Senior Time & Attendance Specialist

POSITION SUMMARY

APV is seeking a Senior Time & Attendance Specialist to provide advanced support to DHS OCHCO and component HR offices on federal T&A administration. The Senior Specialist independently handles complex premium pay determinations, FMLA cases, AWS administration, and T&A reconstruction efforts, and serves as a senior point of contact for NFC, payroll, OGC, employees, timekeepers, supervisors, and component HR partners.

This role requires deep working knowledge of Title 5 pay and leave authorities, FLSA, FMLA, FEPLA, and DHS policy. The Senior Specialist drafts SOPs, leads timekeeper training, mentors journeyman specialists and HR assistants, and coordinates complex T&A audits and WebTA configuration activities.

DUTIES

Pay Period Processing & Premium Pay Administration

Lead biweekly T&A processing, including pay period close, exception resolution, and certifier-level final review. 
Process complex premium pay determinations, including overtime under FLSA and Title 5, Sunday and holiday pay, night differential, hazard pay, environmental differential, LEAP, AUO, and standby duty. 
Process compensatory time administration, including regular comp, religious comp, and travel comp under 5 USC 5550b. 
Apply biweekly and annual premium pay caps under 5 USC 5547 and coordinate cap-related adjustments. 
Coordinate FLSA exemption status reviews with classification and OGC.

Leave Administration & FMLA Cases 
Process complex leave actions, including FMLA eligibility determinations, certification reviews, intermittent leave administration, and entitlement reconciliation. 
Administer the Voluntary Leave Transfer Program and Voluntary Leave Bank Program, including donor processing, recipient eligibility, and balance reconciliation. 
Process Paid Parental Leave (PPL) under FEPLA, including eligibility determinations and 12-week entitlement tracking. 
Process military leave (5 USC 6323), court leave, jury duty, donated leave, and continuation of pay (COP) for OWCP cases. 
Lead leave audits, leave restriction cases, and AWOL determinations in coordination with employee relations.

AWS, Telework & Schedule Administration

Administer Alternative Work Schedules (AWS), including flexible schedules, compressed schedules, and credit hour management. 
Process telework time tracking and the T&A implications of remote and hybrid work arrangements. 
Process schedule changes, tour of duty modifications, and AWS termination actions. 
Apply hours of work, lunch period, and break standards under 5 CFR Part 610. 
Coordinate the T&A implications of details, temporary promotions, and concurrent appointments.

Audits, Reconstruction & QA

Lead T&A reconstruction efforts arising from settlements, MSPB and EEOC decisions, back pay actions, and audit findings. 
Conduct recurring T&A audits across assigned populations, including premium pay accuracy, leave balance integrity, and FMLA compliance. 
Apply standard scoring rubrics, document findings, and drive corrective actions with timekeepers, supervisors, and HR partners. 
Support WebTA configuration changes, system testing, and exception processing. 
Maintain accurate audit trails and supporting documentation.

Stakeholder Engagement, SOP & Mentorship

Serve as a senior consultative resource to component HR partners, NFC, payroll, OGC, employees, timekeepers, supervisors, and managers on T&A matters. 
Lead timekeeper training, certification, and continuing education for assigned populations. 
Mentor journeyman specialists and HR assistants; review their work products for quality, consistency, and policy compliance. 
Draft and maintain SOPs, desk guides, job aids, and training materials for T&A operations. 
Build and maintain SharePoint-based knowledge repositories, intake forms, automated workflows, and tracking dashboards.

EDUCATION

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Public Administration, Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field. Equivalent federal T&A experience may substitute based on contract terms.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum 8-10 years of progressive federal HR or T&A experience, including significant responsibility for premium pay administration, leave programs, and complex T&A cases. 
Working knowledge of 5 USC Chapters 55, 61, and 63; 5 CFR Parts 550, 551, 610, and 630; FMLA; FEPLA; and DHS policy. 
Hands-on experience with WebTA or comparable federal T&A systems and NFC systems including EmpowHR, EPP/MyEPP, PCC2000, and IRIS. 
Demonstrated experience administering FMLA, the Voluntary Leave Transfer Program, AWS, and complex premium pay determinations. 
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce defensible, audit-ready documentation. 
Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities, deadlines, and stakeholders in a fully remote environment. 
Must be able to obtain and maintain a High-Risk Public Trust or equivalent federal client access.   This role supports sensitive federal programs and involves elevated access to systems and data.
Position requires the current ability to obtain and maintain required access without interruption in alignment with long-term program needs.  
Must be authorized to work in the United States without employer sponsorship now or in the future.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Prior experience supporting DHS or DHS component HR or T&A offices. 
WebTA administrator or power user experience. 
Certified Federal HR Professional (FedHR), Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC), Certified Payroll Professional (CPP), or comparable credential. 
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or higher, CAPM, PMP, or comparable process certification. 
SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, IPMA-CP, IPMA-SCP, or federal HR certification.