Loan Assistant/Specialist (Agricultural)

US-Farm-Service-Agenc; Fayetteville (AR); On-site; USD 42,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

US-Farm-Service-Agenc in Arkansas seeks candidates to assist the Farm Loan Manager in administering loan programs across multiple counties, including Fayetteville and surrounding areas. The role covers analysis, application review, and servicing of agricultural loans within the USDA framework.

Ideal applicants have education in finance, economics or related fields and experience in financial analysis or loan servicing.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate and graduate education in finance, business administration, economics, accounting, insurance, engineering, mathematics, banking and credit, law, real estate operations, statistics, or related fields.
• Related fields include agriculture, agricultural economics, farm, livestock or ranch management, or rural sociology.
• Experience and/or education in financial analysis or insurance laws such as contracts, property, life, casualty, or marine insurance.
• For GS-05: three years of general experience with data analysis and clear communication; an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• GS-07/GS-09 levels require specialized experience demonstrating loan examination/servicing knowledge and farm operation awareness.

Responsibilities

• Assists the Farm Loan Manager in administering farm loan programs in a USDA Service Center.
• Serves one or more counties as part of the Arkansas program; follows the General Schedule qualifications.
• Reviews and passes upon loan applications; assists in servicing a portfolio and analyzing financial factors.

Skills

Financial analysis

Oral and written communication

Insurance laws awareness

Education

Finance

Business administration

Economics

Accounting

Agriculture related fields

Job description

Multiple positions may be filled from this vacancy. These positions are in the Farm Service Agency, Arkansas State Office in locations of:

• Jonesboro, Arkansas
• Star City, Arkansas
• Hazen, Arkansas
• Morrilton, Arkansas
• Fayetteville, Arkansas
• Texarkana, Arkansas

This position assists the Farm Loan Manager in administering farm loan programs in a USDA Service Center serving one or more Counties. 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. If education is required or being used to qualify, you must submit a copy of your transcripts.

GS- 1165 Series
Individual Occupational Requirements

Education: Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- finance, business administration, economics, accounting, insurance, engineering, mathematics, banking and credit, law, real estate operations, statistics, or other fields related to the position, such as agriculture, agricultural economics, farm, livestock or ranch management, or rural sociology.

OR

Experience: General Experience (for GS-5 positions): Experience that required gathering and analyzing facts and figures, and presenting the information or conclusions in clear oral and written language; or that provided a knowledge of the principles of financial analysis or of insurance laws, such as contract, property, life, casualty, or marine insurance.

Specialized Experience (for positions above GS-5): Experience that demonstrated competence in agricultural, commercial, realty, or other types of loans. Experience may have been gained in such work as reviewing and passing upon applications for agricultural, commercial, bank or mortgage loans; servicing a loan portfolio of a bank or other loan association; performing financial analysis of commercial concerns for investment purposes; appraising real estate to determine property valuation; or similar work.

Applicants who meet the Basic Education Requirement meet the minimum qualification requirement for the GS-05 grade level.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement, you must also possess experience and/or directly related education listed below

For the GS-5 grade level:

• General Experience Requirement: You must have three years of general experience, one year of which was equivalent to at least GS-4 grade level. General experience is defined as: gathering and analyzing facts and figures and presenting information or conclusions in clear oral and written language; OR that provided a knowledge of the principles of financial analysis or insurance laws, such as contract, property, life casualty, or marine insurance. OR

• Education at the GS-05 grade level: A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree or a bachelor's degree in finance, business administration, economics, accounting, engineering, mathematics, banking and credit, law, statistics, or another field related to the position, such as agriculture, agricultural economics, farm, livestock or ranch management, or rural sociology from an accredited college or university. OR
• Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience as listed above.

For the GS-07 grade level:

• Specialized Experience Requirement: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in federal service or comparable experience not gained through federal service. Specialized experience is defined as: Experience that demonstrates basic knowledge of loan examining and/or servicing principles, procedures and techniques as they apply to investigation, analysis, and evaluation of financial factors and credit risks in relation to granting and servicing of agricultural loans. Experience may have been gained in such work as assisting in reviewing and passing upon applications for agricultural loans; servicing an agricultural loan portfolio of a bank or other loan association; or similar work. In addition, this experience must demonstrate basic knowledge of farm operations, land use and value, production of various crops and livestock, and prices and markets in the farming area where loans are made and serviced. OR
• Education at the GS-07 grade level: One full year of graduate level education in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: finance, business administration, economics, accounting, engineering, mathematics, banking and credit, law, statistics, or another field related to the position, such as agriculture, agricultural economics, farm, livestock, farm management, ranch management, rural sociology, dairy science, domestic agricultural development or agronomy. OR
• Superior Academic Achievement: A bachelor's degree in finance, business administration, economics, accounting, engineering, mathematics, banking and credit, law, statistics, or another field related to the position, such as agriculture, agricultural economics, farm, livestock or ranch management, or rural sociology from an accredited college or university with either: 1) a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 based on a 4.0 scale; 2) a 3.5 GPA based on a 4.0 scale for required courses completed in a major field of study during the last two years of undergraduate study; 3) class standing of upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision of the college; 4) membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society certified by the Association of College Honor Societies, excluding freshman honor societies. OR
• Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience as listed above.

For the GS-9 level:

• Specialized Experience Requirement: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in federal service or comparable experience not gained through federal service. Specialized experience is defined as: Experience that demonstrates competence in agricultural loans. Experience may have been gained in such work as reviewing and passing upon applications for agricultural loans; servicing an agricultural loan portfolio of a bank or other loan association; or similar work. Experience that demonstrates knowledge of credit principles and practices to assess the fundamental soundness of individual loans by independently examining applications, supporting documents, and credit reports, and maintaining servicing activities on small agricultural loans. In addition, experience must demonstrate knowledge and understanding of farm operations, land use and value, production of various crops and livestock, and prices and markets in the farming area where loans are made and serviced. OR
• Education at the GS-09 grade level: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position. OR
• Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience as listed above.

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.