Human Resources Specialist (Compensation)

This Human Resources Specialist (Compensation) position is with Veterans Health Administration (Department of Veterans Affairs) in Phoenix, AZ. This position is established in VHA Workforce Management and Consulting's Human Resources Operations Office. HROO is the exclusive operational HR service provider for VHA's Central Office's (VHACO) Compensation/Compensation & Technical Review Team. Key duties: • The Human Resources Specialist (Compensation) supports the Compensation Team by analyzing, interpreting, developing, and implementing laws, regulations, and policies in compensation administration, including pay and leave in addition to advising management on using compensation flexibilities to recruit, manage, and retain employees across the Veterans Health Administration. The duties of the job include, but are not limited to, the following: Research and develop solutions to recruitment and retention challenges by combining multiple pay and incentive flexibilities. Advise managers on justifications for special salary rates, recruitment bonuses, retention allowances, and critical skills incentives. Resolve complex compensation issues involving basic pay setting, locality pay, special rates, back pay, and pay limitations. Advise on premium pay, grade and pay retention, severance pay, and cost-of-living allowances (COLA). Perform preliminary analyses of hiring-trend survey data and develop preliminary workforce projections. Carry out Title 38 boarding procedures for physicians and nurses, including Market Pay Reviews. Identify and analyze workforce data, such as cost-per-hire, demographics, and attrition, to support workforce planning. Interpret recruitment, relocation, and retention incentive regulations and develop standard operating procedures for the organization. Advise on pay setting for new and continuing employees, including Above Minimum Entrance Rates (AMERs), Above Minimum Rates (AMRs), and Highest Previous Rates (HPRs). Advise on General Schedule, Federal Wage System, locality, and other geographic pay adjustments, including preparing special salary rate and locality pay table requests for VA Central Office (VACO). Advise on FLSA overtime, alternative work schedules, hours of duty, differentials, and allowances. Resolve back pay claims and advise on compliance with pay laws, court decisions, Comptroller General opinions, and VA Handbooks 5007 and 5017. Develop compensation program guidance and policy that applies across organizational lines, with potential agency-wide impact. Assess the effectiveness of compensation programs and recommend new methods, procedures, and processes. Work Schedule: Full-time, 40 hours per week, Monday-Friday Compressed/Flexible: Available at supervisor's discretion Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Ad hoc is defined as occasional, non-recurring telework. 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 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 have an approved 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#: Human Resources Specialist (Compensation)/PD20338A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Applicant Count: This job announcement will remain open until 11/03/2026. Completed applications (USA Hire Assessment Complete) received up to 11:59pm EST on the date in which 50 applications is reached will receive first consideration (initial cutoff). Applications received after 11:59pm EST on the date in which 50 applications are received may not receive consideration unless otherwise requested by management. Qualifications: To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/03/2026. 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-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. 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: The BASIC REQUIREMENT for the HR Specialist GS-0201 series is presumed met if found qualified at the GS-0201-7 level and above. To qualify for this position at the GS-13 level, you must meet one of the following listed Criteria: Criteria 1- Graduate Degree and Specialized Experience: Successful completion of a graduate level degree or higher and three years of progressive specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level. 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. Qualifying specialized experience includes: Analyzing and interpreting pay and leave regulations, including Title 5, Hybrid Title 38, and Title 38 authorities, to resolve pay-setting issues; reviewing actions on special salary rates, recruitment and relocation bonuses, retention allowances, and Highest Previous Rate determinations; and advising managers on compensation flexibilities in compliance with applicable law and policy. ~OR~ Criteria 2- Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in federal service that demonstrates HR management knowledge, concepts and principles and the performance of work in one or more of the HR specialty areas. 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. Qualifying specialized experience includes: Analyzing and interpreting pay and leave regulations (including Title 5, Hybrid Title 38 and Title 38 authorities) to resolve complex pay-setting issues, developing recruitment or retention incentive recommendations supported by workforce data; advising managers on compensation flexibilities in a manner that ensures compliance with law and policy; applying advanced HR principles and pay, premium pay, and leave administration, including multiple pay systems and authorities; reviewing and providing recommendations related to special salary rates, recruitment and relocation bonuses, retention allowances, Highest Previous Rate, and alternative appointment authorities; and applying analytical and quantitative techniques to recommend compensation related solutions. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. View the full announcement and apply on USAJOBS.gov.