Overview

Duties

Summary

This position is located is in the Financial Assistance Program Division (FAPD), Office of the Deputy Chief for Programs. Office of the Associate Chief for Conservation, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
This position assists with implementation of the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) as part of the Projects Branch. The Projects Branch is responsible for national management and administration of RCPP.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

  • Leads implementation of annual program cycles, including development of national funding announcements, coordination of proposal evaluation and ultimately, working with NRCS leadership to make award selections.
  • Prepares RCPP rules, policies, guidance and procedures to ensure policy is current and legally compliant with the Farm Bill requirements.
  • Supports the development of business tools such as the Programs Portal, ProTracts, Conservation Desktop/CART and Funds Manager to ensure the tools incorporate RCPP needs and work for the program.
  • Develops, uses and maintains program databases and automated tools for use in program analysis.
  • Monitors implementation of existing RCPP projects, supporting States and analyzing progress.

Travel Required

Occasional travel – You may be expected to travel for this position.

Supervisory status

No

Promotion Potential

14

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a US Citizen or US National.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
  • Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
  • Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
  • Subject to one-year supervisory/managerial probationary period unless prior service is creditable. New USDA supervisors must successfully complete all components of the required training program before the end of their probationary period.
  • Direct Deposit–Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/.

Qualifications

TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENTS: Merit promotion applicants must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements to be considered eligible. One year at the GS-12 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-13 level; and one year at the GS-13 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-14 level.. (Please submit your SF-50 that shows Time-in-Grade eligibility and reflects your title, series, and grade. No Award or General Adjustment SF-50’s will be accepted). Time-in-grade requirements also apply to VEOA applicants having held a GS position in the past year. See addition information.

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Basic Education Requirement
A. A Bachelor’s or higher degree in the biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry or related disciplines appropriate to the position (Transcripts are required)ORB. A combination of education and experience. this includes courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.(Transcripts are required)
AND
Specialized Experience GS-13: One or more years of specialized work experience, equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level of the Federal service, performing the following duties:

  • develop and maintain conservation program policies and activities;
  • draft rules, regulations and procedures to ensure policy is current and legally compliant with the Farm Bill requirements;
  • prepare briefing materials and respond to inquiries to natural resources conservation programs;
  • assist leadership with development and coordination of computing environment programs and tools related to Natural Resource Conservation processes;
  • provide assistance in developing national natural resources management program policies, rules, guidelines, standards, manuals, and procedures for EQIP, CSP, RCPP and other assigned programs within the Programs Deputy area; and
  • experience using NRCS Business Tools, Service center Integrated Management System, and Common Computing Environment software required to prepare reports from ProTracts, Fund Manager, Subsidiary Data, Progress Reporting System, Field Office Business Tools, and use of all NRCS Common Computing environment software.

Specialized Experience GS-14: One or more years of specialized work experience, equivalent to at least the GS-13 level of the Federal service, performing the following duties:

  • provide assistance and coordination to FAPD EQIP, CSP and RCPP branch chiefs and agency leadership in the development and implementation of assigned natural resources management programs to ensure financial and technical assistance funds are allocated, obligated, and expended within agency authorities;
  • develop and maintain complex conservation program policies and activities;
  • develop new methods and techniques to identify and resolve sensitive issues resulting from conflicting demands on natural resources;
  • prepare rules, regulations and procedures to ensure policy is current and legally compliant with the Farm Bill requirements;
  • prepare briefing materials and respond to Congressional. Departmental, interagency, and public inquiries to natural resource conservation programs;
  • assist leadership with development and coordination of computing environment programs and tools related to Natural Resource Conservation processes;
  • provide recommendations in developing national natural resources management program policies, rules, guidelines, standards, manuals, and procedures for EQIP, CSP, RCPP and other assigned programs within the Programs Deputy area; and
  • extensive experience using NRCS Business Tools, Service center Integrated Management System, and Common Computing Environment software required to prepare reports from ProTracts, Fund Manager, Subsidiary Data, Progress Reporting System, Field Office Business Tools, and use of all NRCS Common Computing environment software.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

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.

Education

You must submit a copy of your college transcripts or a list of college courses with credit hours, dates completed, and grades received to verify all education requirements (i.e. substitution of education and/or basic education requirement). If a relevant course is not clearly qualifying (e.g. special topic, seminar, research, thesis, obscure or misleading course title, etc.), please submit an official course syllabi and/or detailed course description from the university/college for that particular course to ensure you are properly evaluated. Please note that qualifications determinations are based solely on the information submitted for each particular vacancy announcement. You must document all requirements on every vacancy; we cannot use previous determinations as a basis for rating. All required information must be received by the closing date of this announcement, and non-submission of all required documents/documentation will result in non-consideration. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted. This information must be received by the closing date of this announcement. Non-submission of these documents will result in non-consideration. 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.

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: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html