At Federal Student Aid (FSA), we are proud sponsors of the American mind. As a principal office of the U.S. Department of Education (ED), FSA provides students and families financial assistance for higher education, and we promote the value of postsecondary education to society. We ensure that all eligible students and families can benefit from federal financial aid for education or training beyond high school.
Summary
At Federal Student Aid (FSA), we are proud sponsors of the American mind. As a principal office of the U.S. Department of Education (ED), FSA provides students and families financial assistance for higher education, and we promote the value of postsecondary education to society. We ensure that all eligible students and families can benefit from federal financial aid for education or training beyond high school.
Current federal civilian employees in the competitive service on permanent career or career-conditional appointments; Former federal employees with reinstatement eligibility; Current federal employees eligible under Interchange Agreements; and, Applicants eligible under special hiring authorities (Schedule A, etc.)
The position is located in the U.S. Department of Education (ED), Federal Student Aid (FSA), Next Gen Program Office (NGPO). Next Gen is responsible for the identification, measuring and reporting of customer expectations and satisfaction with the federal financial aid services and products offered by Federal Student Aid.
The Program Specialist serves as the lead for the Next Generation Financial Services Environment (Next Gen) Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solution. The Program Specialist will support solutions that provide a single unified view of FSA’s customers and partners, to enable a world-class omni-channel customer experience tailored to the needs of each customer. The CRM solution will interface with other capabilities (e.g. digital platform, contact center technical backbone, and business process operations). In this role, the Program Specialist is responsible for working with business analysts, vendors, and FSA stakeholders to deploy the NextGen solution, including involvement with architecture, design, development, integration, and testing.
As a Program Specialist, you will perform the following duties:
Set the vision and identify standards for the development and integration of the contracted CRM solution.
Ensure vendors follow best practices when designing, developing, or documenting the CRM solution.
Support CRM configuration changes such as field/page updates, workflows, and automated approvals.
Work with vendors to design and implement APIs to integrate the CRM with other FSA systems.
Ensure continuous improvement and the on-time delivery of enhancements to the CRM solution.
Identify risks and develops mitigation strategies.
Communicate and collaborate with other technical resources and stakeholders on project updates and technical issues.
Serve as the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) for the CRM work under contract, including providing technical direction to vendor staff and reviewing deliverables.
Work with the IT Project Manager and Information System Security Officer to ensure the CRM solution meets security requirements, including obtaining and maintaining an Authority to operate.
Research and keep current on CRM technologies and communicate trends and future needs from a business perspective.
Prepare and present briefings to senior management officials on complex and or controversial issues.
Background investigation and fingerprint check (if applicable)
You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this vacancy announcement.
If you are a current federal employee, you must meet all time-in-grade and time-after competitive appointment qualifications within 30 days of the closing date of this vacancy announcement. To verify that you meet these requirements, we will review your responses to the core eligibility questions on the occupational questionnaire, as well as your submitted resume and required documents. To make an accurate determination, you will need to include on your resume your federal position title, pay plan, occupational series, grade level, agency, dates for which you held the grade level (stated as MM/YYYY to MM/YYYY, OR MM/YYYY to PRESENT), and total hours worked per week.
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, knowledge, and skills, and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. We will consider all qualifying experience, including any volunteer experience.
Qualifications
Specialized Experience: For the GS-14 level, you must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as experience that is in or directly related to the line of work of this position and has equipped you with the knowledge and competencies to successfully perform the duties of this position. More specifically, specialized experience must include performing the following three (3) duties or work assignments:
1. Experience in developing and interpreting strategies and policies governing the planning and delivery of services throughout the agency.
2. Experience in handling numerous projects and priorities using proven project management methodologies.
3. Demonstrated success with at least one CRM implementation/integration project such as Salesforce.
Specialized Experience: For the GS-13 level, you must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as experience that is in or directly related to the line of work of this position and has equipped you with the knowledge and competencies to successfully perform the duties of this position. More specifically, specialized experience must include performing the following three (3) duties or work assignments:
1. Experience in interpreting program data, develops proposed changes, and anticipates the effects and outcome.
2. Experience with creating accounts, defining fields, updating reports.
3. Demonstrated success with at least one CRM implementation/integration project such as Salesforce.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) The quality of your experience will be measured by the extent to which you possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs). You do not need to provide separate narrative responses to these KSAs, as they will be measured by your responses to the occupational questionnaire (you may preview the occupational questionnaire by clicking the link at the end of the Evaluations section of this vacancy announcement).
Knowledge of project management methods and concepts.
Knowledge of the development strategies, advanced marketing and business practices, market evaluation techniques, customer relationship management practices, survey and measurement processes.
Knowledge of a variety of fields including strategic planning, programming, research and development, acquisition processes, economic analysis, matrix management, operations research and total quality management. Demonstrated success with at least one CRM implementation/integration project.
Knowledge of FSA administrative policies, regulations, precedents and planning, guidelines, and processes; knowledge of FSA program goals and objectives, the sequence and timing of key program events and milestones, and methods of evaluating the effectiveness of program accomplishments; knowledge of relationships with other ED programs impacting the agency’s goals and objectives.
Skill to logically, effectively and efficiently communicate verbally and written when preparing and presenting sensitive and potentially controversial material and recommendations to higher authority and other government agencies.
Additional information
Equal Employment Opportunity: We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a parent, marital status, or political affiliation.
People with Disabilities: We are committed to expanding access to employment by hiring people with disabilities; providing reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities; and, identifying and removing barriers to work. Persons with disabilities, including disabled veterans, may apply for jobs filled either competitively (where qualified individuals compete with one another through a structured process), noncompetitively (where a qualified individual may be selected based on a special hiring authority), or through an excepted appointing authority for people with disabilities (i.e., Schedule A). If you require a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please contact us. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation is made on a case-by-case basis. For more information, please visit: http://opm.gov/disability/PeopleWithDisabilities.asp
Veterans’ Career Counseling: If you are a veteran interested in receiving tips on preparing a Federal resume and/or how to prepare for an interview, you may email Iwork@ed.gov to schedule a session with a career counselor (“Veterans Counseling Session” should be placed in the subject line of the email).
Student Loan Default: If selected for this position, we will verify that you have not defaulted on any loan funded or guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Education. If you are found to be in default, we will contact you to make arrangements for repayment prior to making an official offer of employment.
Suitability and Investigation: If selected for this position, you will be required to complete the Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) to determine your suitability for federal employment and subject to a pre-appointment investigation/background check.
Level of Risk and Sensitivity: Level of this position is non-critical sensitive/moderate risk
Probationary Period: If selected for this position, you will be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period.
Essential/Non-Essential: This position may be considered essential for purposes of reporting to work during federal government closures.
Financial Disclosure: This position does not require financial disclosure.
Telework: This position is telework eligible.
Bargaining Unit: This position is not included in the bargaining unit.
Time After Competitive Appointment: Candidates who are current Federal employees serving on a non-temporary competitive appointment must have served at least 90 days in that appointment before the agency can promote, transfer, reinstate, or detail an employee to a different position or different geographical area. When moving employees is consistent with open competition principles, OPM may waive the restriction against movement to a different geographical area upon written request from an agency.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
FSA is a great place to work. We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including paid vacation and sick leave, federal holidays, health and life insurance, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), including the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). For more information about the many benefits available to Federal employees, please visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Pay_and_Benefits
As an FSA employee, you will also benefit from our family-friendly work environment. As part of our commitment to maintain a productive balance between work and home, we offer excused leave for Parent/Teacher Conferences (3 hours); excused leave for annual health screenings (4 hours); and matching leave for community volunteer service. Other flexibilities that may be available to you, may include teleworking and alternative work schedules.
Student Loan Repayment may be paid if negotiated and approved prior to appointment.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.
Selections: Agencies have broad authority under law to hire from any appropriate source of eligibles, and we may fill a vacancy in the competitive service by any method authorized, including competitive appointment from a list of eligibles, noncompetitive appointment under special authority, reinstatement, transfer, reassignment, change to lower grade, or promotion. We may make additional selections from this vacancy announcement within 90 days from the date the selection certificates are issued, should vacancies occur. We may share selection certificates amongst program offices across the agency.
We use a multi-step process to review and evaluate applicants:
1. Eligibility and Minimum Qualifications Once the vacancy announcement closes, we will review your submitted resume and documents to determine if you meet the eligibility and minimum qualification requirements, including any required education, experience, and/or selective placement factors. You will be rated as ineligible if you are outside of the area of consideration (i.e., who may apply) or your application is missing any required documents. You will be rated as not qualified if you do not possess the minimum qualification requirements.
2. Rating and Ranking If you are found to meet both the eligibility and minimum qualification requirements, we will assess the quality of your experience and the extent to which you possess the required KSAs by comparing your submitted resume and documents against your responses to the occupational questionnaire. Your application may be referred to a subject matter expert or panel of subject matter experts for further evaluation.
Based on the outcome of this evaluation, you will be assigned a numerical score (out of 100 possible). If your responses to the occupational questionnaire are not substantiated by your submitted resume, you may be eliminated from receiving further consideration.
3. Referral and Selection If you are found to be amongst the most highly qualified applicants, you will be referred to the selecting official. As part of the assessment and selection process, the selecting official may invite you to participate in a structured interview, check your references, and/or request that you submit a writing sample or complete a written assessment or exercise to further evaluate your qualifications for this position.
If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the interview process or written assessment or exercise, please inform the selecting official at the time of scheduling.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
FSA is a great place to work. We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including paid vacation and sick leave, federal holidays, health and life insurance, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), including the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). For more information about the many benefits available to Federal employees, please visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Pay_and_Benefits
As an FSA employee, you will also benefit from our family-friendly work environment. As part of our commitment to maintain a productive balance between work and home, we offer excused leave for Parent/Teacher Conferences (3 hours); excused leave for annual health screenings (4 hours); and matching leave for community volunteer service. Other flexibilities that may be available to you, may include teleworking and alternative work schedules.
Student Loan Repayment may be paid if negotiated and approved prior to appointment.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
You must submit (REQUIRED FOR ALL APPLICANTS): • A resume demonstrating your education, experience, training, and accomplishments as it relates to the qualifications for this position and substantiating your responses to the occupational questionnaire • A completed occupational questionnaire
If you are a current or former federal employee (including current or former U.S. Department of Education employees), you must also submit: • A Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50), which demonstrates your competitive status eligibility. To verify your eligibility, we will review your SF-50 to determine your tenure (block 24) and position occupied (block 34). Examples of sufficient SF-50s include appointments, promotions, within-grade increases, and pay adjustments.
If you currently hold or previously held a federal position at or above the highest grade of this position or you have/had promotion potential at or above the highest grade of this position, you must also submit an SF-50 documenting your highest grade level held or promotion potential. Examples of sufficient SF-50s include appointments and promotions.
Veteran Documentation: If you are claiming veterans' preference/Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA), you must submit: • A copy of your DD214, member copy 4 (Separated Members only).
• Current Active Duty members must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions dated within the last 120 days.
• A certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions. A “certification” is any written document from the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions within 120 days after the certification is submitted by the applicant. The certification letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service. (Current Active Duty Members only)
• The Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference (SF-15) • The Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference (SF-15) https://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf AND all documents indicated on the form as proof of type of preference (e.g., a letter from the Department of Veterans' Affairs certifying the service-connected disability and percentage of disability) (if VEOA eligibility is based on a service-connected disability or derived preference).
• Certain Military Spouses Eligible under E.O. 13473: Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders, issued within the last 2 years, that lists you as authorized to accompany the Military member to the new duty permanent station; OR verification of the member's 100% disability (VA Letter); and/or verification of the member's death while on active duty (DD-1300 and Death Certificate) AND verification of the marriage to the service member (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage).
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Step 1: Create a USAJOBS account (if you do not already have one) at www.usajobs.gov.
Step 2: Create a resume using the USAJOBS resume builder or upload a resume into your USAJOBS account. Ensure that your resume demonstrates your education, experience, training, and accomplishments as it relates to the qualifications for this position and substantiates your responses to the occupational questionnaire.
Step 3: Upload any required documents into your USAJOBS account (must be less than 3MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, or Word (DOC or DOCX)).
Step 4: Click "Apply Online" and follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire and attach any required documents. Verify that uploaded documents from USAJOBS transfer into the agency's hiring system. You will have the opportunity to upload any additional required documents in the agency's hiring system. Click “Finish” to submit your application.
NOTE: You may update your application or required documents at any time while the announcement is open by logging into your USAJOBS account, clicking on "Application Status," clicking on the position title, clicking "Update Application,” and following the prompts.
In order to receive consideration for this position, you must submit your complete application, including all required documents, by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the closing date of the vacancy announcement. If the vacancy announcement has an application limit, we recommend that you submit your complete application at the time of initial application. We will not accept any required documentation after the closing date of the vacancy announcement.
EDUCATION-OFC OF FEDERAL STUDENT AID
830 First St. NE
Washington, District of Columbia 20002
United States
Next steps
As an applicant, you may check your application status through your USAJOBS account at any time. We will also notify you via email of your application status at three key stages in the recruitment process. 1. Once the vacancy announcement closes, we will inform you that your application has been received. 2. After we review your submitted resume and supporting documentation, we will inform you if you are eligible and qualified, if your application was referred to a subject matter expert or panel of subject matter experts for further evaluation, and if you were amongst the most highly qualified candidates referred to the selecting official. 3. Finally, we will inform you if and when a selection is made.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
You must submit (REQUIRED FOR ALL APPLICANTS): • A resume demonstrating your education, experience, training, and accomplishments as it relates to the qualifications for this position and substantiating your responses to the occupational questionnaire • A completed occupational questionnaire
If you are a current or former federal employee (including current or former U.S. Department of Education employees), you must also submit: • A Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50), which demonstrates your competitive status eligibility. To verify your eligibility, we will review your SF-50 to determine your tenure (block 24) and position occupied (block 34). Examples of sufficient SF-50s include appointments, promotions, within-grade increases, and pay adjustments.
If you currently hold or previously held a federal position at or above the highest grade of this position or you have/had promotion potential at or above the highest grade of this position, you must also submit an SF-50 documenting your highest grade level held or promotion potential. Examples of sufficient SF-50s include appointments and promotions.
Veteran Documentation: If you are claiming veterans' preference/Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA), you must submit: • A copy of your DD214, member copy 4 (Separated Members only).
• Current Active Duty members must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions dated within the last 120 days.
• A certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions. A “certification” is any written document from the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions within 120 days after the certification is submitted by the applicant. The certification letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service. (Current Active Duty Members only)
• The Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference (SF-15) • The Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference (SF-15) https://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf AND all documents indicated on the form as proof of type of preference (e.g., a letter from the Department of Veterans' Affairs certifying the service-connected disability and percentage of disability) (if VEOA eligibility is based on a service-connected disability or derived preference).
• Certain Military Spouses Eligible under E.O. 13473: Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders, issued within the last 2 years, that lists you as authorized to accompany the Military member to the new duty permanent station; OR verification of the member's 100% disability (VA Letter); and/or verification of the member's death while on active duty (DD-1300 and Death Certificate) AND verification of the marriage to the service member (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage).
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Step 1: Create a USAJOBS account (if you do not already have one) at www.usajobs.gov.
Step 2: Create a resume using the USAJOBS resume builder or upload a resume into your USAJOBS account. Ensure that your resume demonstrates your education, experience, training, and accomplishments as it relates to the qualifications for this position and substantiates your responses to the occupational questionnaire.
Step 3: Upload any required documents into your USAJOBS account (must be less than 3MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, or Word (DOC or DOCX)).
Step 4: Click "Apply Online" and follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire and attach any required documents. Verify that uploaded documents from USAJOBS transfer into the agency's hiring system. You will have the opportunity to upload any additional required documents in the agency's hiring system. Click “Finish” to submit your application.
NOTE: You may update your application or required documents at any time while the announcement is open by logging into your USAJOBS account, clicking on "Application Status," clicking on the position title, clicking "Update Application,” and following the prompts.
In order to receive consideration for this position, you must submit your complete application, including all required documents, by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the closing date of the vacancy announcement. If the vacancy announcement has an application limit, we recommend that you submit your complete application at the time of initial application. We will not accept any required documentation after the closing date of the vacancy announcement.
EDUCATION-OFC OF FEDERAL STUDENT AID
830 First St. NE
Washington, District of Columbia 20002
United States
Next steps
As an applicant, you may check your application status through your USAJOBS account at any time. We will also notify you via email of your application status at three key stages in the recruitment process. 1. Once the vacancy announcement closes, we will inform you that your application has been received. 2. After we review your submitted resume and supporting documentation, we will inform you if you are eligible and qualified, if your application was referred to a subject matter expert or panel of subject matter experts for further evaluation, and if you were amongst the most highly qualified candidates referred to the selecting official. 3. Finally, we will inform you if and when a selection is made.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
