Human Resources Specialist (Recruitment)

This Human Resources Specialist (Recruitment) position is with Veterans Health Administration (Department of Veterans Affairs) in Phoenix, AZ. This position is located in VHA Workforce Management and Consulting's Human Resources Operations Office (HROO). HROO is the exclusive operational HR service provider for VHA's Central Office (VHACO). The HR Specialist (Recruitment) serves in the Delegated Examining Office (DEO). The DEO has delegated examining authority from the Office of Personnel Management. This comprehensive authority includes occupations covered by Title 5, Title 38, Wage Grade and other Title regulated positions. Key duties: • This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed represent the full performance level of GS-12. At the lower grade levels, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence. You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher-level work, and availability of funds. Promotion is not guaranteed, and no promise of promotion is implied. You will be responsible for assigned examining areas and is a fully knowledgeable examiner for the occupations covered. The examinations involve examining with rating schedules involving highly specialized and technical administrative & management positions, professional & scientific positions, technical medical positions, clerical & administrative support positions. Examining entails specialized and technical health care terminology and complex rating guidelines. The position requires knowledge of Federal personal policies and program, progress pertaining to recruitment, staffing and competitive examination procedures, the ability to analyze complex qualification standards and the skill in operating within the USA Staffing program. Your duties may include, but are not limited to, the following: Utilizing delegated examining regulations to prepare vacancy announcements, rate and rank applicants, prepare and issue certificates, and audit certificates. Analyzing complex qualification standards from both OPM and VA. Explaining policies and procedures regarding recruitment requests including the utilization of various strategies for hard-to-fill and/or remote locations. Interpreting human resources guidelines, regulations, policies and procedures. Utilizing a database-driven recruitment system, such as USA Staffing. Interpreting OPM/VA qualification standards. Reviewing applicant materials and applying qualification requirements. Reviewing and adjudicating Veterans' Preference. Preparing written correspondence, reports and presentations for an audience to include applicants, hiring officials, HR offices and upper management. 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. Applicant Count: This job announcement will remain open until 10/14/2026. Applications received up to 11:59pm EST on the date in which 100 applications is reached will receive first consideration (initial cutoff). Applications received after 11:59pm EST on the date in which 100 applications are received may not receive consideration unless otherwise requested by management. Additional applications will be reviewed in one-day increments at management request. Note: Submitting multiple applications will change the order in which your application is reviewed. Work Schedule: Full-time, 40 hours per week, Monday - Friday. Compressed/Flexible: Available, eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Telework: This position may be authorized for ad hoc 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 (Recruitment)/PD101045A, PD101046A, and PD101047A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized Qualifications: To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/14/2026. 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: Maintaining records and logs pertaining to recruitment and placement functions; performing work involving the collection, completion and tracking of data and statistical information; responding to inquiries in a timely manner; keeping customers informed of status and status changes; collaborating with facility HR staff; preparing forms and letters for a variety of personnel 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: Analyzing complex qualification standards; preparing vacancy announcements; rating and ranking applicants; determining veterans' preference; preparing certificates; Using a database-driven recruitment system (e.g., USA Staffing); responding to questions from customers orally and in writing. ~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. To qualify for this position at the GS-12 level, you must must possess either Criteria 1 - graduate degree and specialized experience or Criteria 2 - specialized experience to qualify for the specific grade level. At this grade level, candidates must fully meet or exceed either Criteria 1 or Criteria 2 meaning it is not appropriate to combine Criteria 1 and Criteria 2 to qualify candidates. At this grade level, applicants cannot qualify on the basis of education alone. Criteria 1-- Graduate Education and Specialized Experience: You must have a graduate level degree or higher and three years of progressive specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level, which includes: Maintaining records and logs pertaining to recruitment and placement functions; performing work involving the collection, completion and tracking of data and statistical information; responding to inquiries in a timely manner; keeps customers informed of status and status changes; collaborating with facility HR staff; preparing forms and letters for a variety of personnel actions. ~OR~ Criteria 2-Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level, which includes: Analyzing complex qualification standards; preparing vacancy announcements; rating and ranking applicants; determining Veterans' preference; preparing and issuing certificates; utilizing a database-driven recruitment system (e.g., USA Staffing); responding to questions from customers both orally and in writing; researching human resources regulations to interpret and evaluate impact upon departmental processes; experience analyzing and interpreting human resources principles; providing consulting services to human resources field offices with regard to recruitment; providing training to new staff and preparing written responses, reports, and presentations. 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.