Summary The incumbent serves as the principal advisor for the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Program, which includes Affirmative Employment, Alternative Dispute Resolution, and Diversity Management at the Robley Rex VA Medical Center. The incumbent works closely with the Medical Center Director, Executive Leadership Team, service chiefs, supervisors, and employees. The incumbent is responsible to the Medical Center Director for program development, administration, evaluation and advisory functions. Responsibilities Duties include but are not limited to: Assists the Office of Resolution Management (ORM), and Administrative Judges with investigations and hearings. Serves as the local liaison for all aspects of the facility's complaint processing program. Advises management on specific actions in support of affirmative action, and strategies for handling discrimination complaints. Compiles and analyzes statistical data in order to evaluate progress in the EEO Program. Responsible for developing, implementing, coordinating, reviewing, monitoring, evaluating, and updating all plans associated with the EEO Program. Serves as a technical advisor to the facility's EEO Committee. Serves as the medical center's spokesman for all protected groups within the local community. Serve as a liaison and coordinator of all EEO special emphasis programs to ensure the facility meets all federal guideline expectations. Serves as the Diversity/EEO Committee advisor and/or chairperson ensuring program objectives are met. Conducts analyses of the workforce by race, sex, grade, occupational series, and policies and practices affecting employment. Drafts various mandatory EEO Program reports, such as: Management Directive (MD) 715, EEO Program Status Reports, EEO Commission (EEOC) Management Directive (MD) 110, Disabled Veterans Affirmative Action Program (DVAAP), Federal Equal Opportunity Recruitment Program (FEORP), EEO Complaint 462, and other EEO medical center reports. Prepares the annual EEO budget and maintains the EEO fund control point. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Equal Employment Specialist/PD005131 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/29/2024. 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-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. 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 as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: advise management and employees on the discrimination complaint processes, rights and responsibilities; review of preliminary EEO complaints; administer Federal EEO principles, concepts, laws, regulations and policies; analyze employment patterns to identify potential program areas, and prepare reports for the Equal Employment Program; counsel and consult with supervisors, managers, and employees to negotiate resolutions to sensitive and contested issues; interpret legislation and regulations to resolve conflict; develop and carry out effective affirmative employment plans to ensure a diversified workforce; develop and implement special emphasis programs; analyze and evaluate employment policies and practices, and make recommendations to solve difficult and systemic EEO problems; provide EEO program guidance, arrange fact-finding conferences, formal hearings and preparing complaints reports and briefings, etc. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Administration and Management Analytical Reasoning Influencing/Negotiating Labor Law 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. Preferred Experience: VA experience preferred. Completed Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute (DEOMI) EEO Manager or Specialist trainings. Physical Requirements: Regular and recurring work generally involves sitting at a desk and sitting in conferences and meetings except for occasional visits to facility work sites. Occasional use of automobile and public conveyance may be required. No special physical exertion is required. Work Environment: Most work is performed in an office setting. Occasional visits to other areas may be required. The work areas are adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. No special precautions or protective clothing will be needed. Work may require overnight travel away from the normal duty station. Work may require the incumbent to drive a vehicle. For these reasons, 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/. Education There is no educational substitution at this grade level. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. 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.