**ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER:** MNRD-DEU-06-13

**OPENING DATE:** July 19, 2006

**CLOSING DATE:** August 17, 2006

**POSITION TITLE, SERIES & GRADE:**

Loan Specialist (General)

Area Specialist

GS-1165-11/12

(one position to be filled at the GS-11 or GS-12 grade level)

**PROMOTION POTENTIAL**: GS-12. Person(s) selected from this vacancy
announcement are eligible for noncompetitive promotion to the full
performance level of GS-12. Promotion to the full performance level
would not require further competition. However, such promotions are not
automatic and are conditional on satisfactory completion of any required
training, demonstrated ability to perform the duties of the position at
the next higher grade level, and management certification of the need
for the position to be filled at the higher level.

**ENTRANCE PAY LEVELS (per annum)**

GS-11: \$51,972

GS-12: \$62,291

**DUTY LOCATION**: Virginia or Duluth, MN

**WHO MAY APPLY**: Open to all qualified persons. Federal employment
status is not required. U.S. citizenship is required.

NOTE: This position is being advertised concurrently under Vacancy
Announcement MN-06-17, for all current, permanent government employees
who are serving in competitive service appointments and for
noncompetitive eligibles such as disabled veterans or reinstatement
eligibles. A separate application is required if you wish to be
considered under these procedures.

**POSITION DESCRIPTION:**

This position is located in the USDA Rural Development Virginia or
Duluth, MN, Office. The incumbent makes and services complex and
difficult loans and grants under delegated Rural Housing Service, Rural
Business and Cooperative Service, and Rural Utilities Service program
authorities, and provides credit and technical assistance to rural
people, business concerns, and communities within an assigned
geographical area in Northeastern Minnesota. In addition, the incumbent
is responsible for providing technical guidance and assistance to
employees in the area.

**QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:**

OPM's Qualification Standards for Two-Grade Interval Administrative and
Management positions and the specific requirements described for the
GS-1165 series apply. A copy is available for review in the Human
Resources Office or online at www.opm.gov/qualifications.

GS-11: One year specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-09; OR
3 full years

progressively higher level graduate education or Ph.D. or equivalent
doctoral degree.

GS-12: One year specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-11.

**EDUCATION**

To qualify based on education your course of study must have been in
finance, business administration, economics, accounting, insurance,
engineering, mathematics, banking and credit, law, real estate
operations, statistics, or other related fields.

**SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE**:

Specialized experience is experience that is directly related to the
position and equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge,
skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the
position, such as experience that demonstrated competence in
agricultural, commercial, realty, or other types of loans. This
experience may have been gained in such work as reviewing and passing
upon applications for commercial, bank or mortgage loans; servicing a
loan portfolio of a bank or other loan association; performing financial
analysis of commercial concerns for investment purposes; or similar work

**Combining Education and Experience:** Combinations of successfully
completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet
total qualification requirements for the GS-11 grade level. 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 two years may be used to
qualify under this method.

**NOTE**: Applicants must meet qualifications by the closing date of
this announcement.

**KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED**: Applicants should submit
a narrative statement on a separate page(s) with specific responses to
the knowledges, skills, and abilities (KSA\'s) listed below. Relate your
responses to when and where you gained the experience. FAILURE TO
RESPOND TO THE KSAs WILL RESULT IN AN INELIGIBLE RATING.

1\. Knowledge of construction, financing, and credit risk and lending
principles.

(Describe your experience dealing with credit financial procedures and
practices related to financing communities' initiatives/projects,
working with financial institutions, or other related activities which
provided broad financing experience especially as it relates to rural
environments. Describe the complexity of assignments including
experience working with multiple forms of financing; types of
initiatives/projects financed; building contractors; organizations,
agencies, or individuals with which you had to coordinate and your
specific roles and responsibilities.)

2\. Ability to interpret and apply regulations, guidelines and
procedures.

(Describe your experiences interpreting regulations and policies and
applying them to loans, loan guarantees or grants you have worked on.
Describe policies or regulations you developed or helped develop for
publication and any training materials you may have developed.)

3\. Ability to analyze problems and make decisions.

(Describe your involvement in identifying problems related to loan
making or loan servicing, outlining possible solutions, and selecting
the solution which would best suit the circumstances. Illustrate
decisions and changes you made/recommended related to loan making or
loan servicing which improved work productivity or created new ways of
doing work better.)

4\. Knowledge of the social, economic, and credit needs and problems in
rural areas.

(Give examples of your experience and/or education/training in providing
assistance to rural communities and the type of commercial and/or
municipal lending projects with which you have been involved.)

5\. Ability to communicate orally and in writing, and provide
marketing/outreach with diverse groups and individuals on a variety of
program issues.

(Describe your experiences that reflect your ability to persuade a
variety of individuals or organizations of controversial points of view,
explain complex topics, make presentations, etc. Describe your
experiences that reflect your ability to originate written
correspondence, to prepare training materials, write supplemental
guidelines, prepare replies to inquiries on complex issues or subject
matter, etc. Describe your ability to conduct oral presentations,
briefing and/or training. Describe your experience in promoting programs
or services, including developing and implementing a marketing plan,
developing newsletters and other types of informational publications.
Include information on types of programs or services promoted and
audience.)

**BASIS OF RATING**: Applicants will be rated on a scale of 70-100, plus
veterans\' preference points, if applicable. Your experience, education,
training, and awards will be reviewed to determine the degree to which
you possess the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics
(KSA\'s) that are considered essential for successful job performance.
Ratings are based solely on information contained in your application or
resume package. Failure to submit your narrative response to the KSAs
for this job may negatively affect your eligibility and/or rating for
this position.

**PAY, BENEFITS AND WORK SCHEDULE:**

This is a permanent, full-time position.

All Federal employees are required by PL 104-134 to have federal
payments made by Direct Deposit.

Selectee will be eligible for health and life insurance, annual
(vacation) and sick leave, and will be covered under a Federal
retirement system.

**CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:**

Financial Disclosure: OGE-450 Financial Disclosure form will be required
within 30 days of appointment.

Background Investigation Required: New Federal employees require
background security checks.

One year probationary period applicable: New appointees must serve a
probationary period upon appointment.

Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must certify that they
have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from
having to do so under the Selective Service Law.

**SPECIAL SELECTION PRIORITY PROVISIONS FOR SURPLUS OR DISPLACED
FEDERAL** **EMPLOYEES**: Applicants who have special priority selection
rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or
the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be
well-qualified for the position to receive consideration for special
priority selection. CTAP and ICTAP eligibles will be considered
well-qualified if they meet OPM qualification standards for this
position plus receive an evaluation of at least satisfactory or above in
each of the KSA\'s.

Federal applicants seeking CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit proof that
they meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330.605 for CTAP or 5 CFR 330.704
for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of their
most recent performance rating, and a copy of their most recent SF-50
noting current position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate
your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP
eligible.

If you have access through a computer to the Internet, the above cited
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) can be read online. Regulation 5 CFR
330.605 for CTAP requirements can be accessed at the following Website
address: http://www.opm.gov/ctap/index.asp. Regulation 5 CFR 330.704 for
ICTAP requirements can be accessed online through the same Website
provided above for CTAP.

**APPLICATION PROCEDURE:**

Those desiring consideration must submit the following forms. Forms may
be requested from the address and/or phone number listed below or from
any Federal personnel office. Documents submitted will not be returned
to applicants**. Failure to submit any of the following required
documents will eliminate candidate from consideration for this
position.**

1.  OF-612, Optional Application for Federal Employment, **or** a resume
    which must include the information stated below.

2.  Response to each KSA listed above under Knowledges, Skills, and
    Abilities Required. These should be addressed individually on a
    separate attachment to the application. In addressing each KSA,
    please include specific tasks, assignments, problems resolved, your
    level of responsibility, and the results achieved.

3.  Copy of transcripts if using education to qualify for this position.

4.  If you are claiming 5-point veterans\' preference, you must submit a
    copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility; if you are
    claiming 10-point veterans\' preference, you must submit a copy of
    Standard Form 15 and the required proof of entitlement.

5.  If you are a current Federal employee or have reinstatement
    eligibility, please provide a copy of your most recent SF-50,
    Notification of Personnel Action.

**Applicants using a resume must ensure that the following information
is included:**

a.  Announcement number, title, and grade(s) for which applying;

b.  Full name, mailing address with zip code, day/evening phone numbers,
    and **social security number;**

c.  Country of citizenship;

d.  Veterans\' preference;

e.  Education, including name of school, city, state, majors, type and
    year of degree(s);

f.  Paid and nonpaid work experience related to the job, including job
    title, duties and accomplishments, employer\'s name and address,
    supervisor\'s name and phone number, starting and ending dates,
    hours worked per week, salary, and indicate if we may contact
    current supervisor;

g.  Job related training courses with title and year of course
    attendance, job related skills, certificates or licenses, honors,
    awards, and special accomplishments.

**APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS BY THE CLOSING
DATE ON THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. REQUESTS FOR EXTENSIONS WILL NOT BE
GRANTED.**

**SEND APPLICATION PACKAGE TO:**

USDA-Rural Development

ATTN: Human Resources

375 Jackson St., #410

St. Paul, MN 55101-1853

INQUIRIES:

Telephone 651-602-7783 or 7784

FAX 651-602-7826

Email <mary.snyder@mn.usda.gov>

WEBSITE [www.rurdev.usda.gov/mn/](http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/mn/)

OPM Job Site [www.usajobs.opm.gov](http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/)

Use of postage-paid Government Agency envelopes to file job application
is a violation of Federal laws and regulations. Applications submitted
in postage-paid Government envelopes will not be considered.

This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with
disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the
application and hiring process, please notify the agency. The decision
on granting reasonable accommodations will be on a case-by-case basis.

**EEO AND CIVIL RIGHTS POLICY:**

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all
its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national
origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status,
familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic
information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an
individuals income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not
all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities
who require alternative means for communication of program information
(Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA TARGET
Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of
discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400
Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800)
795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity
provider and employer.