Supervisory Human Resources Specialist (Labor Relations)

About the role

This position serves as the Division Chief of the Labor Relations Division. The Division Chief is responsible for all labor relations matters with the USPTO's three unions, Patent Office Professional Association (POPA), National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) 243 and NTEU 245.

The Division Chief provides confidential labor relations advice to senior management, directs the activities of labor relations staff, and collaborates with other Office of Human Resources staff.

What you will do

• The physical worksite for this position is located in Alexandria, Virginia.
• Presence at the Alexandria, VA campus is required for this role, as it includes on site functions that must be performed in person.
• Position may be eligible for situational telework in accordance with agency policy/business unit discretion.
• The agency currently allows for 52 hours of telework per leave year.
• The individual selected for this position will.
• You thrive at developing goals and objectives that integrate labor relations related missions and functions into the Office of Human Resources.
• You are eager to research, interpret, analyze, and apply Federal statutes, OPM and USPTO guides, policies, regulations, labor-management bargaining unit directives and requirements.
• You enjoy providing sound advice and guidance to the human resources staff, managers and supervisors related to union negotiations and impacts.
• You have a strong desire to identify and resolve unique issues where no policy exists and can recommend innovative actions to address new needs or issues.
• You are committed to building collaborative relationships and can persuade others to accept recommendations, cooperate, and accept changes as needed working towards continuous improvement.
• You are excited about managing and resolving conflicts, grievances, confrontations, or disagreements in a constructive manner to minimize negative impact on organizational objectives.

Education

Education may not be substituted for specialized experience at this grade level.

How you will be evaluated

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Accountability Customer Service Decisiveness Flexibility Interpersonal Skills Problem Solving Resilience The USA Hire Assessments includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies.

You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered.

You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

The best qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.

If referred all relevant documents submitted with your application package will be forwarded to the selecting official, due weight shall be given to performance appraisals and awards in accordance with 5 CFR § 335.103(b)(3), during the interview/selection process conducted by the hiring manager.

Falsifying your background, education, and/or experience is cause for not hiring you or for changing your scored responses to questions you've answered, which may affect your overall final score.

To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: *** The United States Patent and Trademark Office is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation), national origin, political affiliation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, retaliation for engaging in protected activity, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors.

If you believe that you have been discriminated against and would like to file an EEO complaint, you must do so within 45 days of the date of the alleged discriminatory act. Claims of employment discrimination must be submitted to the attention of the USPTO's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity via email (***) or phone (***).

Documents you must provide

• A complete application consists of: 1.
• Resume: All applicants are required to submit a two-page resume (NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES).
• Resumes exceeding this limit will not be considered eligible.
• Please submit only one resume.
• Only the document uploaded under the "Resume "section as the "Document Type" will be reviewed to assess your qualifications and for evaluation purposes.
• To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year (MM/YY - MM/YY) and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume.
• We suggest that you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions.
• Resume should clearly state your experience related to this position as described in the Duties section and Qualifications section.
• Professional or Academic References: Provide 2-3 professional/academic references (name, phone, email); one must be your current supervisor.
• We'll notify you before contacting them.
• Please Note: Any experience claimed in a cover letter should be substantiated by information contained in your resume.
• A HR Representative will validate the qualifications of those candidates eligible to be referred to the hiring official.
• Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50): For current and/or former Federal employees, your status eligibility and highest permanent grade/step/salary held in the Federal service will be validated with a copy of your most recent NON-AWARD SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action" so that we may verify your time-in-grade.
• Performance Appraisal: Recent performance appraisal with supervisor's signature showing the official final rating of record and copy of incentive award(s).
• In cases where the performance appraisal is incomplete or unavailable, applicants may provide explanation of the reasons.
• Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) documents: CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents: 1.
• A copy of your RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a directed geographic relocation outside of the local commuting area; a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES); or certification that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, a notice of eligibility for discontinued service retirement, or similar notice); 2.
• A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", noting current position, grade/band level, and duty location; 3.
• A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and 4.
• Any documentation from your bureau/operating unit that shows your current promotion potential.
• Transcripts: You MUST submit copies of your college transcripts for verification of the education requirements.
• Unofficial copies are accepted, however, if selected you will be required to furnish official transcripts.
• It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the above educational requirement.
• Inadequate or illegible information could result in non-qualification and loss of consideration.
• You can upload your documents when you register or update your information on the Dept. of Commerce site which you access through the USAJobs site.
• Your application and all required documents must be received by 11:59 pm ET on the closing date of this job announcement.
• NOTE: The preceding documents requirement are based on job requirements and individual applicant eligibility.
• Not all documents are applicable to all applicants; if you are unsure which documents apply to you, contact the HR Specialist listed on this announcement

What to expect next

You will receive a notice generated by the USAJobs System when you have successfully submitted your application. You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable.

You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at *** and clicking on "Track Your Online Application." The four points of notification are: 1. Application Received or Application Incomplete; 2. Minimum Qualification Requirement Met or Minimum Qualification Requirement Not Met; 3.

Eligible (Application Referred to the Selecting Official) or Eligible (Application Not Referred to the Selecting Official); and 4. Selected or Not Selected. After all application packages have been received, we will review your application and transcript(s) (if you are qualifying based on education) to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements.

We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and you may be contacted for follow-up supplemental documentation. It is the applicant's responsibility to provide any supplemental documents or information requested by the Office of Human Resources within the allocated timeframes.

You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment.

The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, veterans' preference, disability, etc.). You can check the status of your application by logging into USAJOBS.

You may also sign up to receive automatic emails anytime the status of your application has changed by logging into your USAJobs Account, editing your profile and changing the "Notification Settings" to indicate that you want to be notified by email when the status changes.

Information regarding the status of your application should be updated in the system within 2 weeks after the closing date of this job announcement.

Additional information

If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information.

This is a Non Bargaining Unit position. This is a Public Trust position and has a risk level designation of "High".

Background Investigation - If selected for this position, you may be required to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306), which includes a fingerprint and credit check, to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. The USPTO participates in E-Verify.

For more information on E-Verify, please visit the Department of Homeland Security Website. All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choice. Relocation Expenses are not authorized and will not be paid.

CTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a "well qualified" rating of 85 out of 100. Information about CTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: OPM CTAP.

CTAP documentation requirements are listed in the 'Required Documents' section of this announcement. More than one selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade, and unit occur within 90 days from the date the certificate was issued.

All application materials become the property of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application.

Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis.

If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision.

You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement.

To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.