Equal Employment Opportunity Specialist

The Equal Employment Opportunity Specialist will serve in the EEO Office and is responsible for assisting the EEO Manager in planning, development, implementation, evaluation, and monitoring of the affirmative action and equal employment opportunity programs in the VA Palo Alto Health Care System. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/25/2026. 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 specialized 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: knowledge of the body of law governing Federal equal employment opportunity programs; skill in identifying and defining illegal discrimination through systematic factfinding or investigation; understanding of the nature and causes of institutional barriers to equal employment opportunity; ability to work effectively and deal with persons in various social or economic strata of society, regardless of the Status of their position in a particular institution. 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/. Responsible for coordinating, planning, developing, administering, managing, advising, and evaluating the Equal Opportunity/ Diversity Program in the Health Care System level. This includes the interpretation of policies, laws, and regulations and the development and implementation of policy and training programs. Duties include but are not limited to: Monitoring and assisting in the management of the Health Care System's overall EEO/ Diversity program on an on-going basis. Assist in developing, coordinating and conducting EEO Training for employees, managers and supervisors to include but not limited to the Prevention of Sexual Harassment, NO FEAR Act, Anti Harassment and Reasonable Accommodation overview. Conducts specialist studies related to equal employment opportunity as identified by the Health Care System, VISN, or VHA Central Office. Participates in meetings, conference calls, workgroups and training to maintain a high level of knowledge, skill and ability. Determines the number of mediation sessions conducted, the number of settlements reached, and the the number of management refusals in order to promote cost efficiency of the ADR Program. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Equal Employment Opportunity Specialist/PD05033A Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Education There is no educational substitution at this grade level.