Summary
Come join the Inter-American Foundation (IAF), a nimble and transformative U.S. government agency that invests in community-led development across Latin America and the Caribbean. The incumbent joins a team of other Specialists and will assist with programmatic and administrative work associated with the application and grant management processes.
Duties at the GS-07 grade level will be performed under more supervision.
Duties
- Assists in organizing, coordinating, and implementing the review of recommended funding actions for locally-led grassroots development projects within assigned country portfolios.
- Responds to inquiries or requests from current grantees, contractors, and other offices.
- Receives and processes applications for funding and organizes grant applications for further review. Reviews grant applications for adequacy and compliance with Federal and IAF grant making policies and procedures.
- Supports the determination of awardee eligibility and conducts due diligence and risk assessments.
- Serves as an office expert and user of the IAF's grant management system.
- Drafts and updates grant documents including budget sections for additional funds, time extensions, and reprogramming amendments as well as project description changes.
- Supports the disbursement of funds to grantees. Liaises with the Bureau of Fiscal Services (BFS) regarding the grant disbursement process.
- Collects, compiles and conducts preliminary analysis of qualitative and quantitative data.
- Drafts and prepares a variety of spreadsheets, presentations, statistical or narrative reports, and other written products concerning assigned country portfolios in response to information requests.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- US Citizenship is required.
- Suitable for Federal employment, determined by background investigation.
- Direct Deposit of pay is required.
- Selective Service registration required for male applicants, unless exempt.
Qualifications
This job announcement is open to receive applications from the first 50 applicants. The job announcement will remain open until either the quota of 50 applicants, or 10/25/2024 is reached. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration, even those that exceed the 50 applicant limit.
Applicants must meet ALL qualifications and eligibility requirements of the announcement including the following specialized experience and/or education and selective placement factor, as identified.
At the GS-07 level, you must meet one of the following qualifications: Must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-05) in the Federal Service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties the position. Specialized experience is that which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience for this position is:(1) participating in the review, processing, monitoring, and management of grant applications and/or cooperative agreements or similar legal agreements; (2) performing preliminary assessments of grant applications for adequacy and compliance with established laws and regulations; (3) serving as an initial point of contact for customers to evaluate needs and refer to appropriate resources; and (4) providing administrative support to management.
OR
Must have successfully completed of at least one (1) full year (18 semester hours) of graduate level education from an accredited college or university, which provided me with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. You must include transcripts.
OR
Must have successfully completed a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major study, which provided me with the knowledge and skills necessary for successful job performance to do the work of this position, and I meet one of the following requirements for Superior Academic Achievement at the undergraduate level: 1) Class standing -- Graduated in the upper third of the class based on completed courses in the college, university, or major subdivision; 2) Grade-Point Average (G.P.A.)2.95 or higher out of a possible 4.0 scale as recorded on 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 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; or 3) Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society. (Note: A copy of your transcript is required as documented proof of your GPA, class standing, or election to honor society membership. Failure to provide your transcript will result in an ineligible rating).
OR
Must have successfully completed a combination of specialized experience and graduate education as described above. To combine education and experience, first take the number of semester hours or equivalent earned towards a graduate degree and divide by 18 semester hours or equivalent. Then take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include transcripts.
At the GS-09 level, you must meet one of the following qualifications: Must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-07) in the Federal Service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties the position. Specialized experience is that which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience for this position is: participating in the reviewing and monitoring of grants and cooperative agreements for compliance with award terms and conditions in accordance with regulations; assisting with investigating criteria, laws, rules, and regulations for legality and applicable information for creating agreements; and participating in the financial and administrative analyses of a variety of grant mechanisms to determine if costs are reasonable and allowable within prescribed policies.
OR
Must have successfully completed at least a Master's or equivalent graduate degree or two (2) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B or J.D. from an accredited college or university, which provided me with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. You must include transcripts.
OR
Must have successfully completed a combination of education and experience as described above. To combine education and experience, first take the number of semester hours or equivalent earned towards a graduate degree beyond one (1) year (18 semester hours) and divide by 18. Then take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include transcripts.
Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.
This position contains a selective placement factor (SPF) that is part of the minimum requirement of the position (you must demonstrate this on your resume). If you do not meet the SPF, you are ineligible for further consideration. The SPF for this position is: Fluency in English and Spanish in order to communicate effectively both orally and in writing in both languages, (Haitian Creole and/or Portuguese desired).
If selected for an interview, a written and/or oral exercise may be used. Portions of the interview will be conducted in Spanish.
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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Education
If qualifying based on EDUCATION you MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.
Only education from institutions which are accredited or preaccredited/candidate for accreditation may be used to meet education requirements.
FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html
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.
For Category Rating: Once the application process is complete, 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. The categories for this announcement are defined as: Best-Qualified and Qualified. Your resume and supporting documentation will then be used to determine if you are qualified for this job. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration. 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 eligible within each category. Preference eligibles who meet the minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent must be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-09 level or higher).
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), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment(s) required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):
Note: Duplicative competencies indicate that the competency is being assessed in both the Assessment Questionnaire and USA Hire Competency Based Assessment.
- Attention to Detail
- Attention to Detail
- Customer Service
- Flexibility
- Grants Management
- Integrity/Honesty
- Interpersonal Skills
- Interpersonal Skills
- Oral Communication
- Reading Comprehension
- Teamwork
- Written Communication
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 USA Hire Competency Based Assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Your Resume listing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment mm/yy and duties performed. If multiple resumes are submitted, only the most current resume will be reviewed for qualifications.
2. Other supporting documents:
- College transcript(s), if qualifying based on education or if this position has a basic education requirement
- 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, etc.)
- Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program Documentation: If you are applying under CTAP or ICTAP, you MUST submit proof of eligibility under 5 CFR 330.602(a) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible
- Cover Letter, optional but highly recommended
If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility. If applicable, you must also submit an SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" plus the proof required by that form. Failure to provide this documentation may result in a non preference determination. For more information on veterans' preference (see https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/veterans-employment-initiative/vet-guide/).
Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc.
Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.
It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted prior to the closing date of the announcement.
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 of this vacancy.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online assessment and submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section of this vacancy.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date to receive consideration or when the announcement reaches 50 applicants.
The application process is as follows:
- To begin the application process, click Apply Online button.
- Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. You may preview the Application Questionnaire at:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12393352
- Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
- Read the Eligibility questions carefully. The questions address if you are eligible to apply to this JOA. Your responses will affect your consideration for the position. You may qualify for more than one eligibility, so please choose carefully. You will only be considered under the options you have selected. If you respond that you do not meet any of the eligibility questions, you will not be considered for this position.
- After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessment through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you via email notification. The email may be routed to your "Spam" or "Junk" folder.
- If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment, 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 Assessment. Click here for Computer System Requirements.
- Note, set aside at least 3 hours to take the assessment; however, most applicants complete the assessment in less time. If you need to stop the assessment 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.
This position is being advertised concurrently with vacancy announcement # IAF-24-MP-12393353CPO using Merit Promotion procedures. If interested, refer to that announcement to determine if you meet merit promotion requirements and can apply to that announcement.
NOTE: You must apply separately to each announcement in order to be considered under both.
To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account ( https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Update Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login . All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an Additional Application Information page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application, including the invitation to take the USA Hire assessment. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/.
Next steps
If you have questions about this job, please contact the HR Office representative listed in the "Agency Contact Info" section of this vacancy announcement.
Online Assessment Helpdesk - If you have any questions about the assessments, please submit a help desk ticket here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/HelpTicket
For status updates on your application, please follow the directions listed above in the How to Apply section. Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. If you are selected for an interview for this position, you will be contacted directly. A final job offer for this position is typically made within several weeks after the closing date of the vacancy announcement. After confirming a job offer, all other applicants will be notified of their non-selection.
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 Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
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.
|