Job Description

The Senior Human Resources Specialist will serve as a trusted advisor and consultant to leadership, providing senior-level guidance and technical support in federal staffing, compliance, and classification. The incumbent will collaborate with agency officials to evaluate workforce needs, ensure compliance with federal HR regulations, and implement strategies that strengthen recruitment and hiring processes to support the Department of State’s evolving mission requirements.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a consultant to leadership, providing strategic HR advisory support on workforce planning, recruitment strategies, and classification matters.
• Manage end-to-end federal staffing activities, including job analysis, vacancy announcement development, assessment creation, and applicant qualification reviews.
• Ensure compliance with Title 5 USC, Title 5 CFR, OPM, and Department of State policies, procedures, and hiring authorities (e.g., Merit Promotion, Delegated Examining, Direct Hire, VRA, and VEOA).
• Provide technical guidance on HR compliance, ensuring all personnel actions and staffing processes adhere to established regulations and merit principles.
• Conduct classification and position management reviews, developing or evaluating position descriptions, ensuring accurate title, series, and grade determinations.
• Collaborate with hiring managers and program leadership to identify recruitment needs, develop sourcing strategies, and maintain talent pipelines.
• Utilize and manage automated HR systems such as USA Staffing, DCPDS, and related databases to process actions, track metrics, and report on staffing activity.
• Participate in workforce discussions, audits, and HR reviews, providing documentation and data-driven recommendations.
• Support onboarding, offer processing, and pre-employment activities to ensure smooth transitions for new hires.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years of federal human resources experience with significant expertise in staffing and classification.
• Demonstrated experience providing HR consultation and compliance support to senior leadership or agency management.
• Strong understanding of federal staffing laws, regulations, and authorities (Title 5, OPM, and DoD/State Department policies).
• Proficiency in USA Staffing, DCPDS, and other federal HR systems.
• Excellent communication, advisory, and analytical skills, with a demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively in a high-paced environment.
• Active Public Trust (or ability to obtain and maintain).