Human Resources Program Specialist

Edythe Henderson ***********@*****.*** 202-***-****

EXPERIENCE:

Department Of Veteran Affairs 05/2024-Present

Program Specialist- 40 hours week.

•Works closely with the Human Resources Director and the Veterans Affairs Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer in the development of overall strategic goals and objectives.

•Offers authoritative guidance on difficult, unusual, or unprecedented circumstances arising from organizational challenges and opportunities across Veterans Affairs human resources programs.

•Develops, staff and lead a Human Resources Division that uses a strategic, proactive, service-oriented, partnership approach to providing human resources services to the workforce.

•Identifies organizational challenges, coordinate corrective actions, and direct program changes as needed to improve human resources service.

•Responsible for the full range of supervisory duties in directing a program with significant resources.

•Responsible for dealing with officials of other organizations, and in advising management officials of higher rank.

•Serve as a technical authority in establishing, maintaining, and monitoring effective staffing, placement and recruitment programs, to include delegated examining, merit promotion, and special appointing authorities in both the competitive and excepted Federal service.

•Maintains and monitors effective staffing, placement and recruitment programs, to include delegated examining, merit promotion, and special appointing authorities in both the competitive and excepted Federal service.

•Develops recommendations for legislation or regulation that would modify the way agencies conduct staffing and recruitment programs, evaluate new or modified legislation or regulation for projected impact upon existing agency programs, or translate complex legislation or regulation to meet agency needs.

•Leads the development and maintenance of DHS policy and other issuances, operating guidance, training materials, marketing strategy, etc., in connection with assigned program areas and/or projects.

•Identifies the need for data and, independently or in collaboration with others, design reports that pull data from various IT sources to create meaningful data analysis to drive decision making.

•Plans work to be accomplished by subordinates, sets and adjusts short-term priorities and prepares schedules for completion of work.

Department of Homeland Security-FEMA

Program Specialist- 40 hours week.

08/2020-11/2023

•Serves as a subject matter expert and oversees and develops policies and procedures that accurately reflect the needs of the Executive Operations function.

•Leads the team in identifying, distributing, and balancing workload among employees, arranging for team member training, and monitors and reports on the status and progress of work.

•Performs special assignments on matters of concern to the Branch Chief, Executive Operations.

•Reviews, composes, edits, and distributes communication materials ensuring key stakeholder coordination, high quality and prompt deliverables, and conformance with policies.

• Applies analytical and critical thinking skills, including the demonstrated ability to think strategically, find needs, requirements, and develop recommendations.

•Reviews and assesses administrative and management programs, policies, procedures, and systems to accommodate changing needs to improve the conduct and efficiency of the Executive Operations functions.

•Develops, implements, and monitors action management and correspondence policies, procedures, or systems, to include, evaluating and advising on issues and problems as they arise.

•Evaluates and recommends management and program offices on acquisitions and contract administration methods and procedures. Supplies overall strategic planning support for complex and/or high visibility ODM/OPIM acquisitions.

•Supplies recommendations to senior ODM and OCAO leadership on short-term and long range acquisition program activities, including proposed solutions that reduce total cost while meeting customer requirements.

• Supplies policy and provides expert advice in Human Resources area of specialty APSS, IMD, l&I, ESH, and OCAO to provide guidance, direction, supervision, advice and/or evaluation for all programs.

•Knowledge of data processing procedures.

Independently reviews and analyzes a wide variety of tasks and diversified functions and making recommendations to change financial systems, controls, and procedures based on budget requirements and the results of audits and review.

Department of Justice

Human Resources Supervisor- Consultant-SME/-40 hour's week.

10/2014- 08/2020

•Supervises a group of employees performing work up to the GS-13 level. Supplies administrative and technical supervision relative to the staff supervised. Plans work to be conducted by subordinates, set and adjust short-term priorities, and prepare schedules for completion of work.

• Performs supervisory functions as follows. Assigned duties to employees, Reviews the work of subordinates for timeliness and accuracy, Reviews the work of subordinates for conformance with organizational goals and objectives, reviews the work of subordinates for conformance with organizational goals and objectives, develops employee performance standards, develops performance improvement plans, evaluates employee performance, Interviews prospective employees, makes selections for vacant positions, Approves/disapproves leave requests.

•Identifies training needs, recommends disciplinary actions, assures fair administration of Equal Employment Opportunity statutes and principles, and resolves internal conflicts or problems amongst staff members.

•Preforms mentoring functions as follows, Advises junior colleagues on federal staffing policies and procedures, Advises junior colleagues on federal classification policies and procedures, Gives junior colleagues responsibilities that allowed for the development of professional relationships with senior leadership, Coaches junior colleagues, including outlined specific strategies for accomplishing work objectives and achieving career aspirations, and Assigns junior colleagues challenging work supported with training and ongoing performance feedback.

•Effectively interacts and expresses ideas through the following strategies to foster and encourages a respectful and inclusive environment in the workplace. Facilitating an open exchange of ideas, organizing and leading team-building exercises, provides candid and timely feedback to employees, Acknowledges, the contributions of employees to an organization's goals, respects individual and cultural differences, and Adapts communication and leadership styles to various situations.

•Makes classification determinations for the following types of positions, Lawyers, Labor/Trade, Administrative, Supervisory, Positions for which no classification standard exists, Scientific, Technical, Other professional occupations, mixed series, mixed grades, and research.

•Researches and interprets existing classification policies and regulations.

•Reviews staffing related support documents for completeness and accuracy, prepares a list of qualified applicants, prepares to offer letters to selected candidates, creates merit promotion vacancy announcements, Creates delegated examining vacancy announcements, Logs and

tracks human resources actions using the automated system, Identifies the appropriate coding and authorities to process personnel actions, conducts job analysis for a wide variety of positions, evaluates applicant eligibility and qualifications for delegated examining announcements, Adjudicates Veterans Preference, adjudicates claims of CTAP eligibility and adjudicates claims of ICTAP.

•Reviews and analyzes human resources (HR) processes, procedures, forms, documents or other information to provide guidance on HR performance management practices and programs.

•researches and gathers information from a variety of technical and regulatory materials to recommend actions.

• Analyzes and evaluates performance culture programs to decide whether they are designed effectively and meet regulatory requirements.

•Supplies advice and guidance to agencies in the design and implementation of performance appraisal systems.

•Collects and analyzes senior employee rating, pay, and awards data and develops a comprehensive statistical report annually on the results of that data.

•Conducts and takes part in program reviews.

•Evaluates, interprets, recommends and coordinates time-sensitive agency requests for specific authorities and approvals to accomplish performance culture strategies.

• Leads the development of educational courses and programs (e.g., training, development, formal educational programs) to facilitate agency goals.

•Serves as the agency subject matter expert (SME) on matters related to instructional design and development, including advising senior leadership on these matters.

•Manages the task forces and organizational studies which focus on training, education, and design/development issues.

•Manages the recruitment and staffing for special programs such as Schedule A, Veterans Hiring, and Pathways. Utilizes and places individuals under the following appointing authorities, Schedule A (appointing persons with severe physical disabilities, psychiatric disabilities, and/or intellectual disabilities, Pathways Intern, Pathways Recent Graduate, Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA).

•Plans events, confirms logistics, collect information and support the overall objective of well planned internal and external events, including advisory committee meetings, roundtables, and outreach events, as well as speaking engagements.

• Veterans Employment Opportunity Act of 1998 (VEOA), Experts/Consultants, 30% disabled veteran, Non-competitive appointment authority for certain military spouses, Direct-Hire, Reemployed Annuitant and Reemployed Annuitant.

•Collaborates with managers and supervisors to determine long and short-range staffing needs. Provides human resources policy to human resources specialist regulations and procedures that impact human resources operations. Reviews human resources packages i.e.,

•Variations, veterans pass over, and hiring flexibility request.

•Final authorizer of personnel actions Accessions, Promotions, Changes to Lower grade, Reassignments, conversions, Pay Adjustments, leave without pay, Return to duty,

Extensions, Resignations, Realignments, Name changes, Bonuses/Awards, Corrections, Cancellations, change in computation dates, and change in work schedule/hours.

•Provides advice and guidance to hiring managers on the following human resources services. Position classification, Position Management, Leave Administration, Staffing, Pay Administration, Recruitment, Recruitment, Benefits, Recruitment incentives, Retention incentives, relocation incentives, Superior Qualification, and special needs pay-setting authority. Generates reports to supply management updates on all programs.

• Performs quality control review by reviewing and approving other HR Specialist work, ex, job analysis, assessment Questionnaires, Job Opportunity Announcements, Personnel actions SF-52s, Tentative job offer letters, and Final job offer letters.

•Collects data to identify recurring errors, analyzing processes and activities, and taking corrective action to promote continuous improvement of HR programs.

•Develops presentations, reports, and/or staff papers outlining complex HR operational problems and recommended solutions and/or policy changes. Reviews all programs for inefficient, recommends solutions, updates existing policies, procedures, and guidance to customers based on program changes.

• Research regulations, policies, and best practices and then develop training materials that contribute to the overall improvement of a human resources operational program.

• Provides recommendations to senior leadership based on my research and knowledge on the following agency personnel policies and procedures. Recommends and plans proposals for the DOJ project and initiatives.

•Departmental personnel policies and procedures, Code of Federal Regulations, United States Code, OPM, Handbook and guidance issuances, and executive orders.

•Researches and ensures that my team actions comply with the following laws, regulations, and policies. Merit Promotions plans, Delegated Examining Operations Handbook, Veterans Preference, Direct Hire authorities, Excepted services hiring authorities, Code of Federal Regulations, United States Code, Agency personnel policy manuals, departmental personnel policies and procedures/directives, Merit System Protection Board decisions, Executive orders, OPM Handbooks and Guidance issuances, 0MB regulations, and OIG regulations.

•Ensuring employment and hiring programs comply with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and Agency and/or Departmental guidance and regulations.

• Uses the following automated hiring systems, such as USA Staffing or Monster, Automated payroll/personnel systems such as Empower HR Electronic Office Personnel Folder (eOPF), and Position Management tracking system.

• Evaluates legislative and regulatory changes and adjusting business processes to comply with the changes.

•Stays informed of changes in Agency and Departmental policies and procedures and adjusting business processes to comply with the changes.

•Informs and secures support from top-ranking administrative officials for proposed human resource plans.

• Monitor and evaluate HR employment programs. Agency HR senior leaders, HR Specialists, Department officials, Representatives from other Agencies, Contractors, and Congressional staff.

Department of Veteran Affairs 01/2011-10/2014 Benefits Officer Team Lead/Workers Comp (Contractor)-Team Lead 40 hours work.

•Served as a Senior Benefits specialist providing administrative, HR management advisory services on a wide range of benefits programs to all levels of VA. Management and employees. The Human Resource benefit programs include FERS and CSRS retirement programs; Military Deposit/Buy Back; Health and Life insurance programs; Thrift savings, Plan (TSP) program; Family-Friendly Program.

•Served as an advisor and technical expert on a variety of Human resources issues about client employee benefits and entitlements.

•Responded to complex benefit questions from employees of a local organization on the enrollment requirements and/or benefits of the Civil Service Retirement System (CRS) and the Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS). Serves as COTR for VA and employee/health unit contracts. Provides expert interpretation of HR benefit policies, regulations, and procedures pertaining to above-cited programs.

•Provided technical guidance on issues involving worker compensation, leave, work-life program, (e.g., flextime, part-time/job-sharing, telework, etc.) Performs other duties as assigned depending on the needs of the Operations team, e.g., researching, drafting HR policies to ensure compliance with federal laws, regulations, and guidelines, and other HR-related projects.

•Managed one-on-one counseling sessions with employees, which is a necessity for exemplary performance in a benefits position. Processed death cases, completing employee separation packages, provided pertinent benefits information to separating employees; provided benefits assistance to rehired employees along with consultation with reemployed annuitants; and performed consultations with new hires and with employees regarding military deposit time and redeposit processing. Performed computations in such areas as deposit amount owed for Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) time, offset amount for CSRS-Offset employees, supplemental annuity for FERS for eligible employees, and other computations.

•Specialized in providing full program administration for workers' compensation claims. Tracked all incoming, active, and closed workers' compensation claims; the administration of temporary disability, permanent disability, and disability compensation payouts; the compilation of statistics for reporting; and the training of Agency staff involved in workers' compensation program administration.

•Provided guidance on travel programs, policies, including researching, interpreting, and evaluating multiple sources of information used to draft guidance and responses to inquiries, developed and delivered written and oral presentations on travel program management practices, policies, and procedures for the Department of Veteran Affairs.

•Served as Senior Leader of Employment Staff, Employment and Compensation Management Division.

•Monitored and reported on the status and progress of work, checking on work in progress and reviewing completed work to see that the supervisor's instructions on work priorities, methods, deadlines, and quality have been met.

•Developed regulations and guidelines, instructions, manuals, pamphlets for applications. Provides Human Resources management advisory services, technical guidance, and policy interpretations, technical guidance to managers, HR Specialist, and senior-level management as it relates to federal HR staffing and recruitment and placement policies. Evacuated personnel actions to resolve HR problems and issues.

•Served as project leader or member of task groups involved in developing and improving human resources management at the VA.

• Developed requests for proposals for Va. contractors' services in the areas of travel cards, travel agency, and relocation related services. Makes recommendations regarding selections for staff, contractors, and management.

•Managed the Department of Veteran's Affairs government-sponsored travel charge card program, nationwide travel agency program, employee relocation program, and the electronic travel vouchering system.

•Developed materials for and administered presentations on travel and relocation policies, programs, and procedures at conferences, meetings, workshops, and seminars at Veteran Administration headquarters and regional and field office locations.

• Responded to correspondence involving interpretations and applications of the General Travel Regulations per The Department of Veterans Affairs. Developed position papers and other documents for executive management relative to travel and relocation issues or programs.

•Drafted Department of Veteran Affairs proposed revisions to the General Travel Regulations related to regular duty travel and relocation policies and procedures.

•Provided expert guidance to employees and management regarding the interpretation and application of the General Travel Regulations and provides user support for the electronic travel voucher system.

• Developed and provided subordinates with professional guidance, education, training, and orientation to ensure compliance with laws, regulations, and policies. Assigned staff including selection, training, and evaluation of personnel; provides and coordinates staff training; collaborates with employees to correct deficiencies; implements discipline procedures.

• Assures that work accomplished by subordinates, prepared schedules for completion of work, assigns work to subordinates and/or leads based on priorities, selective consideration of the difficulty and requirements of assignments and capabilities of employees, evaluates work performance of subordinates.

•SME management of employee injury cases. SME on the investigation of claims and develops strategies to oversee specific cases in consultation with appropriate parties. Performed quality case review and regular consultation with subordinates on complex administrative cases, congressional correspondence, and other written program responses.

• Provided advice, counsels or instructions to employee on both work and administrative matters; interviews candidates for positions within unit; hears and resolves employee complaints and group grievances; effects minor disciplinary measures such as warnings and reprimands; Studied trends and patterns of subordinate works. Identifies and corrects deficiencies. Based on deficiencies, incumbent identifies developmental and training needs of employees.

Arranged needed development and training. Developed ways to improve production and increase quality of work directed. Developed, implements and monitors performance standards.

• Attended and conducted meetings; leads or participates in discussions regarding workers' compensation issues; represents VISN Workers' Compensation Program before external groups and agencies and appeal boards.

• Monitored and evaluated program activities to ensure the delivery of quality services. Ensured that all supervisors are provided with training opportunities for their roles and responsibilities related to the Workers' Compensation Program. Interfaces with physicians, attorneys, employees, and management staff; makes recommendations about aspects of decisions related to workers' compensation cases; coordinates return-to-work plans; coordinates and monitors rehabilitation plans for injured employees; evaluates results of medical examinations and makes proper determinations. Responded and resolved difficult and sensitive inquiries and complaints. Evaluated problems and took proper action

to resolve issues/concerns. Informed injured employees about benefits.

Department of Agriculture 12/2009 - 01/2011

Staffing Specialist Team Lead-Contractor-Team Lead 40 hours work.

•Developed action plans, drafted program policies, and developed SOP on a board array of Federal HR topics including the areas of Federal Government staffing and classification.

•Researched, coordinated, and advised on new or modified Federal HR work methods, approaches, or procedures for streamlining and delivering effective HR services to USDA employees.

•Participated in an integrated team approach to HR Management and human capital planning including workforce planning, diversity, Hiring manager recruitment, position management, retention, employee development and training, performance management and benefits, and work-life.

•Served as a lead for workforce planning project. Perform desk audits, when proper, classifying positions, and determine FLSA, Risk, and Sensitivity levels, and prepare evaluation statements that present the preliminary classification.

•Found trends, assessed reasons for high/low turnover, forecasted attrition, assessed availability of skills, assessed race/gender representation, etc.

• Supplied labor market data and analysis. Developed regulations and guidelines, instructions, manuals, pamphlets for applications. Provides Human Resources management advisory services, technical guidance, and policy interpretations, technical guidance to managers, HR Specialist, and senior-level management as it relates to federal HR staffing and recruitment and placement policies. Evacuated personnel actions to resolve HR problems and issues.

• Utilized automated staffing, USA Jobs to perform staffing and placement work that included generating job analysis, announcements, certificates of eligible/referral lists, and onboarding of new hires. Arranged training of team members in methods and techniques of team building and working in teams to conduct tasks or projects.

•Managed the recruitment process to include job posting, finding potential candidates, interviewing and selection process, extending job offers, background checks, preparing new hire paperwork, orientation process, supporting required compliance files, and maintaining applicant flow logs following organizational goals.

•Established department policies and procedures and in compliance with USDA Regulations, Affirmative Action goals and aims, and Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) controls.

•Identified labor market constraints and opportunities for hard-to-fill and high turnover jobs.

•Coordinated the activities of the workforce planning project.

•Conducted research, analysis, and evaluation of information about a variety of workforce and strategic planning activities that impacted initiatives and resources.

•Served as the Workforce Planning point of contact for HR issues within various departments.

• Conducted research, analysis, and evaluation of information to conduct workforce and strategic planning activities that will impact an organization's future capabilities and resources.

•Conducted a wide range of analytic methods and techniques to study and conduct human capital planning for USDA organization.

•Identified current and future work requirements, workload, modern technology, process changes, and mission change.

•Identified, categorized, and analyzed quantitative data associated with issues such as average cost-per-hire, demographics, and attrition rates for use in developing workforce strategies.

• Conducted numerous studies to compare and chart data on the time of application to actual hiring periods and hiring ratios and coordinate and administer various workforce surveys designed to gather statistical data from program offices for comprehensive analysis.

•Investigated and recommended action to be taken on unemployment compensation claims, Workers Compensation claims, and Equal Employment Opportunity claims.

•Partnered with HR management in the development and administration of Affirmative Action Plans, Equal Opportunity Employment programs, and other government rules and regulations on associate relations.

•Prepared payroll audit schedules for external auditors and serve as the point of contact for both external and internal audits of payroll functions as asked.

Overseas Private Investment Corporation 12/2007 - 12/2009 Human Resources Specialist/Benefits Officer-Contractor-Team Lead 40 hours’ work.

• Assisted OPIC to strategically align their human capital resources with the missions, strategies, goals, and objectives of their components focusing on workforce planning and succession.

•Served as a Senior Benefits specialist providing administrative, HR management advisory services on a wide range of benefits programs to all levels of OPIC management and employees.

•Served as an advisor and technical expert on a variety of Human resources issues pertaining to client employee benefits and entitlements.

•Responded to complex benefit questions from employees of a local organization on the enrollment requirements and/or benefits of the Civil Service Retirement System (CRS) and the Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS).

•Served as COTR for EAP and employee/health unit contracts.

•Provided expert interpretation of HR benefit policies, regulations, and procedures pertaining to the above-cited programs.

• Responsible for conference room setups, audio/visual equipment, and special building services.

•Administered the agency's travel program and monitoring program operations.

• Oversees the development of HR policies and procedures for domestic and international travel and implementation of new travel-related products and services (such as travel cards, etc.).

•Oversees the Human Resources inventory and supply services, including visa processing, parking, office supplies, courier services, and motor pool services.

•Serves as the principal advisor to Senior Human Resources management on a variety of administrative matters, keeping OPIC leadership informed of changes in regulations and the impact of such changes on the agency.

•Develops internal policies and procedures to assure coordinated, timely action in assigned administrative areas of Human resources.

•Researches and provides financial recommendations on budget issues. Prepares special requests for additional monetary, personnel, and other resources necessary to effectively operate the unit.

•Assigns work and establishes schedules and deadlines; approves leave schedules; hears and resolves employee complaints; monitors and evaluates performance; and selects or recommends candidates for vacancies, promotions, details, and reassignment.

•Provided technical guidance on issues involving worker compensation, leave, work-life program, (e.g., flextime, part-time/job-sharing, telework, etc.)

•Performed other duties as assigned depending on the needs of the Operations team, e.g., researching, drafting HR policies to ensure compliance with federal laws, regulations, and guidelines, and other HR-related projects.

•Managed one-on-one counseling sessions with employees, which is a necessity for exemplary performance in a benefits position.

•Processed death cases, completing employee separation packages, provided pertinent benefits information to separating employees.

•Provided benefits assistance to rehired employees along with consultation with reemployed annuitants; and performed consultations with new hires and with employees regarding military deposit time and redeposit processing.

•Performed computations in such areas as deposit amount owed for Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) time, offset amount for CSRS-Offset employees, supplemental annuity for FERS for eligible employees, and other computations.

•Specialized in providing full program administration for workers' compensation claims.

•Tracked all incoming, active, and closed workers' compensation claims; the administration of temporary disability, permanent disability, and disability compensation payouts; the compilation of statistics for reporting; and the training of Agency staff involved in workers' compensation program administration.

The United States Equal Opportunity Commission 12/2006-12/2007

Senior Staffing Specialist- Consultant- SME-Contractor-Team Lead 40 hour's wk.

•Provided leadership, guidance, and technical direction necessary to accomplish the Commission's staffing for planning, directing, coordinating, and evaluating the day-to-day operations.

•Recruited staff and retained

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