This position is in the Farm Service Agency, Virginia State Office, located in Richmond, Virginia. About the position: The selectee plans, administers and reviews all aspects of the farm program activities.

Duties

Provide technical leadership, consultation, and oversight. Analyze and interpret provisions on current and proposed national program policies, procedures and regulations to determine their applicability to and impact on program administration in the State. Attend meetings and develop and maintain contacts with various governmental agencies, producers and trade organizations. Provide technical guidance and assistance as needed with programs' and automated applications.

Requirements

• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• 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.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/.
• Successful completion of a Public Trust background investigation.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check. If selected you will be sent instruction on obtaining fingerprints. Please note we are not able to reimburse any fees incurred for fingerprints.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement 12/17/2024 including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined. Individual Occupational Requirement1. Education: Undergraduate Education: Major study -- economics, agricultural economics, marketing, business administration, animal or poultry science/husbandry, agronomy, soil science, or related curricula dealing with the production and distribution of farm products. Graduate Education: Major study -- dairy science, agricultural marketing, domestic agricultural development, farm management, agronomy, or other agricultural specialty areas. -OR- 2. Experience: Experience that demonstrated: Knowledge of the laws and regulations governing agricultural stabilization and conservation programs and of the particular application of national policies and objectives at the State level Understanding of farming practices and customs in the United States, and of the economic needs of farm communities at the State level Knowledge of current State and Federal agricultural trends; and Ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with representatives of public and private organizations, farmers' associations, and others, and to interpret regulations, programs, and policies affecting them. Examples of qualifying experience include: Agricultural extension works as a subject-matter specialist, county agent, or assistant or associate county agent. Teacher of vocational agriculture. District director, State program specialist, or county office employee performing duties in the operational phases of farm programs such as production adjustment, price support, and conservation. Experience at the county, district, or State government levels in the operational phases of farm programs of the type carried out through such agencies as the Soil Conservation Service, Farmers Home Administration, or related programs. In addition to meeting one of the Individual Occupational Requirements listed above, applicants must meet the following Minimum Qualifications Requirement in order to be considered: Specialized experience for the GS-9: One full-time year of specialized work experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the GS-7 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that demonstrates knowledge of the laws and regulations governing agricultural stabilization and conservation programs to assist in the determination of the application of national policies and objectives at the State level; Understanding of farming practices and customs in the United States, and of the economic needs of farm communities at the State level; Experience communicating with representatives of public organizations, farmers' associations, and others, to provide agricultural program information affecting them -OR- Two full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education or master's or equivalent graduate degree from an accredited college or university with a major field of study in dairy science, agricultural marketing, domestic agricultural development, farm management, agronomy, or other agricultural specialty areas -OR- A combination of graduate education and experience as listed above. Time in grade: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirement of 52 weeks of service at the GS-7 grade level. Specialized experience for the GS-11: One full-time year of specialized work experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the GS-9 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience which demonstrates knowledge of the laws and regulations governing agricultural stabilization and conservation programs to assist in applying national policies and objectives at the State level; Understanding of farming practices and customs in the United States, and of the economic needs of farm communities at the State level; Experience working with representatives of public organizations, farmers' associations, and others, to interpret agricultural regulations, programs, and policies affecting them -OR- Three full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education or Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree from an accredited college or university with a major field of study in dairy science, agricultural marketing, domestic agricultural development, farm management, agronomy, or other agricultural specialty areas -OR- A combination of graduate education and experience as listed above. Time in grade: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirement of 52 weeks of service at the GS-9 grade level. Specialized experience for the GS-12: One full-time year of specialized work experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the GS-11 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that demonstrates knowledge of the laws and regulations governing agricultural stabilization and conservation programs to serve as an advisor on the application of national policies and objectives at the State level; Understanding of farming practices and customs in the United States, and of the economic needs of farm communities at the State level; Experience maintaining relationships with representatives of public organizations, farmers' associations, and others, to interpret agricultural regulations, programs, and policies affecting them. Time in grade: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirement of 52 weeks of service at the GS-11 grade level. For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here: Agricultural Program Specialist Series 1145 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

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements for the GS-9 or GS-11 grade levels:

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. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

The substitution of education is not qualifying for the GS-12 grade level.

Contacts

• Address Farm Service Agency 1400 Independence Ave SW Washington, DC 20250 US
• Name: Jennifer Falkner
• Email: [email protected]