Human Resources Specialist (ER/LR)

This Human Resources Specialist (ER/LR) position is with Veterans Health Administration (Department of Veterans Affairs) in Phoenix, AZ. Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 22 Desert Pacific Healthcare Network is seeking a Human Resources Specialist (Employee & Labor Relations). The primary purpose of this position is to serve as an expert who provides technical guidance and draft disciplinary actions for management officials to all Network employees. Key duties: • VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: HR Specialist Total Rewards Duties: Employee Relations - 50% Incumbent provides technical guidance, advice and counseling to management officials and supervisors to address issues with workforce-related conduct and performance. Advises on employee relation matters to include coordination and oversight of fact finding, technical advisor to investigation boards, contract/master agreement interpretation, state licensure reviews, Drug Free Workplace, and third-party hearing representation. Provides local training to supervisors. Represents management on labor topics to include issue grievances, demand to bargain, unfair labor practice, arbitration. Labor Relations - 50% Provides technical guidance, advice and counseling to management officials and supervisors on labor law and master agreement interpretation. Develops management strategies to respond to labor issues. Offers technical guidance, information and assistance to management and senior leadership officials on sensitive, serious, and controversial labor relations issues regarding employees in a wide variety of administrative and clinical occupations with substantial differences in working conditions, entitlement, and occupational practices and policies. Responds to issue grievances, demands to bargain, impasse proceedings, local bargaining, unfair labor practices, drug testing and related functions. Provides management with interpretation of policies, procedures, and collective bargaining agreements. Researches and interprets legal and regulatory program guidance, including case law, United States Code, Code of Federal Regulations, and VA Handbooks and Directives. Serves as subject matter expert regarding policies and procedures pertaining to Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) and Federal Services Impasses Panel (FSIP). Plans and implements actions to satisfy obligations to bargain in good faith, performs thorough analysis of policies and practices, and ensures that policies and practices promote partnering to prevent unfair labor practices. Negotiates local labor agreements and drafts memorandum of understanding. Represents management at arbitrations and in situations involving proceedings before other third-parties, as appropriate. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Pacific Time Zone (Tour of Duty may be negotiable upon selection) Compressed/Flexible: Yes, upon supervisor's discretion. Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Human Resources Specialist (ER/LR)/PD99976S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required Qualifications: To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/04/2026. 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-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9. For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. 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. 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-9 level, you must meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 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: Knowledge of a wide range of methods, principles, and practices commonly used in the employee and labor relations process; Knowledge of or experience within an unionized organization sufficient to: Advise management officials on various types of employee management actions including leave management, performance management and discipline; Advise on the procedural and regulatory requirements governing the employee and labor relations process; Interpret and analyze basic issues of fact and law and develop and prepare clear explanations of case facts; and Draft labor, performance, or corrective actions. ~OR~ Education: Successful completion of a Master's or equivalent graduate degree, two full years of progressively higher- level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.B. or J.D., if related. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. ~OR~ Combination: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the first year) and specialized experience, as described above, to meet the total requirements. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position. To qualify for this position at the GS-11 level, you must meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 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: Skill in interpreting, laws, regulations, policies, collective bargaining agreements, and employee relation functions sufficient to: Provide comprehensive employee and labor relations services to include drafting all levels of discipline; Coordinate with and advise supervisors and managers on technical issues involving disciplinary, adverse and all other relevant corrective actions. Must possess knowledge of, and skill in applying, collective bargaining agreements and related principles, concepts, laws, regulations, techniques, and guidelines sufficient to support an organization's employee and labor relations program, including negotiation with labor representatives and representing management in arbitration or other discipline appeal forums; Provide training to other ELR employees and Supervisors on same. . ~OR~ Education: Successful completion of a Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree, three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.M., if related. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. ~OR~ Combination: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the first two years) and specialized experience, as described above, to meet the total requirements. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position. ***QUALIFICAITONS CONTINUED BELOW*** View the full announcement and apply on USAJOBS.gov.