Human Resources Specialist (Employee Relations)

Human Resources Specialist (Employee Relations)

Department: Department of State

Location(s): Washington, District of Columbia

Salary Range: $143913 - $187093 Per Year

Job Summary: This position is located in the Bureau of Human Resources, Office of Employee Relations, Accountability and Discipline Division (HR/ER/AD) and is the subject matter expert and advisor on conduct, suitability, and discipline issues. Incumbent will be responsible for the development, implementation, and administration of policies and programs that affect employees, insuring consistency in policies, practices and procedures.

Major Duties:

• Researches, analyzes, and evaluates misconduct cases and issues, including complex and sensitive cases and/or those lacking precedent, to determine the appropriate disciplinary action based on reports of investigations or other referrals.
• Ensures that disciplinary actions are properly supported so that charges and penalties are defendable before a third party, such as the Foreign Service Grievance Board or Merit Systems Protection Board.
• Provides authoritative guidance to post and bureau management officials and supervisors on handling the full range of misconduct issues for Civil Service and Foreign Service employees, and on Civil Service performance related matters.
• Incumbent drafts agency's response to Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) Acknowledgment Orders; serves as technical representative on MSPB appeals and Foreign Service Grievance Board (FSGB) grievances.
• Responsible for the development, implementation, and administration of policies and programs that affect employees in the Civil Service and the Foreign Service, insuring consistency in policies, practices, and procedures.

Qualifications: Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement. NOTE: Applicants must meet time-in-grade and time after competitive appointment requirements, by the closing date of this announcement. Time-In-Grade Requirements: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions, per 5CFR 300, Subpart F. Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level in the Federal service which provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position. Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following: Experience advising on advising on conduct and disciplinary actions. Experience analyzing employee relations programs and policies and providing recommendations for improvements. There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-14 position.

How to Apply: Prepare your application in USAJOBS To start your application, click Apply and we'll walk you through the process to attach a resume and any required documents. During the application process you can review, edit, delete, and update your information. We'll automatically save your progress as you go, so you won't lose any changes. You have until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement to complete the application process. STEP 1: Select the "Apply" button and follow the instructions to register or sign into USAJOBS. STEP 2: Submit your resume. Please see the Required Documents section for specific information that should be outlined in your resume. STEP 3: Complete the online assessment questions. STEP 4: Submit all required documentation applicable to you, as listed in the Required Documents section. To learn how to view the status of your submitted supporting documentation and application, visit the Application Instructions section of our agency's Civil Service selection process site. Technical assistance with your on-line application is available through the Help Desk at mgshelp@monster.com or by calling (866) 656-6830 between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. ET Alternate Application Procedures If applying online poses an extreme hardship, you may request alternate application procedures to submit your application package. Contact the Human Resources office listed on the announcement between the business hours of 8:15 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET at least 2 working days prior to the closing date of this announcement. The application package for alternate application procedures must be submitted and received in the Human Resources office no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on the closing date of this announcement. Paper applications and information sent by mail will not be accepted.

Application Deadline: 2026-03-23