Summary The incumbent provides office management and administrative support to the immediate office and Field offices in the areas of, financial management, human resources management, and contract management services and is supervised by the Assistant State Conservationist for Field Operations. Responsibilities Conducts second level review for new obligations and modifications; Reviews and processes Pro Tracts conservation program contract payments; Leads and/or conducts efforts to fulfill audit requests serving as liaison with partner agencies to obtain necessary contractual related data and information to ensure accuracy, completeness, and policy and legislative compliance. Manages the purchase card program and provides back-up support to other organizational units statewide as needed. The incumbent is the sole purchase card holder and serves as the purchase card subject matter expert; Initiates personnel actions as instructed by supervisor, including the preparation of the forms SF-52 and other associated documentation, for submission to the State Office and assists with coordination and distribution of awards; Provides administrative training to employees and partners on agency operating procedures and requirements, including the use of government vehicles, and accident reporting procedures; Prepares and/or provides second level review of contribution agreements, cooperative agreements, operational agreements, and other fund-obligating documents as needed. Serves as subject matter expert for travel policy and the electronic travel system; Assists travelers as needed with the preparation of travel authorizations and vouchers for submission to the National Finance Center; Serves as timekeeper and backup timekeeper as needed and is responsible for reviewing the time and attendance information that has been entered into the timekeeping system Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. Time in grade: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience at the next lower grade to be considered for the next higher grade (e.g. one year at the GS-05 grade level for consideration for the GS-07 grade level; or one year at the GS-07 grade level for consideration for the GS-09 grade level). Basic Qualifications: Specialized Experience Requirement-GS-07-One full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-5 level of the Federal service that demonstrates experience providing administrative support to coordinate priorities, commitments and program goals of an office. Examples of specialized experience include: providing technical assistance for support services, budget/project tracking, program analysis; skill in using various software packages to prepare reports; OR Superior Academic Achievement in a bachelor's degree curriculum directly related to the work of the position. To qualify for superior academic achievement, you must have ONE of the following: (1) standing in the upper third of your college class or major subdivision at the time you apply; (2) grade point average of B (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) or its equivalent for all courses completed, either (a) at the time of application or (b) during the last 2 years of your undergraduate curriculum; (3) B+ (3.5 on a 4.0 scale) or its equivalent for all courses completed in a related discipline, either (a) at the time of application or (b) during the last 2 years of your undergraduate curriculum; OR (4) election to membership in one of the national honorary scholastic societies that meets the requirements of the Association of College Honor Society; OR Education in lieu of specialized experience: One full year of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related; OR Combination of education and experience: A combination of graduate-level education and experience, as described above, may be used to qualify for this position. This combination must have equipped you with the necessary knowledge and/or experience to successfully perform the duties of this position. Combinations of experience and education must total at least 100% as outlined in OPM Qualifications policy. Specialized Experience Requirement-GS-09-One full year of specialized experience, equivalent to the Federal GS-7 level or higher, that has equipped me with the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of this position. Examples of specialized experience include: performing duties in support of a variety of business operations, administrative services, and/or management support programs and functions (e.g. leasing, information technology, procurement, purchasing, agreements, access control, training); gathering information, identifying and analyzing issues and/or participating in activities to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of work operations in support of organizational program objectives; using automated systems and databases to accomplish work activities, prepare spreadsheets, manipulate data and produce analysis reports and spreadsheets; OR Education in lieu of specialized experience: 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 Combination of education and experience: A combination of graduate-level education and experience, as described above, may be used to qualify for this position. This combination must have equipped you with the necessary knowledge and/or experience to successfully perform the duties of this position. Combinations of experience and education must total at least 100% as outlined in OPM Qualifications policy. 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 You must submit a copy of your college transcripts or a list of college courses with credit hours, dates completed, and grades received to verify all education requirements (i.e. substitution of education and/or basic education requirement). If a relevant course is not clearly qualifying (e.g. special topic, seminar, research, thesis, obscure or misleading course title, etc.), please submit an official course syllabi and/or detailed course description from the university/college for that particular course to ensure you are properly evaluated. Please note that qualifications determinations are based solely on the information submitted for each particular vacancy announcement. You must document all requirements on every vacancy; we cannot use previous determinations as a basis for rating. All required information must be received by the closing date of this announcement, and non-submission of all required documents/documentation will result in non-consideration. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted. This information must be received by the closing date of this announcement. Non-submission of these documents will result in non-consideration. 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. Applicants must, therefore, only report attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation via this link. All education claimed by applicants will be verified accordingly. Important: 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. Click on this link for more information. 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. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100. Recruitment and/or relocation incentives may be authorized. This position is eligible for telework within the local commuting area of the position and other flexible work arrangements. Current USDA policy includes telework for an 8 hour work day, 4 days per week; other flexibilities are possible dependent upon availability and/or the position and its associated duties. Employee participation is at the discretion of the supervisor. 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. Individuals must have more than 24 months of service without a break between appointments of two or more years. Service must be in the competitive service and have been at a successful level of performance or better. Refer to PUBLIC LAW 114-47-AUG. 7, 2015 for more information. Physical Demands: Work requires long periods of standing, walking over rough terrain, recurring bending, crouching, stooping, reaching, or similar activities. Work may also include frequent lifting of moderately heavy items, such as equipment and samples that weigh less than 50 pounds. Work Environment: The work involves regular and recurring exposure to all types of weather conditions and working around agricultural equipment. The work also involves risks and discomfort due to weather conditions, poisonous insects, plants, and snakes, requiring safety precautions and protective clothing. PLEASE NOTE: In the interest of filling these positions as efficiently as possible, we are requiring the following: If called for an interview, applicants must be available to interview within 3 business days of being contacted. If a tentative job offer is extended, selectee will have 2 business days in which to accept or decline.