Federal

Supervisory Human Resources Specialist (ER/LR)

Veterans Health Administration ยท Department of Veterans Affairs
๐Ÿ“ Fayetteville, Arkansas GS-13 $106,437 - $138,370/yr
Posted: Jul 2, 2026 Deadline: Jul 13, 2026 (Closes in 10 days)

About This Position

The purpose of the Supervisory HR Specialist (ER) position is to supervise a VISN Work-Life Benefit (WLB) and Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Shared Service Unit (SSU) that provides services, support, and advice in WLB and RA in support of all VHA medical centers and the Network.

This position is assigned to the VISN 16 Employee/Labor Relations (ER/LR) Unit, and will supervise the Work-Life Benefits (WLB) team.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/13/2026. 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: 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 (copy of unofficial transcript required) 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.

NOTE: You must still meet the Time-In-Grade requirement of having served 52 weeks at the GS-11 grade level, and a copy of your unofficial transcript is required. Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. Qualifying specialized experience includes: Researching, analyzing, and applying knowledge of laws, regulations, and rules to provide guidance and resolution on issues related to employee benefits (health and life insurance, vision, dental insurance, retirement, and Flexible Spending Accounts); Meeting with employees to explain benefit programs, and training employees and supervisors regarding the latest information on all federal benefits; Preparing communications on current and future requirements related to employee benefits, and responding to benefit inquiries from attorneys and courts on divorce cases and other civil matters; Experience utilizing office automation equipment and a variety of software applications to successfully process employee leave requests for special leave programs, to include: HR Smart, USA Staffing onboarding, Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook; Conducting research on HR regulations and other pertinent directives for the improvement of federal work-life regulations, policies, and procedures. ~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.

NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. Qualifying specialized experience includes: Administering a federal work life/employee benefits program to include federal leave programs, employee group life insurance, health benefits, Thrift Savings Plan, and other Work-life programs; Serving as a Work Life Benefits subject matter expert (SME) advising employees, applicants for employment, supervisors, and members of management regarding laws, regulations and procedures for Work Life Benefits; Developing and conducting training to increase employee awareness regarding the latest information on Federal Benefits and Worklife Benefit Programs; Reviewing and analyzing data and regulations and identifying trends to develop operating procedures or processes; Performing quality control reviews on various benefits processed documents to ensure accuracy, completeness, and compliance with applicable regulations, and resolving more complex and unusual problems and providing technical advice. 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/.

Major Duties

NOTE: This is a temporary promotion opportunity NTE 1 year. Major duties include but are not limited to: Responsible for supervising and administering the VISN's Federal Work-Life/Employee Benefits Program, including Federal Leave Programs, employee group life insurance, health benefits, Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) and other Work-Life programs. Serves as the WLB subject matter expert (SME).

Possessing thorough knowledge and mastery of best practices in WLB in federal government, VA/VHA/VISN policies and regulations and consistently be abreast of changes, modifications, and revisions to laws, regulations, and policies pertaining to WLB. Advising employees, applicants for employment, supervisors, and members of management regarding laws, regulations and procedures for Work Life Benefits and Reasonable Accommodation. Promote organizational efforts to support a balance between work and personal life that fosters employee engagement and productivity by providing federal leave program and Work-Life/Employee Benefits services to VHA employees and supervisory/ managerial staff.

Brief management and all VISN leadership on the status of WLB programs, and train staff and management regarding the latest information. Prepare communications regarding current and future requirements and information, and serving as the VISN's policy and regulatory subject matter expert for WLB programs. Coordinates with other areas of Human Resources, including Recruitment & Placement, Employee/Labor Relations, Retirement Shared Service Office (RSSO) and Workers Compensation to ensure that the employee is advised of their rights under benefit programs which may be appropriate to them.

Participates in integrated solutions of WLB problems and issues that cross functional lines and/or have VISN-wide implications. As the VISN's SME, resolves the more complex and unusual problems and provides technical advice to specialists. Identifies the need for special projects to evaluate the effectiveness of programs and initiates milestones and goals.

Promotes an environment in which employees are empowered to participate in and contribute to effective mission accomplishment. Assists the ER/LR Chief or Associate HR Officer with section-related strategic planning and budget development. Provides advice involving staffing strategies for their programs.

Goals encompass a wide range of different conditions and expectations from a variety of diverse VISN customers in an environment characterized by consolidation of functions. Evaluates unit productivity, quality, regulatory compliance, and technical competence. Makes changes in work assignments and workflow; balances workload among positions to increase effectiveness of operations.

Meets with subordinates to discuss production reports, offers and solicits recommendations for improvement, and ensures staff maintain optimum case load management. Assures maximum efficiency, economy, and effectiveness in the delivery of WLB services. Evaluates and modifies policies and procedures and makes changes as needed to respond and adapt to the changing environment.

Meets with VISN management to advise on new and innovated VHA and private industry Human Resources WLB trends, challenges, directives, and/or regulations. Act as liaison to stakeholders in VHA HR Center of Expertise, Workforce Management and Consulting, VISN senior executive leadership, VISN HR leadership. Ensures uniform application of administrative and operational policies and procedures, coordination of all related responsibilities, and resolution of problems encountered in daily operations.

Recommends programs to meet WLB training and development objectives and goals. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm CST, subject to change based on the needs of the facility. Telework: This position may be authorized for Ad-Hoc telework.

Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Supervisory Human Resources Specialist (ER/LR)/PD99934S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Conditions of Employment

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process.

In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 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. Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents).

Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Education

Qualifying education for the GS-0201 series includes courses and programs in HR, 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/or humanities. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

How You Will Be Evaluated

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position: Attention to Detail Reasoning Strategic Thinking Accountability Customer Service Decisiveness Flexibility Interpersonal Skills Problem Solving Resilience Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities.

Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social).

Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

Additional Information

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application.

Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision.

You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy.

To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online questionnaire and submission of the required documentation specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. To preview the application questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12991468. The application process is as follows: To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account.

Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.

Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date, 07/13/2026. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email.

The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link.

Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments.

You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.

NOTE: Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us.

To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to.

Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application. Beginning September 27, 2025, Federal agencies will only accept resumes up to two pages in length to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan. Resumes longer than two pages will result in ineligibility for further consideration for the position. USAJOBS will not allow you to upload or build resumes longer than two pages, and you will need to update the resumes in your profile before applying for a job.

Resumes should include information relevant to the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies of the position to which you are applying. VA is unable to make assumptions about qualifications if not clearly listed.

Resumes must be legible so they can be reviewed for eligibility, minimum qualifications and other position requirements listed in the job announcement.

Your resume must be 5MB or less. We recommend saving and uploading your resume as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX).

We do not accept PDF portfolio files. We recommend using a sans-serif font size like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans.

Make your page margins 0.5 inches. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text in your resume. The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started.

Helpful Hints for Creating a Two-Page Resume: Prioritize most relevant and recent experience Use concise, results focused language Align language from the job announcement Focus on demonstrating skills and competencies Remove outdated or unrelated experience Use the USAJOBS resume builder Additional guidance on this new requirement and resume building tools can be found at https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/page-limit

Required Documents

Resume Requirement: Your resume must include the following information: Job title, description of duties, beginning and ending date (month/year) of employment, and average hours worked per week. To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes: Performance Appraisal Resume Separation Notice (RIF) SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).

You will not be contacted for additional information. Cover Letter Time in Grade SF-50 Performance Appraisal Resume Separation Notice (RIF) SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility): Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee An SF-50 showing 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 Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade. Examples of appropriate SF-50's include: Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted.

HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities.

HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the salary for the Supervisory Human Resources Specialist (ER/LR) position at Veterans Health Administration?
The salary range for this position is $106,437 - $138,370/yr. This is a GS-13 position on the General Schedule pay scale. Actual pay may vary based on locality adjustments.
Where is the Supervisory Human Resources Specialist (ER/LR) job located?
This position is located in Fayetteville, Arkansas. This is an on-site position.
What qualifications do I need?
Qualifying education for the GS-0201 series includes courses and programs in HR, 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/or humanities. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
How do I apply for this position?
Apply through USAJobs.gov by clicking the 'Apply on USAJobs' button. You'll need a USAJobs account, a federal-style resume, and supporting documents. The deadline is Jul 13, 2026.
Is a security clearance required?
No security clearance is required for this position.
What benefits do federal employees receive?
Federal employees receive comprehensive benefits including health insurance (FEHB), retirement through FERS, Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with government matching, paid annual and sick leave, paid parental leave, life insurance, and student loan repayment programs.