenced by the course or programs. A formal certificate program for the purposes of this standard means a series or set of courses that provide a foundational or advanced knowledge. The courses must have been provided by an accredited college, university, organization or company and must have required assignments and/or other course work. Examples of providers include, but are not limited to, Purdue University, Global Cornell University (i.e., eCornell) or Wharton School. Successful completion is evidenced by documentation of completion by the training organization. Training 4: Current professional HR certification through the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), HRCI®, International Public Management Association (IPMA) (or Public Sector HR Association (PSHRA)), American Society for Health Care Human Resources Administration (ASHHRA) or an organization or company that has a formal structure and is nationally recognized by the profession. GRADE LEVEL QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: In addition to meeting the basic requirement of this standard, an applicant's background must demonstrate that the applicant can successfully perform the duties of the position. For the GS-14 grade level, candidates must possess either Criteria 1 - graduate degree and specialized experience or Criteria 2 - specialized experience to qualify for the specific grade level as described below: Criteria 1: Graduate level degree or higher and three years of progressive specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level; OR Criteria 2: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-13 Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: (1) Analyzing HR laws, regulations, or policy changes to improve classification program compliance; (2) Applying classification standards to analyze position duties for classification determinations; (3) Providing classification presentations, consultations, and advisories to executive-level leaders; and (4) Leading or supervising classification programs or staff, adapting to shifting priorities while balancing customer needs with federal classification guidelines. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the VA Qualifications Standards at https://department.va.gov/employees/va-qualifications-standards/ View the full announcement and apply on USAJOBS.gov.