General Field Representative (Telecommunications)

Summary

This position is located in Rural Development, Rural Utilities Service, Office of the Assistant Administrator - Telecommunications Branch 1 or Branch 2. These positions have been designated as Remote within one of the following states, due to the duties of the position: Arkansas Kentucky Louisiana

Duties

• Serve as the General Field Representative for an assigned geographical area, responsible for a full range of line program responsibilities for all Utilities Program telecommunications borrowers and grant recipients in the assigned area.
• Promote utilities loan and grant programs to a broad range of existing and potential applicants in assigned area.
• Work with State Regulatory bodies to keep abreast of their policies and the effect of such policies on Telecommunications Program financed systems.
• Respond to inquiries from borrowers or applicants concerning other sources of rural economic development financing and technical expertise.

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. For GS-12 Grade Level: Applicants must possess one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level; or its non-Federal equivalent that demonstrates: performing a full-range of duties providing guidance as it relates to governmental or telecommunication program policies; working with customers providing advice and assistance in accordance with established guidelines; maintaining general oversight of technical operations and financial practices, in accordance with established policies to ensure compliance; reviewing and analyzing completed financial and/or construction designs; planning or conducting formal meetings, presentations, and/or training sessions to provide guidance to borrowers, officials and staff, board of directors, consulting firms and other interested parties with little to no oversight. Qualifications are based upon meeting specialized experience only. Education cannot be used to qualify for this position. For GS-13 Grade Level: Applicants must possess one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level; or its non-Federal equivalent that demonstrates: providing authoritative guidance as it relates to water, electric, or telecommunication program policies or procedures; providing advice and assistance on the requirements for submitting applications or other financing assistance requests; maintaining general oversight of borrower engineering, construction, and technical operations and maintenance practices, in order to ensure compliance with the organizations standards and policies; reviewing and analyzing completed documentation needed in support of a loan or grant applications; making recommendations on the suitability of loan proposals for financing; performing management and certification audits; plan and conduct formal meetings, presentations, and/or training sessions to provide policy and procedural guidance to borrowers' officials and staff, board of directors, consulting firms and other interested parties. Qualifications are based upon meeting specialized experience only. Education cannot be used to qualify for this position. NOTE: To be considered for this position, you must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the GS-1101 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.

How You Will Be Evaluated

Applications will be evaluated in accordance with Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Delegated Examining Procedures and USDA policy using Category Rating. This means you will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses to the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. 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: Attention to Detail Customer Service Flexibility Influencing/Negotiating Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13082384 This announcement will also include the following assessment: Structured Interview, Resume Review by Subject Matter Expects, and Essay Response When we complete our selections, the remaining list of qualified candidates may be shared with additional Federal agencies. You will have an opportunity to opt-in if you would like your name, application materials, and assessment results shared with additional Federal agencies to be considered for employment. There is no guarantee of further consideration. Other 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. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here. 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 is a Bargaining Unit position under AFSCME District Council 20 (Local 4079) Bargaining Unit 4079 and is therefore eligible for labor organization representation. Note: Multiple selections may be made from this announcement and/or various organizations within Rural Development. Salaries listed in this announcement are an approximation and are subject to duty station locality adjustment.