HUMAN RESOURCES SPECIALIST (EMPLOYEE BENEFITS)

Summary

This position is located in the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), Office of Management, Human Resources Operations Division. As a Human Resources Specialist (Employee Benefits), you will serve as a subject matter expert administering federal benefit and retirement programs. You will provide expert advice to agency employees, develop educational programs, and handle complex case resolutions to support the FSIS workforce.

Duties

• Administers all Federal civilian retirement and benefits programs for Agency employees.
• Provide expert advice and technical counsel to FSIS leadership, supervisors, and employees regarding all Federal Benefits related programs.
• Determine employee eligibility for health insurance coverage in complex cases and deliver targeted advice on various health insurance issues.
• Interpret strict regulations and provide vital technical guidance to employees, supervisors, and family members regarding life insurance programs.
• Advises and counsels employees concerning the Thrift Savings Plan. Provides information on eligibility, fund allocation, loan program and disbursement of funds at separation, among other guidance pertaining to TSP.
• Develop and conduct retirement education programs, briefings, and webinars to explain complex regulations and employee retirement options.
• Participate in developing and revising agency policies, methods, and techniques to ensure efficient and effective benefits program execution.
• Deliver crucial advice and assistance to survivors, employees, and supervisors regarding federal life insurance benefits due to survivors.
• Guide and review the workflow, daily performance, and professional development of junior HR specialists and HR assistants within the section.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. To qualify for the GS-9: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-7 grade level in the Federal service that demonstrates: Providing basic guidance and assistance to employees on civilian benefits, including one or more of the following: retirement, health insurance, life insurance, and retirement savings plans. Applicants must also have basic experience interpreting laws, regulations, and policies pertaining to retirement and benefits. OR Master's or equivalent graduate degree. OR 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree. OR LL.B. or J.D., if related. OR Combination of education and experience - Your total must equal 100% of the requirement, i.e. if you meet 50% of the education requirement, you must have 50% of the specialized experience requirement. Only education above and beyond the first year of graduate level education will count. To qualify for the GS-11: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the Federal service that demonstrates: Providing guidance and assistance to management and employees on Federal civilian benefits including more than one of the following: retirement, health insurance, life insurance, and retirement savings plans. Applicants must also have experience interpreting laws, regulations, and policies pertaining to retirement and benefits plus identifying problems and recommending appropriate action to customers and managers. OR Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. OR 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree. OR LL.M., if related. OR Combination of education and experience - Your total must equal 100% of the requirement, i.e. if you meet 50% of the education requirement, you must have 50% of the specialized experience requirement. Only education above and beyond the first two years of graduate level education will count. For the GS-12 level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. Experience must demonstrate the following types of skills and abilities that directly prepare the applicant to perform the duties in the position description. Independently providing advanced guidance and assistance to management and employees on Federal civilian benefits including three or more of the following: retirement applications, submitting Military Service Deposits, determining complex retirement calculations, completing service computations, reconciling pay and benefits for settlements, experience processing employee benefits. Applicants must also have extensive experience interpreting laws, regulations, and policies pertaining to retirement and benefits. Identifying problems and recommending appropriate action including offering advice, suggestions, and/or alternative options or solutions to customers and managers. For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here. 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; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

Education may be substituted for experience at the GS-09 and GS-11 level only, as defined above in the qualifications section. The is no minimum education requirement for this position.

Required documents

The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration. Resume that includes: Personal Information: name, address, contact information; Education; Work Experience related to this position as described in the major duties including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); other qualifications. Resume cannot exceed 2 pages. Your application may be disqualified if you include any of the information listed here: What should I leave out of my resume? If education is required or you are using education to qualify, you must submit a copy of all relevant college transcripts. An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application if it includes your name and the necessary course information; however, if you are selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entering on duty. Education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college or university. If any education was completed at a foreign institute, you must submit with your application evidence that the institute was appropriately accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as equivalent to U.S. education standards. There are private organizations that specialize in this evaluation and a fee is normally associated with this service. For a list of private organizations that evaluate education, visit the NACES website. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation. If claiming Veterans' Preference, you must submit a DD-214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty, which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions. If currently on active duty, you must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty service under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted. Veterans' Preference must be verified prior to appointment. Without this documentation, you will not receive Veterans' Preference, and your application will be evaluated based on the material(s) submitted. If claiming 10-point Veterans' Preference, you must provide the DD-214 or certification requirements (see above bullet), plus the proof of entitlement of this preference as listed on the SF-15 Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference. The SF-15 should be included but is not required. Failure to submit these documents could result in the determination that there is insufficient documentation to support your claim for 10-point preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference visit FedsHireVets. Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP priority must provide: proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), SF-50 documenting separation (as applicable), current performance appraisal with rating of at least "Fully Successful" or equivalent, and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with your application per 5 CFR 330.