Program Specialist, GS-0301-13, FPL 13 (MP)

Full Job Description

This position is located in the Department of Education, Federal Student Aid, Ombudsman (Office of the Ombudsman).

FSA is a Principal Office of the United States Department of Education responsible for awarding billions of dollars in federal student aid funds.

Minimum Qualification Requirements You may meet the minimum qualifications for the GS-13, if you possess the specialize experience, education, or a combination of the two.

Specialized Experience for the GS-13 One year of experience in either federal or non-federal service that is equivalent to at least a GS-12 performing two (2) out of three (3) of the following duties or work assignments: 1.

Experience assisting resolving Title IV–related complaints, disputes, or servicing issues requiring interpretation and application of federal student aid statutes, regulations, and policy guidance. 2.

Experience reviewing loan or grant account data across multiple systems to determine whether federal student aid was properly awarded, originated, disbursed, and/or serviced in accordance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements, and developing written determinations or recommendations that may result in corrective action.

3.

Experience relaying technical guidance to staff or stakeholders (e.g., borrowers, institutions, servicers, legal representatives, oversight entities) on regulatory or servicing matters and offering assistance on case analysis or dispute resolution.

OR EDUCATION (see EDUCATION SECTION of the vacancy announcement) Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) The quality of your experience will be measured by the extent to which you possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs).

You do not need to provide separate narrative responses to these KSAs, as they will be measured by your responses to the occupational questionnaire (you may preview the occupational questionnaire by clicking the link at the end of the Evaluations section of this vacancy announcement).

1. Knowledge of Title IV statutes, regulations, and operational requirements sufficient to interpret and apply governing authorities to resolve complex borrower and institutional disputes. 2.

Skill in reviewing and reconciling loan and grant account data across multiple systems to evaluate compliance with regulatory requirements and develop well-supported determinations. 3.

Ability to effectively negotiate and resolve complex disputes by balancing regulatory requirements, stakeholder interests, and program compliance considerations. 4.

Skill in mentoring and providing technical guidance to analysts on complex regulatory interpretation, case analysis, and complaint resolution methodologies. 5.

Ability to represent the organization in high-visibility engagements and communicate complex regulatory findings clearly and credibly to diverse stakeholders. Major Duties:

APPLICATION LIMIT: This vacancy announcement is limited to the first 75 applications received and will close at 11:59PM Eastern Time on the day that we receive the 75th application, or at 11:59PM Eastern Time on the listed closing date, whichever occurs first.

We encourage you to read this entire vacancy announcement prior to submitting your application.

As a PROGRAM SPECIALIST, GS-0301-13, you will be responsible for: • Serves as a subject matter expert in resolving highly complex, unprecedented, or sensitive Title IV–related complaints and borrower disputes requiring authoritative interpretation of statute, regulation, policy, and loan servicing requirements.

• Analyzes loan and grant account data across FSA and external systems to determine whether Title IV aid was properly awarded, originated, disbursed, and/or serviced in accordance with statutory, regulatory, and policy requirements; develops authoritative determinations which may result in required corrective action by servicers, institutions, or other program partners.

• Applies expert-level knowledge of Title IV legal, regulatory, and operational requirements to negotiate and resolve contested cases involving borrowers, institutions, servicers, guarantors, legal representatives, and other stakeholders.

• Advises and mentors Complaint Resolution Specialists and other analysts on methods to obtain, analyze, interpret, and present complex servicing data and regulatory findings; provides non-supervisory leadership in elevating technical capability across the team.

• Represents the Office of the Ombudsman in engagements with internal and external stakeholders, including senior FSA leadership, Office of General Counsel, public affairs, borrower advocates, legal aid organizations, servicers, guarantors, schools, and the Department of Justice, as appropriate.