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(General) Subject: Guarantor & Lender Review Specialist GS-1101-11/12

Posted Date:November 14, 2013

Author: Karen Chauvin, Deputy Chief Compliance Officer

Subject: Guarantor & Lender Review Specialist GS-1101-11/12

Summary: Vacancy Announcement for Guarantor & Lender Review Specialist GS-1101-11/12 (All Sources)

Department:Department Of Education
Agency:Federal Student Aid
Job Title:Guarantor & Lender Review Specialist GS-1101-11/12 (All Sources)
Job Announcement Number: FSA-2013-0221
SALARY RANGE: $60,681.00 to $100,859.00 / Per Year
OPEN PERIOD:Tuesday, November 12, 2013 to
Monday, November 25, 2013
SERIES & GRADE: GS-1101-11/12
POSITION INFORMATION: Full time - Permanent
PROMOTION POTENTIAL: 12
DUTY LOCATIONS:

2 vacancies each in the following locations:
New York, NY, US
Dallas, TX, US
One or more vacancies may be filled through this announcement.

WHO MAY APPLY: The area of consideration for this position is "All Recruiting Sources"-All qualified U.S. citizens. Announcement FSA-2014-2010 is open concurrently with an area of consideration of "Federal Agencies" for status candidates. Applicants with non-competitive eligibility (i.e. VEOA, Sch. A, etc.) should also apply under announcement FSA-2014-0010.

JOB SUMMARY: Join our Team! Federal Student Aid (FSA) is Funding America's Future, One Student At A Time. Our Vision: To be the most trusted and reliable source of student financial aid, information and services in the nation.

How would you like to work for the largest organization within the Department of Education (ED) with approximately 1,200 employees located in Washington, DC and in 10 regional offices throughout the United States? That organization is the office of Federal Student Aid (FSA). FSA is the largest provider of student financial aid in the nation, providing more than $150 billion each year in grants, loans, and work-study funds to 15 million students attending college or career school. FSA is also responsible for managing or overseeing $948 billion in outstanding loans - representing 163 million student loans to more than 38 million borrowers. Just think: you will be among a team of experts who are responsible for helping millions of students achieve their goals. At Federal Student Aid, we are proud to sponsor millions of American minds pursuing higher education. Every part of our team from student aid delivery and servicing operations to vendor and contract management to budgeting and cost control plays an essential role in achieving our mission.

The Guarantor and Lender Review Specialist positions are located in the U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid, Program Compliance, Financial Institution Oversight Service Group (FIOSG) - Southern and Eastern Divisions. FSA administers all aspects of the operations for the student financial assistance programs authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. The Program Compliance Office is responsible for administering a program of monitoring and oversight of the institutions (i.e., schools, guaranty agencies, lenders, and servicers) participating in the Title IV programs. The Division offices evaluate and perform program reviews of lenders, servicers, secondary markets, and guaranty agencies and provide assistance to those recipient groups in correctly implementing the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program administered by Federal Student Aid.

These positions are responsible for evaluating each category of accounts, analysis, evaluation and synthesis of authoritative alternatives/recommendations. You will play a critical role in developing alternatives on the impact of alternative recommendations to the management staff. Your recommendations may impact on organizational and managerial aspects of the organization including modifications in the organizational structure.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

    • Must be a U.S. citizen. Security clearance is required.
    • Must complete a background investigation and fingerprint check.
    • Must complete a one-year probationary period.
    • Relocation expenses will not be paid.
    • Driver's License. Overnight travel 5 to 14 nights per month.
    • ________________________________________

    DUTIES:
    The Guarantor and Lender Review Specialists conduct comprehensive reviews of participating guaranty agencies, secondary markets, lenders, and loan servicing organizations' student loan portfolios; participating institutions for compliance with pertinent legislation, regulations, standards, and procedures; and guaranty agencies to assure that all pertinent statutes, regulations, policies and procedures are complied with Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program. The Specialists determine when findings of a review are of a serious nature to request the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) to look into the matter for civil or criminal action; assist the OIG in preparing for litigation; and may be required to appear as an expert witness or provide depositions. You will prepare written reports of program review findings. Conduct and participate in workshops, seminars, and conferences; assist in the interpretation of law and regulations; recommend changes or improvements in training techniques, methods, and materials; and make decisions relative to the intent of regulations for which precedent policy is not available.

    ________________________________________

    QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

    1101
    (GS-11)
    All qualified candidates must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level in federal service. Examples of such experience include: reviewing and recommending improvements in automated financial systems and manual operations; conducting operational reviews; performing financial, operational and technical analyses; conducting research: and recommending improvements in financial operations.

    Three academic years of graduate education. OR
    A doctoral or equivalent degree. OR
    Combination of education and experience.

    (GS-12)
    All qualified candidates must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in federal service. Examples of such experience include: conducting program reviews or audits of the administration of the federal student loan programs at lenders, lender servicers, guaranty agencies or other entities participating in these programs.

    APPLICANTS MUST MEET QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREMENTS BY THE CLOSING DATE OF THIS VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT.

    HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

    Applicants are expected to possess the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) listed below to qualify for this position. These KSAs are addressed in the self-assessment questionnaire that you will complete for this announcement. You do not need to respond separately to the KSAs listed below. Your answers to the on-line experience questions will serve as responses to the KSAs. Your application will be evaluated based on your ability to demonstrate the following KSAs.

  1. Knowledge of interpreting legislation, policies, and manuals governing Federal Student Aid programs
  2. Skilled in writing clear reports that communicate well thought-out conclusions and detailed information.
  3. Skill in fact-finding and analysis to determine compliance with rules and regulation of Title IV programs.
  4. Skill in dealing effectively with problem resolution and working in teams.

WARNING! High self-assessment in the vacancy questions that is not supported by information in your resume, and/or supporting documents may eliminate you from best-qualified status or result in a lowered score. Your responses to the vacancy questions must be substantiated by your on-line resume. Be sure that the experience/education as described on your resume contains accurate and sufficient information that clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing experience and education relevant to this position. If you exaggerate or falsify your experience, education and/or your responses to questions, your ratings can/will be changed, or you may be removed from employment consideration. You should make a fair and accurate assessment of your qualifications. Applicants who do not respond to the application questions will be rated ineligible.

Eligible candidates will be placed for selection consideration into three (3) categories as described below:

1 - Qualified Category
2 - Well Qualified Category
3 - Best Qualified Category

Do not overstate or understate your level of experience and capability. You should be aware that your ratings are subject to evaluation and verification.
To preview questions please click here.

BENEFITS:

Why Work at ED?

ED offers positions that are competitive with developmental opportunities and appropriate compensation. These positions allow for team building and enable favorable conditions to allow for goal oriented projects and rewarding opportunities to enrich your federal career.

The Department of Education, Federal Student Aid, offers a comprehensive benefits package including paid vacation and sick leave, federal holidays, health and life insurance, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), including the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). Click on http://www.opm.gov/insure/index.aspx to find out more about federal benefits.

As an ED employee, you will benefit from our family-friendly work environment. As part of our commitment to maintain a productive balance between work and home, we offer excused leave for parent/teacher Conferences (3 hours); excused leave for annual health screenings (4 hours); and matching leave for community volunteer service. Other incentives such as telecommuting and alternative work schedules also may be available to you.

The U.S. Department of Education (ED), Federal Student Aid (FSA), is a great place to work. For more detailed information regarding our various work sites, please click on the following link: http://www.ed.gov/about/jobs/open/edhires/ed-locations.html

OTHER INFORMATION:

Two (2) Guarantor and Lender Review Specialist positions will be assigned to the Southern Division located in Dallas, Texas and two (2) positions will be assigned to the Eastern Division located in New York, New York.

Veterans interested in receiving tips on preparing a Federal resume and/or how to prepare for an interview, may send an email to Iwork@ed.gov to schedule an appointment for a session. Veterans Counseling Session must be placed in the subject line of the email.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)- Eligible federal employees who were in positions and who were displaced from their positions may be eligible for selective priority over other candidates, under the ICTAP or the CTAP. Information about these programs may be found at the following links. In order to qualify, your application must receive a score of 85 in comparison with the knowledge, skills and abilities criteria. If you believe you are eligible for this special consideration, it is critical that you read the information provided in the vacancy announcement.

Student Loan Default
Applicants selected for positions are subject to a background check to verify that he or she has not defaulted on any loan funded or guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants found to be in default will be contacted to make arrangements for repayment prior to being made an official offer of employment.

THIS POSITION IS INCLUDED IN THE BARGAINING UNIT.

ADDITIONAL SELECTIONS MAY BE MADE WITHIN 90 DAYS OF THE OPENING DATE OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, SHOULD VACANCIES OCCUR.

________________________________________

HOW TO APPLY:

Please carefully read the information provided under the link listed below. The section entitled "How to Apply" provides detailed instructions on faxing your supporting documentation. All required supporting documentation MUST be received by midnight Eastern Time on the closing date of the announcement. You are encouraged to thoroughly review the list of supplement documents required. It is critical to note that many documents may not pertain to you. You are only required to submit those that apply to you. http://www2.ed.gov/about/jobs/open/edhires/appendix.html

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

SF-50 (Current and Former Federal Employees): Submit a copy of an SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, which shows your current grade and competitive civil service status. If your current grade is not your highest permanent grade, submit a copy of an additional SF-50 showing your highest grade.

Veterans' Preference Documentation (DD214, VA letter, SF-15): Required from applicants if applying for an appointment under special veterans' appointing authority.CTAP/ICTAP Documentation: Required from displaced Federal employees if meeting this criteria

Noncompetitive Appointing Authority Documentation: Required from applicants applying for consideration under a noncompetitive authority.

The Federal Government is committed to expanding access to employment by hiring people with disabilities; providing technical assistance and information on reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities; and identifying and removing barriers to work. Persons with disabilities may apply for jobs filled either competitively (where qualified individuals compete with one another through a structured process), noncompetitively (where a qualified individual may be selected based on a special appointing authority), or through an excepted appointing authority for people with disabilities (i.e. Schedule A). People who are selected for a Federal job must meet the qualification requirements for the position and be able to perform the essential duties of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. For information on "People with Disabilities"please visit http://opm.gov/disability/PeopleWithDisabilities.asp
Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)- Eligible federal employees who were in positions and who were displaced from their positions may be eligible for selective priority over other candidates, under the ICTAP or the CTAP. Information about these programs may be found at the following links. In order to qualify, your application must receive a score of 85 in comparison with the knowledge, skills and abilities criteria. If you believe you are eligible for this special consideration, it is critical that you read the information provided in the link below. http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp

No forms will be accepted after the closing date.

AGENCY CONTACT INFO:
Frances Walker
Phone: 202-377-3742
Fax: 000-000-0000
Email: Frances.Walker@ed.gov

WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT:

We will inform you of the status of your application at four stages: (1) Upon receipt of your application; (2) Upon minimum qualification determinations; (3) Upon issuing the highly qualified candidates to the hiring official; and finally (4) once a selection is made. It is essential that you have a current e-mail address on file with USAJOBS. You will be notified of our application status by the servicing Human Resources Specialist via email. You may also check the status of your application at USA JOBS.