Summary
You will serve as a Administrative Support Specialist for the Small Business Administration (SBA), Office of Capital Access (OCA), Damage Verification Center (DVC) in, Herndon, Virginia. This position assists the Supervisory Program Support Specialist to ensure that necessary internal support functions are accomplished in an efficient and timely manner, and that SBA and DVC support policies and procedures are followed.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
United States Citizens
Duties
As an Administrative Support Specialist at the GS-0301-11/12, some of your typical work assignments may include:
- Assisting management in assessing the effectiveness of all the support functions performed in the department, e.g., budget, procurement, telecommunications, payroll, supply, accountable property, records management, reports and first line customer service for DVC staff.
- Monitoring support functions with the goal of improving the efficiency of the function and researching ways of improving customer service.
- Utilizing automated software programs for generating word processing documents, spreadsheets, tables and formulas.
- Reviewing and disseminating policies, procedures, and regulations, which may require explanations or discussions with diverse audiences; and providing technical and administrative advice and assistance as required to resolve management problems and maintain continuity of work.
- Assisting in drafting procedural guidelines and memoranda in any of the support functional areas.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
- This is a Permanent appointment, competitive service position with a full-time work schedule.
- This position is also being announced under Merit Promotion Procedures, announcement # MP-24-DVC-12444082.
- In order to receive consideration as a status candidate, you must apply to the Merit Promotion announcement.
- Mandatory Overtime: In order to respond quickly and efficiently to disaster survivors, substantial compensated overtime hours may be required heighten Disaster Activities.
- If required to travel to a disaster site, you may encounter hazardous working and/or living conditions, for example, no water or electricity and/or minimal lodging facilities.
- By applying for this position with SBA's US Small Business Administration, you can enjoy challenging but satisfying work and join a highly motivated and diverse team that helps families and businesses rebuild their lives after a disaster.
- Additional selections may be made from this announcement if identical vacancies occur within 180 days from the closing date.
- This is not a bargaining unit position.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- U.S. citizenship is required.
- You must be able to obtain and maintain a Government travel credit card.
- Favorable background investigation and credit check are required.
- You may be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
- This is not a bargaining unit position.
- A valid driver's license may be required.
Qualifications
Experience:
To receive credit, you must indicate the month and year as well as the average hours worked per week for each employer. Average work hours must be stated on the resume to quantify each period of work experience or that experience will not be credited toward meeting the specialized experience requirement.
You must address the specific specialized experience required for each grade level of this position on your resume or application or you will be rated "Ineligible" for that grade level.
GS-11: One year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service, obtained in either the private or public sector:
- Experience in at least two of the following administrative support functions for an office or organization in the areas of budget, procurement and supply, accountable property, payroll/time and attendance, travel, and records management and reconciliation;
- Preparing and editing a variety of documents such as reports, spreadsheets, forms, tables, charts, graphs and correspondence;
- Researching appropriate regulations and guidance related to program support functions to resolve issues or improve operating procedures; AND
- Knowledge/proficiency of word processing programs, spreadsheets, email platforms and/or other automated software communication tools such as Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace.
GS-12: One year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service, obtained in either the private or public sector:
- Experience in at least three of the following administrative support functions for an office or organization in the areas of budget, procurement and supply, accountable property, payroll/time and attendance, travel, and records management and reconciliation;
- Preparing and editing a variety of documents such as reports, spreadsheets, forms, tables, charts, graphs and correspondence;
- Researching appropriate regulations and guidance related to program support functions to resolve issues or improve operating procedures; AND
- Knowledge/proficiency of word processing programs, spreadsheets, email platforms and/or other automated software communication tools such as Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace.
Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on OPM's Qualifications website:
Miscellaneous Administration and Program Series 0301 (opm.gov)
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. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Education
If you do not meet the specialized experience requirements, you may also qualify with education. You MUST submit transcripts (official or unofficial) with this application if you wish to qualify based on education.
GS-11: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in a related field, such as business administration, or LL.M. if related.
Combination of Experience and Education:GS-11: Combination of education and experience as specified above. For example, an applicant who has 1.5 full years of Ph.D. level education (i.e. 50% of education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position.
GS-12: Education may not be substituted for experience for this grade level.
APPLICANTS PLEASE NOTE: 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 (particularly positions with a positive education requirement.) Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Verify School accreditation. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly. *** 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. *** For further information, click on: Foreign Education.
Benefits
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.
Review our benefits
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.
In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
For this vacancy, we will use a Category Rating system to refer qualified applicants for consideration. This is a three-step process. First, your resume or other application is evaluated to determine if you meet the Qualifications, including the Specialized Experience described above, for the grade level(s) that you are applying for. Secondly, if you meet the minimum qualifications requirements, your responses to the questionnaire, including narrative responses, if applicable, will be compared to your resume or other application. If your resume does not support the answers you gave on the questionnaire, you may be rated "Ineligible," or you may be placed in a lower category. Third, your name will be placed in one of the three following categories:
- Best-Qualified - highly proficient with an overall comprehensive level of knowledge, skills and abilities related to this position.
- Well-Qualified - competent in the position with an overall accomplished level of knowledge, skills and abilities related to this position.
- Qualified - an overall basic level of knowledge, skills and abilities related to this position.
Application of Veterans' Preference: The Category Rating process protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-veterans within each quality category. All the veterans must be selected before any non-veterans within each category.
For this position, disabled veterans who meet minimum qualifications for this position and have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10% (CPS & CP) are placed at the top of the Best-Qualified category regardless of which category they would otherwise be assigned to.
Preference eligibles who do not have a service-connected disability of 10% or more (XP or TP) are placed at the top of their quality category.
Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies:
- Administration and Management
- Attention to Detail
- Computer Skills
- Customer Service
- Decision Making
- Flexibility
- Integrity/Honesty
- Interpersonal Skills
- Learning
- Oral Communication
- Quality Assurance
- Reading Comprehension
- Reasoning
- Self-Management
- Stress Tolerance
- Teamwork
- Technical Competence
- Writing
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.
Required Documents
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Your Resume showing hours worked per week, dates of employment, and duties performed.
2. Completed Questionnaire
3. Other supporting documents, such as:
- College Transcript(s), if qualifying based on education.
- Unofficial transcripts may be submitted during the application process; however, official transcripts will be required if selected.
- Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable (e.g. DD-214 Member Copy 4 or other Member Copy showing type of discharge/character of service, SF-15 Form and related documentation, VA letter, etc.)
- Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable (e.g. Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.)
- If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found here. https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire
DO NOT SEND YOUR RESUME OR ANY APPLICATION DOCUMENTS TO THE AGENCY CONTACT.
Your latest resume submitted for this position will be used for qualification determinations and supersedes previous submissions.
ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION:
1. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) or Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP):
If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, provide a copy of your most recent annual performance appraisal (which must show at least a "fully successful" rating or equivalent), and proof of eligibility, i.e., a RIF separation notice or Certification of Expected Separation, and SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location.In addition to meeting all qualification requirements and selective placement factors (if applicable), CTAP/ICTAP eligibles must meet the Well-Qualified criteria with a score of 85 or above based on the competencies listed above for the position in order to be given priority consideration. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is also on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at: CTAP/ICTAP. http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp.
You are eligible for CTAP/ICTAP if:
1. You are a current federal employee who meets the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee meaning you have received official notice that your job is no longer needed or that you will lose your job by Reduction-in-Force (RIF).
2. Your agency, or the agency to which you are applying, is accepting applications from within or outside of the permanent workforce.
3. The position to which you are applying MUST BE in the Local Commuting Area of the position of record from which you are being displaced.
2. If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and 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 an SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" plus the proof required by that form.
3. If you are a male applicant who was born after 12/31/59 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency.
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
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
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.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 06/28/2024 to receive consideration.
- To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account.
- You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application.
- You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement.
- To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application.
- After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you both on screen and via email notification.
- If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessments. Click here for Computer System Requirements.
- Note, set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found on the Additional Application Information page that can be located in the application record in your USAJOBS account.
Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
Next steps
Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.
To be considered for the position, you must meet all qualifications, including meeting or exceeding the cut score on the required assessments.
SUITABILITY, CLEARANCE & REQUIREMENTS: A background investigation may be required for all new hires. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
SBA uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.
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