Summary
You can make a difference in the world with a career at the Department of State! We are hiring many experienced Human Resources (HR) Specialist across the Department in various regional and functional Bureaus. If eligible, applicants will be referred to similar vacancies across the Department for an extended time period.
Duties
Provides client Bureaus two more of the following Human Resource functions: staff acquisition, organization and position management, compensation management, benefits management, performance management, separation and/or information systems.
Serves as a key member on teams of HR Specialists who participate in the development and evaluation of new or revised Department policies, procedures, and regulations.
Initiates all requests for personnel actions for Civil Service, ensuring accurate preparations and accomplishment of purpose. Processes Civil Service and/or Foreign Service personnel actions that affect award , benefits or corrections.
Reviews requests for recruitment and advises management on recruitment strategies, sources and special programs which emphasize affirmative action in staffing positions.
At the GS-09 level, the incumbent performs essentially the same duties; however, the scope and complexity of assignments are of less responsibility and independence and receives closer supervision than the GS-11 and GS-12 level.
Education
See the qualifications section of this vacancy announcement for education requirements. When an applicant has less than one year of specialized experience as described in the announcement, he or she may combine successfully completed graduate-level education with experience to meet the total qualification requirements. Generally, 18 graduate semester hours is equivalent to 1 full-time year of graduate study (your school and department determine what constitutes 1 full time year of graduate study). The percentage of specialized work experience (for example, 6 months equals 50%) and the percentage of graduate study (for example, 9 graduate hours for a GS-07 equals 50% where 18 graduate hours constitute a full time year) must total at least 100%. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For a list of accredited organizations recognized as specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials, visit: www.naces.org/members.php.
How you will be evaluated
The evaluation process consists of the ApplyGov Competency Based Assessments for which applicants will be assigned a score between 70 and 100. A resume review will be conducted for minimum qualification requirements, as described in the “Qualifications” section of this announcement, of applicants found to be among the top qualified candidates based on assessment scores. Resumes longer than two pages will be deemed ineligible and will not be considered further. You will be assessed on the following job-related competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Non-Supervisory: Oral Communication, Writing, Interpersonal Skills, Problem Solving, Teamwork, Technology Orientation, Customer Service, Attention to Detail and Self-Management. Set aside at least 2 hours to take the external assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. There are timed sections that must be completed within the allotted timeframe. Your score from the external assessment (i.e., Non-supervisory ) will remain on file for 180 days, allowing you to apply for multiple DOS-announced positions without needing to retake the assessments. Top applicants may be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies: Ability to research, interpret and apply human resources laws, regulations, policies and procedures. Ability to provide advisory services on a variety of human resources matters. Ability to plan and organize work. Ability to communicate orally and in writing. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. We do not make assumptions regarding your experience. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials may result in your removal from consideration. Applicants found to be among the top qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview. Qualified non-competitive candidates must be deemed best qualified based on the applicant assessment in order to be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview. You may preview questions for this vacancy.