Financial Assistance Paralegal

This position is located at Departmental Offices, Domestic Finance - Community Development Financial Institutions Fund. This office provides advice to the CDFI Fund with respect to legal matters facing the CDFI Fund including, but not limited to, activities related to the closing of financial assistance, technical assistance, tax credit, and other awards and allocations made by the CDFI Fund through various programs.

Duties

The following are the duties of this position at the GS-12. If you are selected at a lower grade level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform all these duties, and will receive training to help you grow in this position.

• Perform legal research and analysis in multiple areas of law, including: Freedom of Information Act, Privacy Act, and ethics/conflicts of interest, travel, and others.
• Assist in management of conflict of interest review process for application readers in all of the Fund's programs.
• Perform paralegal duties that require acting on own initiative and, in consultation with attorneys, exercise independent judgment and discretion in the application of laws, regulations, and policies. Analyze legal issues and plan a comprehensive approach for disposition of matters or projects.
• Compose correspondence on routine matters without direction based on precedents; produce complex correspondence from verbal direction, dictation or rough draft copy; proofread and edit to produce superior finished product; prepare reports and related materials.
• Provide administrative support to the Office of Legal Counsel including, but not limited to: maintain filing system, coordinate service requests with the CDFI Fund's Office of Management, maintain office calendar, schedule meetings and appointments with individuals both inside and outside the CDFI Fund, and prepare meeting agendas.

Salary

• $85,447 - $111,087/year

Conditions of Employment

Key Requirements:

• Must be U.S. Citizen or U.S. National.
• All newly appointed employees to the competitive (or excepted) service are subject to a probationary (or trial) period. During this time, your performance, conduct, and suitability for continued employment will be evaluated. You will not automatically convert to permanent status at the end of the probationary (or trial) period. Your supervisor must affirmatively determine that continued employment is in the best interest of the Federal service. If no certification is made before the probationary (or trial) period ends, your appointment will be terminated. You are encouraged to actively engage with your supervisor, seek feedback, and understand role expectations. Additional guidance and support will be provided during onboarding.
• Must successfully complete a background investigation.
• All new hires will be required to comply with federal ethics laws. A review of financial or other interests may be conducted to determine if they create any real or apparent conflict of interests with official Treasury duties.
• Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
• Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
• If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
• Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S.
• Obtain and use a Government-issued charge card for business-related travel.
• Please refer to the "Additional Information" section for additional Conditions of Employment.

Qualifications

You must meet the following requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Specialized Experience for the GS-11 you must have one year (full 52 weeks) of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as:

- Assisting with legal research and preparing legal documents using federal laws, regulations, and agency policies; AND
- Assisting attorneys and program staff with award closings or other legal and administrative processes by preparing documents, tracking assignments, and maintaining record; AND
- Reviewing and analyzing information to support legal or program activities and communicating with internal and external stakeholders.

OR;

EDUCATION: You may substitute education for specialized experience as follows:

- 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;

COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: You may qualify on a combination of education and experience. To combine education and experience, the total percentage of experience at the required grade level compared to the requirement, as well as the percentage of completed education compared to the requirement must equal at least 100 percent. Only graduate level education in excess of the first 36 semester hours (54 quarter hours) may be combined to be considered for qualifying education.

The experience may have been gained in either the public, private sector or volunteer service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/day/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week on your resumé.

TIME-IN-GRADE: In addition to the above requirements, you must meet the following time-in-grade requirement, if applicable: For the GS-11, you must have been at the GS-09 level for 52 weeks.

TIME AFTER COMPETITIVE APPOINTMENT: Candidates who are current Federal employees serving on a non-temporary competitive appointment must have served at least three months in that appointment.

Education The education generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions. Other Information During the application process you will have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact on your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. OTHER INFORMATION: We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies. This is a bargaining unit position. Relocation expenses will not be paid. We offer opportunities for telework. We offer opportunities for flexible work schedules. This position requires that the successful candidate undergo personnel vetting, which includes a background investigation and enrollment upon onboarding into "Continuous Vetting." Enrollment in Continuous Vetting will result in automated record checks being conducted throughout one's employment with Treasury. The successful candidate will also be enrolled into FBI's Rap Back service, which will allow Treasury to receive notification from the FBI of criminal matters (e.g., arrests, charges, convictions) involving enrolled individuals in near real-time. For more information about individual rights, Noncriminal Justice Applicant's Privacy Rights - FBI, FD-258 Privacy Act Statement - FBI, and SEAD-3-Reporting-U.pdf (dni.gov). Learn more about Federal benefits programs at: USAJOBS Help Center - Benefits Our comprehensive benefits are very generous. Our benefits package includes: Challenging work, opportunities for advancement, competitive salaries, bonuses and incentive awards. Eleven paid holidays, 13 days of sick leave, and 13 to 26 days of vacation time each year. Access to insurance programs that may be continued after you retire. A wide choice of health insurance plans, coverage for pre-existing conditions, and no waiting periods. We pay a substantial amount (up to 75%) of the health insurance premiums. A retirement program which includes employer-matching contributions. Learn more about Federal benefits programs at: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Pay_and_Benefits The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Treasury and its bureaus from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Treasury by email at, FairChanceAct@treasury.gov. To learn more, please visit our page at: Treasury.gov/fairchanceact. For more information regarding the job and applicant status, please refer to USAJOBS Help Center - How to see your application and job status USAJOBS Help Center - How to see your application and job status. Required Documents

A complete application includes:

1. All applicants are required to submit a resumé, either by creating one in USAJOBS, or uploading one of their own choosing. (Cover letters are optional.)

• Please limit your resume to two-pages. Applicants with resumes exceeding two-pages will be removed from consideration.
• To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/date/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resumé.
• It is suggested that you preview the entire announcement and online questionnaire, to ensure that your resumé thoroughly describes how your skills and experience align to the criteria defined in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and support your responses to the online questionnaire.
• For resumé writing guidance, please visit USAJOBS Resources Center.

2. Vacancy question responses: All applicants are required to complete vacancy question responses by clicking the apply online button of this vacancy announcement.

3. Submission of any required documents identified below, if applicable: Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible)

• CURRENT AND FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES: Documentation Relating to Your Federal Employment:
  • You must submit a copy of your SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) which shows your current (or most recent) grade and competitive service status. (The "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2".) Typically Award SF-50s do not provide the required documentation.
  • If you are currently on a Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA), you must submit a copy of an SF-50 showing that. Also, you must submit a copy of your DD214 or other documentation showing dates of service and type of discharge (Member 4) and any other applicable documents such as SF-15, VA letters, etc.
  • Indicate on your application the highest permanent grade you have held; if this grade is different from your current grade, you must submit a copy of an additional SF-50 showing this grade.
• Land Management Eligibles must provide all required documentation to verify eligibility, prior performance, and qualifications for the target position. You can find information on the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act and eligibility HERE. Land Management Eligibles must compete under competitive merit promotion procedures and meet all applicable requirements as such (time-in-grade restrictions do not apply).
• CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (CTAP) OR INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (ICTAP) DOCUMENTATION: If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee, click CTAP/ICTAP for eligibility and a detailed list of required documents you must submit in order to be eligible.
• If you are applying under a special hiring authority (e.g. Military Spouses, Interchange Agreement, VEOA, VRA, Schedule A Disability, etc.), please see USAJOBS Help Center - Unique Hiring Paths. In order to be eligible under one of these authorities, you must submit all required documentation as outlined in the applicant guide.
• NON-COMPETITIVE REINSTATEMENT: If you are a former federal employee that has been separated for at least 1 year and wish to be non-competitively reinstated to a higher grade or full performance level than which you left federal employment, you MUST provide a copy of your separation SF50 (the "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2") AND you MUST submit a qualifying performance appraisal from your most recent career or career-conditional position of at least Fully Successful (or equivalent). You will NOT be given consideration for non-competitive reinstatement, under this option, if a performance appraisal document is not submitted.
• EDUCATION DOCUMENTATION:
  • You are not required to submit transcripts for this initial phase of the application process. Candidates will be referred for consideration based on their self-certification. If you are selected for a position which has a positive education requirement (as described in the vacancy announcement) and/or you are qualifying solely on your education, you will be required to submit official transcripts verifying your qualifications prior to a job offer being issued.
  • A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions.

How to Apply Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments, and required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: Click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Set aside about two (2) hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources. To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status: Click on this: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application. Are you unsure how to write your federal resume? We are here to help. The Treasury Recruitment Service regularly offers Writing Your Federal Resume training sessions, and other career-related information sessions, to assist you in your career search journey. To register for a session, click here to go to our Career Information Sessions webpage. Departmental Offices provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us if you require this for any part of the application and hiring process. To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application. Follow the prompts to select your resumé and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process. You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. To verify the status of your application:-Log into your USAJOBS account (USAJOBS Login). A list of announcements in which you have applied is at the Welcome screen.-Under "application status," click "Track this application" and you will be taken to the agency website where you can check your application status. Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement. Also, note that if you provide an email address that is inaccurate or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position. For additional information on how to apply, please visit the Partnership for Public Service's Go Government website.