Duties

Leadership and Management:
As the leader of Business Opportunity Specialists in the district, the Lead spends a regular and recurring part of their time providing effective leadership, management and oversight required to optimize the deployment of SBA programs and services in the District and to achieve assigned goals.

Business Development:
Provides business development assistance to small business regarding federal socioeconomic government contracting programs requiring certifications actions to include, but not limited to: 8(a), HUBZone, EDWOSB, WOSB, SDVOSB and VOSB.

Trainings:
Develops and delivers training related materials to meet the needs of small businesses and SBA organizations/agencies.

Federal Contracting Programs Support and Compliance:
Provides training to federal contracting officers, Procurement Center Representative (PCR), Commercial Market Representatives (CMR), small business officers and other federal contracting officers, decision makers and influencers.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen.
• You must be a current SBA career/conditional competitive service employee.
• You must successfully complete a background investigation.
• You may be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
• Due to COVID-19, the SBA is currently in an expanded telework status. If selected, you may be permitted to temporarily telework from a location outside the official duty station described in this announcement.
• Once employees are permitted to return to the office, you will be expected to report to the duty station listed in this announcement. At that time, you will be eligible to request telework in accordance with the SBA's telework and office policies.
• As required by Executive Order 14043, Federal employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Please see Next Steps for more information on this Executive Order.

Qualifications

Specialized Experience:
GS-13: At least one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-12 grade level) in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector which demonstrates the ability to work independently in the performance of all of the following:

• applying knowledge of federal procurement laws, regulations, policies, and procedures when recruiting, training, educating or developing businesses interested in doing business with the government or prime contractors (e.g. Supplier Training, Supplier Development); and
• working with government entities and prime contractors to support the accomplishment of their business goals (e.g. Needs Assessment, Requirements Development, Assessment of Business Capabilities, Acquisition Planning); and
• promoting the Agency's programs and services through outreach and marketing; and
• linking the needs of organizations (government organizations or prime/sub-contractors) to the capabilities of businesses (e.g. Market Research, Supplier Selection, Networking Sessions).

AND

• A four (4) year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, OR at least 24 semester hours in any combination of the following fields: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management.

Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on OPM's Qualifications web site: Business Opportunity Specialist Series 1101

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.

TIME-IN-GRADE: If you are a current career or career-conditional federal employee applying for promotion under Merit Promotion you must have completed a minimum of 52 weeks in positions at the next level lower than the position being filled

Selective Placement Factors: This position requires a special qualification that has been determined to be essential to perform the duties and will be used as a screen out element. Those who do not provide evidence they possess the following selective factor(s) will be rated not qualified.

In accordance with the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2016 you must have successfully completed ALL of the mandatory training course requirements to obtain a Level I Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (or successor certification) or the equivalent Department of Defense certification. You MUST submit your qualifying certification with this application or you will be rated ineligible for consideration.

OR

You must agree to complete the training program required to obtain Level I FAC-C certification, as a current or future employee of the SBA, by the date that is one calendar year after the date you are appointed as a Business Opportunity Specialist (you will be required to sign a training agreement if selected).

All qualification requirements must be met by 11:59 pm (Eastern Time) on 12/02/2021 of this vacancy announcement.

Education

You must met the specialized experience requirements and education. You MUST submit transcripts (official or unofficial) with this application:

• A four (4) year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, OR at least 24 semester hours in any combination of the following fields: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management.

APPLICANTS PLEASE NOTE: 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 (particularly positions with a positive education requirement.) Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Verify School accreditation . All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly. *** 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. *** For further information, click on: Foreign Education .

Additional information

Career and InterAgency Career Transition Assistance Programs:
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) is a program that helps "surplus" or "displaced" federal employees improve their chances of finding a new job in their current agency (intra-agency, i.e. SBA employees only).

Inter-Agency Career Transition Assistance (ICTAP) is a program that helps "surplus" or "displaced" federal employees improve their chances of finding a new job at another agency (inter-agency; i.e. not applying to their current or former agency).

You are eligible for CTAP/ICTAP if:
1. You are a current federal employee who meets the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee meaning you have received official notice that your job is no longer needed or that you will lose your job by Reduction-in-Force (RIF).
2. Your agency, or the agency to which you are applying, is accepting applications from within or outside of the permanent workforce.
3. The position to which you are applying MUST BE in the Local Commuting Area of the position of record from which you are being displaced.
4. You meet the qualifications and other requirements of the job for which you are applying. This includes being rated as well-qualified for the position (score of 85 or better based on your responses to the competencies and associated questions listed within the assessment).

Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. For additional information visit www.sss.gov .

Consistent with work requirements and current SBA Policy, and all applicable provisions of the collective bargaining agreement with AFGE the SBA offers employees opportunities to perform work at an alternative location (e.g. home).

Telework may be available. For information on Telework visit: http://www.telework.gov/

Additional vacancies may be filled from this vacancy announcement if additional vacancies occur within 180 days of the date the certificates were issued.

OTHER EVALUATIONS: The Small Business Administration is committed to building a high-performing, 21st century workforce that possesses the following core attributes: cultural astuteness, technological proficiency, articulate, strong writing capabilities, superior conflict resolution skills, and exceptional presentation skills. Candidates should be prepared as they may be further evaluated on these attributes throughout the application and selection process.