Capital Markets Specialist Job

Vacancy No. VA-26-0001-DE-VD Department Farm Credit Administration
Salary $78,504.00 to $148,195.00 Grade 38 to 39
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 11/24/2025 Close Date 12/8/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Sacramento, CAGreenwood Village, COBloomington, MNIrving, TX
McLean, VA


Summary

Capital Markets Specialists evaluate a broad array of financial activities and products at the most complex System institutions. Most activities involve serving as a member or leader of an examination team under the direction of a Senior Examiner or the Capital Markets Specialty Program Manager. This position is part of the Farm Credit Administration.

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Duties

As a Capital Markets Specialist (FCA Examiner), your duties will include:

  • Leading and participating in examinations and oversight of System institution financial condition and performance (i.e., capital, earnings, liquidity), interest rate risk, loan pricing, funds transfer pricing, derivatives, hedging, fixed-income investments, securitization, and funding through debt capital markets. Such examinations include an assessment of risk, board policies, procedures, financial modeling and model risk management, management and internal control processes, operating practices, and compliance with laws and regulations.
  • Ensuring risks are appropriately identified, measured, monitored, and controlled. Making recommendations that are fully supported and ensuring System institutions take corrective action when weaknesses are identified.
  • Developing reports that summarize examination conclusions and recommendations and presenting them to System institution senior management.
  • Serving as an advisor and trainer for other examiners on System institution finance and capital markets issues; developing examination guidance; developing informational letters to System institutions; analyzing systemic risks; and participating in task forces that develop policy and regulations related to capital markets and finance areas.

A key distinction between the VH-38 and VH-39 is the authority to act and the level of supervision in place.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. citizen.
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • Resume and supporting documents (See How to Apply)
  • Suitability for Federal employment, as determined by a background investigation.
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary or trial period.
  • Submission of a financial disclosure report may be required.

Qualifications

Ideal candidates have experience in the following areas:

  • Analyzing risk to a complex financial institution's financial condition and performance resulting from exposure to interest rate, market, and liquidity risks.
  • Assessing asset / liability management practices, including the use of sophisticated models, to identify, monitor, and control interest rate and liquidity risk and ensure long-term financial stability.
  • Evaluating capital adequacy and capital management practices including managing capital distributions, utilizing stress test analysis, and the use of complex strategies such as securitization, synthetic securitization, and other credit risk transfer structures.
  • Evaluating financial institution liquidity risk, including experience analyzing funding strategies and contingency funding plans, and evaluating the adequacy of high-quality liquid assets as a secondary source of liquidity.

You may qualify at the VH-38 (GS-12 equivalent) band level if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower level, VH-37 (GS-11) band level. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position which includes managing, examining, or auditing a financial institution's finance and capital markets activities (e.g., capital, earnings, liquidity, sensitivity to interest rate risk, investments, securitizations, derivatives) and related risk management practices, and preparing written reports conveying the results of these activities under direct supervision.

This experience may have been gained as a financial regulator, consultant, auditor, analyst, or as an employee at a financial institution.

You may qualify at the VH-39 (GS-13 equivalent) band level if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the VH-38 (GS-12) band level. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position which includes leading a team to manage, examine, or audit a financial institution's finance and capital markets activities and related risk management practices, and providing guidance and training to others on complex financial or capital markets related topics.

This experience may have been gained as a financial regulator, consultant, auditor, analyst, or as an employee at a financial institution.

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

There is no substitution for education at the VH-38 or VH-39 band levels.

Additional information

  • If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and are claiming 5-points 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 also submit an SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" plus the proof required by that form. For more information on veterans' preference visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Veterans.
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service. For more information visit: https://www.sss.gov/verify/. Career Transition Assistance Programs: These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed.
  • To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above; and (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp.
  • Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.
  • All FCA employees are subject to the conflict of interest laws and Standards of Ethical Conduct imposed upon all employees of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government and may be required to file a Financial Disclosure Report.
  • FCA's supplemental ethics regulations restrict certain FCA employees concerning their direct or indirect interests in, or connections with, Farm Credit System institutions. These rules also require all employees to obtain approval for outside employment or business activities. Please contact the HR Division for additional information on these rules.
  • FCA uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees.
  • This announcement may be used to fill similar vacancies.
  • Applicants are encouraged to apply to all band/grade levels for which believe they are qualified for and wish to receive consideration.
  • Salary Rate Ranges:
  • Base Salary Range for the VH-38: $78,504 - $129,532
  • Base Salary Range for the VH-39: $89,815 - $148,195
  • Locality pay is added to base salary using on the following duty station locality rates: Bloomington, MN, 27.62%; Irving, TX, 27.267%; McLean, VA, 33.74%; Greenwood Village, CO, 30.52%; and Sacramento, CA, 29.76%

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act of 2019, with some exceptions, prohibits the Farm Credit Administration from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. If you apply to this position and are selected, we will not ask about your criminal history before you receive a conditional job offer. If you believe you were asked about your criminal history improperly, visit our website at (Careers at FCA | Farm Credit Administration) for information on filing a complaint.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your résumé and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified, your résumé and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If, after reviewing your résumé and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

All qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

Bank Financial and Capital Markets Operations, Influencing/Negotiating, Oral Communications, Project Management, and Written Communications

The Category Rating Process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three" but protects the rights of Veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each quality category. Veterans' preference eligibles who meet the minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent will be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the VH-35 (GS-09 equivalent level) or higher.

  • Highly-Qualified Category: In addition to meeting minimum qualifications, applicants must fully demonstrate proficiency in all major aspects of the position.
  • Well-Qualified Category: In addition to meeting minimum qualifications, applicants must demonstrate proficiency in some but not all of the major aspects of the position.
  • Qualified Category: In addition to meeting minimum qualifications, applicants must demonstrate a basic level of knowledge, skill and ability of the position.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:

  1. Your resume (no more than two pages in a Times Roman 10pt font) showing (1) paid and non-paid work experience including your position title, start and end dates (month/year) of employment, hours worked per week, and duties performed (separated by position series and grade for each federal position, if applicable).
  2. Other supporting documents:
  • Cover letter, optional
  • College Transcript(s), if qualifying based on education.
  • Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable (e.g. DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service; SF-15 Form and related documentation; VA letter.)
  • 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.)

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.

A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.

  • To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
  • Follow the prompts to select your résumé and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  • After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
  • You will be taken to the online application which you must complete to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov/), all your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.

If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Division. Please contact FCA HR Division at Employment_Opportunities@fca.gov or 703-883-4135 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET, at least two business days prior to the closing date of this announcement to obtain an alternative application.

Agency contact information

FCA HR Division
Phone
703-883-4135
Email
Employment_Opportunities@fca.gov
Address
Office of Agency Services, Human Resources Division
1501 Farm Credit Drive
McLean, VA 22102
US

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Division to determine your eligibility for the position. Later steps in the selection process are specifically designed to verify your ratings. Your resume may be evaluated by a subject matter expert or may be asked to complete a structured interview, written demonstration, and/or fit interview as part of the assessment process. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application

Additional locations

McLean, VA

Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.