Program Analyst

Summary

The incumbent is responsible for conducting studies of financial operations, programs and organizations; developing metrics to assess program performance; developing criteria to evaluate and measure the effectiveness of program activities; and recommending improvements to planning processes, performance and organizational effectiveness.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted only from current permanent Natural Resources Conservation Service employees with competitive status; CTAP/RPL eligible candidates.

Duties

Under the direction of the Area Program Specialist (APS) provides support in Farm Bill Program contracting, the use of Pro-Tracts software, program payment processing and quality assurance oversight of the performance results system.

Provides assistance for the coordination, organization and leadership of Farm Bill Conservation Programs at the Area and Field Office levels.

Serve as Resource Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). Assists with area level staff to schedule and complete all aspects of the program portion of the Field Office Quality Assurance reviews.

Assists APS in maintaining database on contract applications, rankings, funding levels and new contracts with obligated funds. Assists APS in reviewing proposed policy in the programs area and helps prepare necessary comments to the state level.

Communicate with the field offices to assist with problems regarding eligibility and completes documentation required in order for contracts to be funded.

Assists APS in providing recommendations for all program contract modifications, cancellations and terminations to the ASTC-FO. Assists in identifying training needs for field personnel on program related subjects.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

You must be a US Citizen or US National.

Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.

Subject to Satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check. If selected you will be sent instructions on obtaining fingerprints. Please note we are not able to reimburse any fees incurred for fingerprints.

Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.

Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.

Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at

Must possess and maintain a valid state motor vehicle operator's license for the type of vehicle(s) operated to perform the duties of this position.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.

Time in grade: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience at the next lower grade to be considered for the next higher grade (i.e., one year at the GS-07 grade level for consideration for the GS-09 grade level; one year at the GS-09 grade level for consideration for the GS-11 grade level).

Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-09 level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. This experience must include performing staff administrative analytical and evaluative work related to program operations, management and organizational efficiency and productivity. Examples of specialized experience include:

Performing assignments, projects or studies related to administrative business operations and programs;

Analyzing and evaluating (on a quantitative or qualitative basis) the effectiveness of program operations in meeting established goals and objectives;

Coordinating management analysis studies with business operation programs, goals and objectives OR Education: 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree OR

Combination of graduate-level education and experience, as described above, may be used to qualify for this position. This combination must have equipped you with the necessary knowledge and/or experience to successfully perform the duties of this position. Combinations of experience and education must total at least 100% as outlined in OPM Qualifications policy.

For the GS-11 level: To qualify for the GS-11 level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. This experience must include performing staff administrative analytical and evaluative work related to program operations, management and organizational efficiency and productivity. Examples of specialized experience include:

Performing assignments, projects or studies related to administrative business operations and programs;

Gathering and analyzing organizational data to recommend improvements to planning processes, performance, or organizational effectiveness and efficiency;

Producing analysis reports and spreadsheets to support business operations OR Education: 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree from an accredited college or university OR

Combination of graduate-level education and experience, as described above, may be used to qualify for this position. This combination must have equipped you with the necessary knowledge and/or experience to successfully perform the duties of this position. Combinations of experience and education must total at least 100% as outlined in OPM Qualifications policy.

For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here:

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

You must submit a copy of your college transcripts or a list of college courses with credit hours, dates completed, and grades received to verify all education requirements (i.e. substitution of education and/or basic education requirement). If a relevant course is not clearly qualifying (e.g. special topic, seminar, research, thesis, obscure or misleading course title, etc.), please submit an official course syllabi and/or detailed course description from the university/college for that particular course to ensure you are properly evaluated. Please note that qualifications determinations are based solely on the information submitted for each particular vacancy announcement. You must document all requirements on every vacancy; we cannot use previous determinations as a basis for rating. All required information must be received by the closing date of this announcement, and non-submission of all required documents/documentation will result in non-consideration.

Unofficial transcripts will be accepted. This information must be received by the closing date of this announcement. Non-submission of these documents will result in non-consideration.

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Applicants must, therefore, only report attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. All education claimed by applicants will be verified accordingly. Important: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. Click on this for more information.

Additional information

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.

Physical Demands: The work is sedentary in nature. Typically, the employee may sit comfortably to do the work. However, there may be some physical activity such as walking, standing, bending, carrying of light items such as papers and books and driving an automobile. No special physical demands are required to perform work.

Work Environment: The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts, which require normal safety precautions typical of offices and meeting rooms, e.g., use of safe work practices with office equipment, avoidance of tripping and falling, and observance of fire regulations. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated.

PLEASE NOTE: In the interest of filling this position as efficiently as possible, we are requiring the following:

If called for an interview, applicants must be available to interview within 3 business days of being contacted.

If a tentative job offer is extended, selectee will have 2 business days in which to accept or decline.

Promotion Potential: If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed.

This position is eligible for telework within the local commuting area of the position and other flexible work arrangements. Current USDA policy includes telework for an 8-hour workday, 4 days per week; other flexibilities are possible dependent upon availability and/or the position and its associated duties. Employee participation is at the discretion of the supervisor.

Recruitment and/or relocation incentives may be authorized.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

You will be evaluated based on your qualifications for this position as evidenced by the experience, education, and training you described in your application package, as well as the responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine the degree to which you possess the knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies listed below:

Project Management

Teamwork

Technical Competence

Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position. Applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements and are determined to be among the best qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. Noncompetitive candidates and applicants under some special hiring authorities need only meet minimum qualifications to be referred.

Note: If after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or you may be found ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service.

Clicking the link below will present a preview of the application form; i.e. the online questionnaire. The application form link below will only provide a preview and does not initiate the application process. To initiate the online application process, click the "Apply" button to the right.

To view the application form, visit:

Required Documents

The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, your system failure, etc. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.

Resume that includes: 1) personal information such as name, address, contact information; 2) education; 3) detailed work experience related to this position as described in the major duties including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); 4) other qualifications.

If education is required or being used to qualify, you must submit a copy of your college transcripts. An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application if it includes your name & the necessary course information; however, if you are selected, official transcripts will be required prior to entering on duty. Education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college or university. If any education was completed at a foreign institute, you must submit with your application evidence that the institute was appropriately accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as equivalent to U.S. education standards. There are private organizations that specialize in this evaluation and a fee is normally associated with this service. For a list of private organizations that evaluate education, visit the website. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.

Current/Former Federal employees:

Most recent non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) showing you are/were in the competitive service, highest grade held (or promotion potential) on a permanent basis, position title, series & grade AND

Most recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable. A performance plan is not an acceptable substitute.

Current permanent FSA County employees must submit your most recent non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) showing your highest grade (or promotion potential) held on a permanent basis, position title, series & grade AND most recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) per above.

Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP or RPL priority must provide: proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), SF-50 documenting separation (as applicable), and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with your application per 5 CFR 330.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from .

Failure to