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Loan Specialist (Commercial)

Department of Agriculture
Agriculture, Rural Development
Business Cooperative Programs
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located in a State or Area office in Alexandria, Louisiana USDA/Rural Development (RD). The incumbent has responsibility for making and servicing loans/grants for selected loans and grants for rural facilities, utilities, and/or businesses.

Remote position: NO

Overview

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Hiring complete
Posted 08/28/23
Location
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$57,118 - $107,680 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 9 - 12
Promotion potential
12
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Announcement number
DE-LA-12031235-2023-JCH
Control number
745778800

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

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Duties

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  • Reviews and analyzes preapplications, applications and all supporting documents to determine loan or grant eligibility and inputs data into appropriate automated database system.
  • Prepares written loan/grant recommendations and submits to supervisor for review.
  • Analyzes annual financial statements and reports on closed loans.
  • Analyzes financial and credit data documents to make sound eligibility, feasibility, and credit-worthiness determinations and takes appropriate action for orderly processing of the loan and/or grant.

Requirements

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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
  • 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 https://www.e-verify.gov/

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.

Specialized Experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities/competencies to perform successfully the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.

For the GS-09 level: Applicants must have (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level or its non-Federal equivalent that demonstrates: experience in performing loan making and/or loan servicing duties such as regularly examining loan applications,
supporting documents and credit reports, and maintaining servicing activities of somewhat complex loans and/or grants; assisting higher level loan specialists by performing assigned portions of financial credit analysis in connection with more complex loans as a way of acquiring training and competency for more difficult loan examining and servicing assignments; OR possess a Master's or equivalent graduate degree or two (2) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or an LL.B. or J.D., if related (see qualifying fields of study below); OR an equivalent combination of experience and education as noted above are acceptable

For GS-11 level: Applicants must have (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09; or its non-Federal equivalent that demonstrates thorough knowledge and understanding of complex mortgage or commercial loan making/servicing and credit principles and practices in order to assess the fundamental soundness of business, corporate or municipal loans and to independently examine applications and corporate financial documents, and maintain servicing activities on a variety of mortgage and commercial loans. Experience may have been gained in work equivalent to analyzing financial information provided by loan applicants; determining eligibility for loans and repayment ability; reviewing and approving applications for agricultural, commercial, and bank loans; servicing the loan portfolio of a bank and other loan association: performing financial analysis of commercial concerns for investment purposes; appraising real estate and business property to determine property valuation; or similar work OR Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree OR 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or
LL.M
., if related OR a combination of education as described and specialized experience.

For the GS-12 level: Applicants must have (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11; or its non-Federal equivalent that demonstrates comprehensive knowledge and understanding of commercial financing and credit. Experience may have been gained in such work as reviewing and passing on applications for complex business and/or municipal transactions; servicing a commercial loan portfolio; analyzing financial information provided by loan applicants, determining eligibility for loans, and assessing repayment ability; reviewing and approving applications for agricultural, commercial and bank loans; servicing a commercial loan portfolio of a bank or other loan association; providing financial management
guidance to borrowers; ascertaining and analyzing the many and often obscure facts regarding a corporate borrower's financial capacity; or evaluating the general economic and financial conditions that affect an organization/government's risk in granting, guaranteeing or insuring loans.

Education cannot be substituted for experience at the GS-12 level.

NOTE: To be considered for this position, you must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the GS-1165 series set forth in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards by the closing date of the announcement. A copy is available at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards

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

Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- finance, business administration, economics, accounting,
insurance, engineering, mathematics, banking and credit, law, real estate operations, statistics, or other fields related to
the position, such as agriculture, agricultural economics, farm, livestock or ranch management, or rural sociology.

Combining Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and
experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. Determine your qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required. Determine your education as a percentage of the education required. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grades GS-9 and GS-11.

Superior academic achievement (S.A.A.) -- This provision covers advanced trainee positions that provide opportunities
for advancement upon attaining required job skills and knowledge, require no prior experience, and have work classified
at two-grade intervals. It recognizes students who have achieved superior academic standing as evidenced by one of the
three methods described below. In order to be creditable under this provision, superior academic achievement must
have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled.

S.A.A. is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership.

  1. Class standing - Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or majorsubdivision, based on completed courses.
  2. Grade-point average - Applicants must have a grade-point average of: a.
    • 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or
    • 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum
  3. Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society -- Applicants can be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies listed by the Association of College Honor Societies (https://www.achshonor.org/)

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.

To be eligible for appointment to this position, the new hire must be cleared to come on board once the results of the fingerprint check, review of the OF-306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and the candidate's Electronic Questionnaires for Investigations Processing (eQIP) entries have been reviewed and determined to be satisfactory. This position requires a favorable credit check as part of the background investigation.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc) should contact: USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).

If selected, you will be required to submit Form OGE-450 within 30 days of your initial appointment date, and annually thereafter. Selectee is subject to financial Disclosure Requirements in accordance with 5 CFR, Part 2635, Sub part E regarding business or personal transactions with applicants, borrowers, or business contacts who have or who are seeking business with this Agency. Selectee must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a National Agency Check and Inquiry (NACI) and a credit report.

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 may be eligible to telework up to four days per week, based upon the duties of the position. This position may also be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements.

How you will be evaluated

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

Applications will be evaluated in accordance with Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Delegated Examining Procedures and USDA policy using category rating. Applicants who meet basic minimum qualifications will be placed in one of two or three categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans. Category placement will be determined based on applicants' quality of experience and the extent they possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) or competencies:

  • Knowledge of Commercial and Community Program servicing requirements.
  • Knowledge of Commercial and Community Programs loan and/or grant making requirements.
  • Oral Communication
  • Program Administration/Project Management
  • Written Communication


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. Those determined to be in the best qualified category will be referred to the selecting official for consideration.

You will be evaluated in accordance with the category rating procedure as defined in the USDA Demonstration Project Plan. Applicants who meet the basic minimum qualification requirements established for the position will be placed in the Eligible category. Eligible applicants will be further evaluated against criteria for placement in the Quality category. This evaluation is based on the level of your experience, education, and/or training as determined by your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire. Applicants with veterans' preference are listed ahead of applicants who do not have veterans' preference within each category.

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: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12031235

Agriculture, Rural Development

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Agency serves rural communities throughout the country by investing in their communities through housing and utility infrastructure, by increasing economic opportunity, and by improving the quality of life for all rural Americans. Rural Development provides over 40 loan and grant programs in the Rural Housing and Community Facilities Services, Rural Business and Cooperative Services, and Rural Utilities Service. Rural Development supports a positive work environment and promotes diversity and inclusion for nearly 5,000 employees.

Rural Development is a dynamic organization recruiting for employees who possess the energy, compassion, and commitment to serve those in rural communities and will enjoy working in a fast paced and results driven organization. Our commitment is to expand economic opportunity and quality of life in all of rural America by providing financial programs to support essential public facilities and services such as water and sewer systems, housing, health clinics, emergency service facilities and electric and telephone service. Rural Development offers a friendly and professional working environment and such excellent benefits as: a generous salary, alternative work schedules, paid vacation and sick leave, paid holidays, retirement and supplemental savings plan, a wide array of health, dental, vision, and life insurance plans, flexible spending accounts, and long-term care insurance.

Agency contact information

Jasmaine Horn
Phone
0000000000
Email
jasmaine.horn@usda.gov
Address
Rural Development
1400 Independence Ave SW
Washington, DC 20250
US

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