Program Specialist

This Program Specialist position is with Forest Service (Department of Agriculture) in Phoenix, AZ. This position is located at a Forest Service (FS) research station. The incumbent serves in a confidential position as assistant to a Research Program Manager (PM) or Assistant Director (AD), and as Program Specialist for the unit. For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact Charles Luce at Charles.Luce@usda.gov. Key duties: • The duties listed below are at the GS-09 grade level. • Reviews and interprets regulations, manuals, and guides for consistency with local policy and maintains regulations. • Uses own judgment in screening matters which can be handled personally or by the PM/AD’s subordinates. • The incumbent is responsible for managing or supervising all record keeping aspects of the PM/AD’s budget. • The incumbent provides a variety of office and facilitation services essential to support the overall research effort, which may include grants and agreements, procurement, personal property, travel, etc. • Maintains a system to ensure that performance standards and appraisals of Program staff are accomplished within the established due dates. • This position serves as the key focal point for the Program, providing advice, counsel, and assistance to Program employees, supervisors, and managers on the interpretation and application of established laws, regulations, and procedures. • Performs supervisory duties 20% or less of the time. Qualifications: In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards. Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary. Specialized Experience Requirement: For the GS-07 level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 grade level. OR One full year of graduate level education in a geographic information systems related field of study. OR Appropriate combination of specialized experience and graduate level education. OR Superior Academic Achievement (to determine if you are eligible, go to: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/. The education was obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. Qualifying specialized experience is defined as one or more of the following: Served as an office assistant managing the activities, correspondence, and inquiries directed to an organization's management staff; Prepared, reviewed and edited drafts of reports and similar products; Utilized a range of automated systems to carry out administrative functions on behalf of the management staff e.g., word processing, spreadsheets, presentation, email, scheduling, travel, budget and/or other comparable software and systems; Performed studies or analyses of administrative programs and made recommendations for improving methods. For the GS-09 level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level; OR Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related; OR Appropriate combination of specialized experience and education (only graduate education in excess of 18 semester hours may be used to qualify applicants for this grade level). The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. Qualifying specialized experience is defined as one or more of the following: Prepared, reviewed and edited drafts of written correspondence, presentations, reports and similar products; Utilized a range of automated systems to carry out administrative functions on behalf of the management staff e.g., word processing, spreadsheets, presentation, email, scheduling, travel, budget and/or other comparable software and systems; Reviewed and analyzed administrative procedures for an organization or business and recommended changes to improve administrative effectiveness; Provided technical assistance to employees on administrative matters. 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, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. TIME IN GRADE REQUIREMENT: If you are a current federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirements of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. This requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement. View the full announcement and apply on USAJOBS.gov.