SUMMARY

This Public Notice Flyer will fill several Grants Management Specialist positions in the Department of Commerce (DOC), Office of Economic Development Administration (EDA), under the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (Public Law 118-272) to support implementation of the FY2025 Disaster Supplemental Program and other EDA programs.

QUALIFICATIONS

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management’s website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/
Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience need not have been in the federal government.
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.

To qualify at the GS-9 level, you must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as experience:

• Assisting with grant applications or investments; and
• Assessing projects for compliance with federal regulations, guidance, policies, and procedures.

THE FOLLOWING EDUCATION MAY BE SUBSTITUTED FOR WORK EXPERIENCE AT THE GS9 LEVEL: Master’s or equivalent graduate degree such as LL.B or J.D. in a course of study that’s directly related OR a combination of education and experience.

To qualify at the GS-11 level, you must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as experience:

• Managing pre and post award processes for grants or investments.
• Assessing projects for compliance with federal regulations, guidance, policies, and
• procedures.
• Negotiating with staff or community partners on development and management of grant agreements, including components, legal aspects, funding, and authorities.

THE FOLLOWING EDUCATION MAY BE SUBSTITUTED FOR WORK EXPERIENCE AT THE GS11 LEVEL: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree OR
3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree OR LL.M., if related OR a combination of education and experience.

To qualify at the GS-12 level, you must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as experience:

• Managing pre and post award processes for grants and investments.
• Assessing projects for compliance with federal regulations, guidance, policies, and procedures.
• Negotiating with staff or community partners on development and management of grant agreements, including components, legal aspects, funding, and authorities.
• Developing and recommending investment strategies.
• Performing financial and administrative analyses.

There is no education substitution at the GS12 level or higher.

EDUCATION

There is no education requirement for this position.
If substituting specialized experience for education at the GS9 or GS11 grade levels, a transcript must be provided.

IF YOU ARE RELYING ON YOUR EDUCATION TO MEET QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

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.

As a Grants Management Specialist you will:

• Manage the grants approval process (pre and post) providing technical support for solicitation and development of investment proposals.
• Prepare and convey grant awards documents, conduct project management conferences with recipients.
• Research numerous criteria, laws, rules, and regulations to determine what is legal and applicable in formulating agreements.

(These duties are listed at the full performance level the GS-12, full performance level.)