Agricultural Marketing Specialist (General)

About the role

This position is with the AMS, Commodity Procurement Program, Marine Debt and Finance Branch. You will serve as an Agricultural Marketing Specialist monitoring the movement of agriculture commodities on the Marine Debt Resolution Team.

Your primary function will be to analyze transportation and commodity losses and damages, determine liability, establishing and pursuing debts and claims.

What you will do

• The duties described are for the full-performance level.
• At developmental grade levels, assignments will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity.
• The duties may include, but are not limited to: Reviews and finalizes actions on debts by and against the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC).
• Develops, examines, and analyzes transportation loss and damage claims that arise from the shipment of agricultural commodities by rail, internodal, truck, barge, and ocean.
• Reviews and takes action on contract disputes against vendors when their products do not meet contract specifications or when products are not properly blocked and braced for shipment.
• Reviews and acts on loss/damage of agricultural products by warehouses.
• Requests investigations by the Office of Investigation upon learning of the possible existence of criminal or civil fraud violations.
• Ensures that debts are properly recorded in the applicable system(s).
• Monitors vendors and warehouses that provide and store agricultural commodities.
• Researches a large number of documents to determine liability for losses.
• Determines amounts due under contracts, writes findings of facts for Contracting Officers, and assists in analyzing settlement offers received for cases falling under the Claims Disputes Act.

Education

Please see above for education qualification requirement information.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated based on your qualifications for this position as evidenced by your experience, education, training, responses to the application questionnaire and the responses to all assessments required for this position demonstrated in your application package to determine the degree to which you possess the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies listed below: Attention to Detail Customer Service Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Reading Comprehension Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork 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. Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions.

Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or you may be found ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating.

Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Additional Information - USA Hire Online Assessment All applicants are required to complete the online USA Hire assessment to be considered for the position for this vacancy.

Applicants will not be given the opportunity to complete the online USA Hire assessment outside of the assigned assessment window for this vacancy. The assessment window closes 48 hours after the posted closing date and time of the announcement. To preview the application questionnaire, please visit: ***

Documents you must provide

• The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete.
• Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, your system failure or downtime, etc. Encrypted documents will not be accepted.
• Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.
• Resume that includes: 1) personal information such as name, address, contact information; 2) education; 3) detailed work experience related to this position as described in the major duties including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); 4) all supervisors' phone numbers and if they may be contacted; and 5) other qualifications.
• Resume cannot exceed two pages.
• Only one resume will be reviewed.
• If education is required or being used to qualify, you must submit a copy of your college transcripts.
• An unofficial copy is sufficient if it includes your name and all course information.
• If selected, official transcripts will be required prior to entering on duty.
• Education must have been obtained from an accredited institution.
• Education completed in a foreign institution must include an evaluation by an organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs that it was deemed equivalent to an accredited U.S. education program, see: Foreign Education Evaluation.
• All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.
• Current and former career/career-conditional Federal employees, including those who are claiming eligibility under the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA): Most recent non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) showing you are/were in the competitive service (block 24 must contain a 1 or 2 and block 34 must contain a 1), highest grade held (or promotion potential) on a permanent basis, position title, series and grade.
• If your current grade is not your highest permanent grade, submit an additional SF-50 showing your highest grade.
• Most recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable (e.g., length of time in current position).
• A performance plan is not an acceptable substitute.
• Screenshots or printouts of electronic systems, including eHR Apps (ePMA).
• Current permanent FSA County employees must submit your most recent nonaward SF-50 showing your highest grade (or promotion potential) held on a permanent basis, position title, series and grade AND most recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) per above.
• Veteran Hiring Authorities: VEOA: DD214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty that shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions.
• Active duty members must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions within 120 days after the date the certification is submitted.
• It must be on the letterhead of the military branch and include the dates of service.
• Veterans' preference must be verified prior to appointment.
• If claiming 10-point veterans' preference you must provide the DD214 or certification (see above) plus the documentation listed on the SF-15 Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference.
• For information on eligibility and required supporting documentation for applying under the military spouses hiring authority explore Military Spouses on the USAJOBS website.
• Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act: Copies of SF-50s showing the employee served in eligible appointment(s) for a period(s) of more than 24 mos w/o a break between appointments of 2+ years.
• Include initial hire actions, extensions, conversions and separation SF-50s for each period.
• Submit performance rating(s) showing acceptable performance for each period counted towards eligibility signed by supervisor(s).
• If documentation does not exist for one or more periods, submit a statement from supervisor(s) indicating acceptable performance.
• Applicants who do not have performance documentation for any period shall provide a reason why it is not available and statement that performance for all periods was at an acceptable level.
• Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP priority must provide: proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), SF-50 documenting separation (as applicable), last performance appraisal, and the most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location.
• If applying under a special hiring authority or an interchange agreement not listed, see the requirements for that authority and submit the required supporting documentation USAJOBS Hiring Path for Special Authorities or Special Hiring Authority.

What to expect next

If you set up your USAJOBS account to send automatic email notifications, your will receive an email acknowledging: 1) the submission of your online Occupational Questionnaire and resume was successful, 2) if you were referred to the selecting official for consideration, and 3) if you were selected or not selected.

Your application will be reviewed to verify that you meet the eligibility and qualification requirements for the position prior to issuing referral lists to the selecting official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. Log in to your USAJOBS account to check your application status.

We expect to make a final job offer approximately 40 days after the deadline for applications. Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. This announcement may also be used to fill additional like vacancies, including vacancies elsewhere within the agency or other USDA organizations.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.

In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Under the Fair Chance Act, agencies are not allowed to request information about an applicant's criminal history until a conditional offer of employment has been made, except as allowed for access to classified information; assignment to national security duties or positions; acceptance or retention in the armed forces; or recruitment of a Federal law enforcement officer.

An applicant may submit a complaint or any other information related to an organization's alleged noncompliance with the Fair Chance Act. The complaint must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the date of the alleged noncompliance.

To make a Fair Chance Act inquiry or complaint, send an email with the appropriate information to ***, subject line: Fair Chance Act.

Additional information

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors.

CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100 to receive selection priority.

Veterans who are preference eligible or who have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after three years or more of continuous active service are eligible for consideration under the Veteran's Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA).

Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Employees: Permanent County employees without prior Federal tenure who are selected for a Civil Service position under Public Law 105-277 will be given a career-conditional appointment and must serve a 1-year probationary period.

Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) provides current or former temporary or term employees of federal land management agencies opportunity to compete for permanent competitive service positions. Refer to PUBLIC LAW 114-47-AUG. 7, 2015.

First time hires to the federal government normally start at the lowest rate of the salary range for the grade selected. Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expense associated with reporting for duty will be the responsibility of the selected employee.

Locality pay will vary based upon the selectee's duty location. A final salary determination will be made upon selection. If you are selected, you will be placed under a career development plan and may be non-competitively promoted.

Promotion is not guaranteed. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application.

Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis.

If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision.

You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement.

To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here.