Equal Employment Specialist

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/28/2024. 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. 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: GS-09: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include but are not limited to Knowledge of the principles, concepts, legal requirements, and methodology of the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Program and skill in applying this knowledge to perform assignments independently for which there are precedents. Practical knowledge and skill in interpreting, explaining, and applying a body of laws, regulations, and procedures. Skill in applying conventional fact-finding, analytical and problem-solving methods. Knowledge of the common policies, practices and operations of the Federal personnel system, the structure and function of Federal agencies including the Veterans Administration, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) and Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA). Knowledge and skill to analyze facts identify problems, report findings, make conclusions and recommendations of corrective action or other appropriate action. Knowledge and skill to deal effectively with people in various settings (meetings, committees, panels, mediations, etc.) and to identify and make recommendations for programs or solutions to problems. Ability to plan, develop, implement, evaluate, and monitor programs, complete cycle of fact-finding, problem definition and identification, determining cause and effect relationships, making conclusions, and recommending a decision or proposing action, solve complex problems, attention to detail. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a master’s or equivalent graduate degree OR two (2) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education major field of study related to the work of the position which provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of this position. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED). OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. Only graduate education in excess of the first year of graduate level education is creditable. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) GS-11: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to knowledge of Federal Equal Employment Opportunity principles, concepts, laws, regulations and policies, and relevant precedent decisions to recognize and solve difficult EEO problems, and to make technical recommendations for decisions in complaint cases; Knowledge of statistical techniques and other analytical tools used to evaluate organizational behavior and identify patterns of practices of discrimination; conduct special projects and analysis; broad general knowledge of Federal personnel administration policies and practices including appeals and grievances, Labor Relations, Employee Relations, Position Classification, Recruitment and Selection; Oral communication and writing skills to make presentations, conduct training sessions/seminars, negotiate settlements, write recommendations for decisions in complaint cases, and to effectively work with supervisors, managers, and employees to provide advisory services in analyzing and recommending solutions to problems that adversely affect equal employment opportunity. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED). OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education as described above. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) A current, state issued driver’s license is required for this position. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Communication Organizational Awareness Technical Competence Administration and Management 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. Note: 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. Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds. A valid state driver’s license is required. 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/.
Serve as Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Specialist in the Office of the Director and assist the EEO Manager in planning, development, implementation, evaluation, and monitoring the affirmative action and EEO programs in the South Texas Veterans Affairs Health Care System (STVHCS). Because of the broad scope, depth, critical, and sensitive nature of EO activities, careful attention to details and confidentiality are essential elements in this position.