Community Program Specialist

**Duties**:

- Serves as an advisor under the Supervisory Community Liaison to the State Director concerning rural issues within targeted community regions and maintains high level liaison, as directed by the Supervisory Community Liaison.
- Works with various sources of alternative or supplemental funding, such as federal, state, or local loan and/or grant providers, state legislatures, non-profit organizations, and private lenders.
- Facilitates information sharing among public and private sectors to increase awareness of federal loan and grant programs and incentives for business and community development in rural areas.
- Advise community networks and representatives of local government units, educational institutions, financial institutions, and others on agency financial policies and procedures.

**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.
- Direct Deposit - Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution

**Qualifications**:

- Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.
- **For GS-09 Grade Level**:Applicants must possess one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level; or its non-Federal equivalent that demonstrates: Experience working with senior staff to conduct evaluation reviews of a State's, or community or economic development entity's performance to determine the effectiveness of diverse and inclusive community planning efforts and delivery services. Experience providing a high level of customer service to local governments and stakeholders as they carry out their responsibilities under community and economic development programs. **OR **Master's or degree **OR **2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree, if related **OR** a combination of education as described and specialized experience.
- **For GS-11 Grade Level**:Applicants must possess one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level; or its non-Federal equivalent that demonstrates: Experience planning actions and issues, as well as technical content of State, community or economic development, strategic plans, and initiatives and/or work-related documents. Experience assisting with the evaluation of the State's, or community or economic development entity's procedures, standards, guides, reports, forms, informational releases, and/or training materials designed to promote more efficient operations and overcome deficiencies.** OR** Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree** OR** 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related **OR **a combination of education as described and specialized experience.
- **For GS-12 Grade Level**: Applicants must possess one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level; or its non-Federal equivalent that demonstrates: Experience serving as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) advising State Directors, Area Directors, a community, economic development entity's staff or rural development stakeholders on community planning in the development of community or economic development planning policies, methodologies, technical standards and guidance including: community systems changes to increase community voice and decrease disproportionate harms caused to low-income communities of color. Experience conducting evaluation reviews of a State's, or a community or economic development entity's performance to determine the effectiveness of diverse and inclusive community planning efforts and delivery services. **_There is no substitution of education at this grade level._**
- 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**:
**For the GS 09**:
**For the GS 12-** Qualifications are based upon meeting specialized experience only. Education cannot be used to qualify for this position.

**Undergraduate and Graduate Education**: Major study - finance, business administration, economics, accounting, insurance, engineering, mathematics