Program Analyst (Disaster)

About the role

This position is located in the Small Business Administration, Office of Disaster Recovery. The incumbent reviews disaster program operations and constituent-facing activities to assess accuracy, consistency, timeliness, and compliance with applicable laws, regulations, policies, procedures, and program requirements.

What you will do

• Perform assigned quality-control reviews or defined portions of broader reviews of disaster program operations and constituent-facing activities.
• Review assigned samples of program activities, transactions, records, and communications to determine whether required actions were completed and documented, and applicable requirements were correctly applied.
• Collect, organize, sort, and validate qualitative and quantitative program information and supporting evidence.
• Examine program records, transactions, case documentation, communications, and supporting evidence for completeness and relevance.
• Develop corrective-action recommendations addressing program errors, service-delivery problems, operational deficiencies, and documentation issues within established policies, procedures, training, controls, and review criteria.
• As a Program Analyst (Disaster) at the GS- 0343-12, some of your typical work assignments may include: Independently conduct comprehensive quality-control reviews of disaster program operations and constituent-facing activities within the established review framework.
• Review program activities, transactions, records, and communications to determine whether required actions were completed and documented and applicable laws, regulations, policies, procedures, and service standards were followed.
• Organize and sort assigned program data and supporting evidence; identify documentation needs and request additional information necessary to complete reviews.
• Analyze qualitative and quantitative information to identify trends, distinguish isolated errors from recurring deficiencies, and determine the nature, extent, and significance of problems.
• Independently resolve most technical and analytical issues through application and interpretation of governing requirements and established quality-control methods.
• Determine appropriate organizational points of contact and obtain and clarify information from managers, program officials, subject-matter experts, and responsible employees.
• IMPORTANT NOTES: The salary range above reflects the employee's base salary.
• Locality Pay will be added based on the location of the employee's residence.
• TRAVEL STATEMENT- You may be required to travel to a disaster site during increased disaster activity for extended periods with little or no advanced notice.
• If so, you may encounter hazardous working and/or living conditions; i.e., no water or electricity and/or minimal lodging facilities.
• Travel expenses are compensated based on SBA policy and Federal regulations.
• This position works on an as needed basis.
• This means that employees are in a pay and duty status only when activated to respond to workload needs, especially in response to heightened disaster activity.
• When not needed, employees return to a non-pay status until the next event necessitates additional staff.
• However, depending on the workload and/or level of disaster activity, your work schedule may be changed to full-time.
• Subsequently, if the workload decreases, you may be placed in a non-pay status.
• Mandatory Overtime: In order to respond quickly and efficiently to disaster survivors, substantial compensated overtime hours may be required while on assignment (up to seven days a week and twelve to fourteen hours a day).
• A valid driver's license may be required.

Education

APPLICANTS PLEASE NOTE: 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 (particularly positions with a positive education requirement.) Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Verify School accreditation. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly.

If you are selected for this position and qualified based on education (i.e. basic education requirement and/or substitution of education), you will be required to provide an OFFICIAL transcript prior to your first day on duty. *** If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. *** For further information, click on: Foreign Education.

How you will be evaluated

Applicants meeting basic eligibility requirements will be further evaluated based on additional assessments. One of these assessment is USA Hire. 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 the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Your USA Hire 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.

The assessments relate to the following Competencies required to do the work of this position: Accountability Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Influencing/Negotiating Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process.

One of the required assessments for this position is an online assessment that measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. The assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies.

You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered.

You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment. Your application will be evaluated under the Category Rating method based on your assessments. You will receive a score based on the responses to the assessment questions.

If, after reviewing your resume and or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience your score can and will be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities. If you meet basic requirements for the position, your application will be evaluated and placed into one of three categories: 1.

Best-Qualified: highly proficient with an overall comprehensive level of knowledge, skills and abilities related to the job based on a complete review of experience, education, and training as described in an applicant's responses to the assessment questions and resume. 2.

Well-Qualified: competent in the position with an overall accomplished level of knowledge, skills, and abilities related to the job based on a complete review of experience, training, and education as applicable, as described in an applicant's responses to the assessment questions and resume. 3.

Qualified: an overall basic level of knowledge, skills, and abilities related to the job based on a complete review of experience, education, and training, as described in an applicant's responses to the assessment questions and resume.

Candidates eligible for veterans' preference will be placed ahead of other candidates in the appropriate category for which they have been rated. Additionally, preference eligibles who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent and who meet Minimum Qualification Requirements will automatically be placed in the Best Qualified Category.

Documents you must provide

• Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing date/time of the vacancy will result in your removal from consideration for this position.
• Please review your application prior to final submission and ensure you have submitted all appropriate documents.
• Uploading documents to USA Jobs does NOT ensure inclusion with your application to our system.
• You must verify that the documents are in the system with your application prior to final submission.
• Your Resume must not include photographs.
• Resume length may not exceed 2 pages and must contain the following information: Name, address, telephone number, email address; Job Title (if Federal Service, provide series and grade; if not in GS plan, provide GS equivalent grade); If qualifying based on related unpaid (e.g. volunteer service) experience, you must provide hours worked per week and beginning/ending dates (mm/dd/yyyy to mm/dd/yyyy); If other than full time you must provide hours worked per week.
• PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC.
• WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.
• Your resume must contain sufficiently detailed information upon which to make a qualification determination.
• You must address the specific specialized experience required for each grade level of this position on your resume or application or you will be rated "Ineligible" for that grade level.
• Should you submit multiple resumes, only the latest uploaded resume will be reviewed.
• In addition to the online application (resume and responses to the occupational questionnaire), you are required to submit the following forms, if applicable.
• It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure all documents are legible: If you are using education as a substitution for experience (the announcement will state whether this is allowed), or if there is an educational requirement for this position, you must submit a copy of your transcripts (unofficial or official) that clearly describes your qualifying education.
• If selected, official transcripts will be required; If you are claiming Veteran status, you must submit a copy of all required documents to support your claim (e.g.: DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service; Current Active Duty members must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions dated within 120 days; SF-15 Form and related documentation; VA disability letter)--see VetGuide; Veterans who are still in the service may be granted tentative preference on the basis of information contained in their applications, but they must produce a DD-214 (showing the character of service) or other proof of service to receive consideration for veterans' preference.
• For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit FedsHireVets.gov.
• CTAP/ICTAP/RPL Applicants: 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 (if applicable), your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with your application per 5 CFR 330, and your most recent performance appraisal.

What to expect next

SUITABILITY, CLEARANCE & REQUIREMENTS: A background investigation may be required for all new hires. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background investigation and favorable adjudication.

Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period (depending on type of appointment authority) 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 this period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Telework may be available.

For information on Telework visit: *** - Consistent with work requirements and current SBA Policy, and all applicable provisions of the collective bargaining agreement with AFGE the SBA offers employees opportunities to perform work at an alternative location (e.g. home).

Additional vacancies may be filled from this vacancy announcement if additional vacancies occur within 180 days of the date the certificates were issued. Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law.

For additional information visit *** SBA uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

Additional information

Reasonable Accommodation Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation in your online application.

Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations 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.

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 Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments Career and InterAgency Career Transition Assistance Programs: Are programs that applies 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.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) is a program that helps "surplus" or "displaced" federal employees improve their chances of finding a new job in their current agency (intra-agency, i.e. SBA employees only).

Inter-Agency Career Transition Assistance (ICTAP) is a program that helps "surplus" or "displaced" federal employees improve their chances of finding a new job at another agency (inter-agency; i.e. not applying to their current or former agency). You are eligible for CTAP/ICTAP if: 1.

You are a current federal employee who meets the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee meaning you have received official notice that your job is no longer needed or that you will lose your job by Reduction-in-Force (RIF). 2. Your agency, or the agency to which you are applying, is accepting applications from within or outside of the permanent workforce.

3. The position to which you are applying MUST BE in the Local Commuting Area of the position of record from which you are being displaced. 4.

You meet the qualifications and other requirements of the job for which you are applying. This includes being rated as well-qualified for the position (score of 85 or better based on your responses to the competencies and associated questions listed within the assessment).