Forest Service Logo
Position Title
Incident Business Management Specialist
Agency
Forest Service
Announcement Number
24-0556-12162411-FS-CVN Opens in new window
Open Period
Monday, October 16, 2023 to Wednesday, November 15, 2023
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING ELIGIBILITY QUESTIONS CAREFULLY. Your answers will be used to determine your eligibility to apply to this job opportunity announcement. You will be considered under the eligibility option(s) to which you answer YES. Select YES to all eligibility options for which you want to be considered. If you respond NO to meeting the criteria for all the eligibilities, you will not be considered for the position(s) under this announcement.

NOTE: You must submit the required supporting documentation to receive consideration for EACH selected eligibility. Failure to provide the required documents will result in an ineligible rating and your application will be excluded from consideration.
(limit characters)
1.
Are you a veteran who separated from active duty under honorable conditions (this means an honorable or general discharge) AND you either:
• retired from active military service with a disability rating of 30 percent or more; OR 
• rated by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) since 1991 or later to include disability determinations from a branch of the Armed Forces at any time, as having a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more. 

For more information, review USAJOBS Veterans resources.
 
 
(limit characters)
2. Are you a current Forest Service employee who currently holds a career or career conditional appointment? (limit characters)
3. Are you a Forest Service employee who currently holds a career or career conditional appointment AND you have held or currently hold a position on a permanent basis in the competitive service with the same or higher promotion potential of the position being advertised? (limit characters)
4.
Are you a current USDA employee who meets the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee, in which received official notice that your job is no longer needed or that you will lose your job by Reduction-in-Force (RIF)? If yes, confirm:

• you are located in the same local commuting area as the vacancy;  AND,
• you are applying to a position that is at or below the grade level of the position from which you will be separated; AND,
• you are applying to a position that does not have greater promotion potential than the position from which you will be separated; AND,
• your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent.

For more information, review the USAJOBS Help Center.
 
 
(limit characters)
5.
Are you the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces on active duty?

-OR-

Are you the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces who retired with a disability rating of 100 percent at the time of retirement or the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces who retired or separated from the Armed Forces and has a disability rating of 100 percent from the Department of Veterans Affairs?

-OR-

Are you the un-remarried widow or widower of a member of the Armed Forces killed while in active duty status?

 For more information, review USAJOBS Veterans resources.
 
(limit characters)
6.
Are you a current or former federal employee displaced from a position in a Federal agency other than USDA? If yes, confirm:

• you are located in the same local commuting area as the vacancy;  AND,
• you are applying to a position that is at or below the grade level of the position from which you were or will be separated; AND,
• you are applying to a position that does not have greater promotion potential than the position from which you were or will be separated; AND,
• your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent.

 For more information, review the USAJOBS Help Center.
 
 
(limit characters)
7. Are you a current or former employee of the US Forest Service who is claiming eligibility under the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act and:
  • was originally hired to a time-limited position under a competitive appointment; and,
  • served one or more time-limited appointments at a land management agency for a period totaling more than 24 months without a break in service of two or more years; and,
  • most recent period of qualifying service was with the US Forest Service; and,
  • performed at an acceptable level of service during each period of service; and,if you are no longer employed by the US Forest Service, have been separated for no more than two years, and whose most recent separation was for reasons other than misconduct or performance?
Note:  Service must be in the competitive service and have been at a successful level of performance or better.   Part-time and intermittent service will be credited only for time actually worked.  Non-pay status (such as LWOP) is credited for up to six months in a calendar year; anything beyond six months is not credited.  Applicants are responsible for providing sufficient information/documentation to determine if the 24 month criteria is met.



(limit characters)
8.
Are you a current Excepted Service employee of a Federal Agency that has a valid interchange agreement with the Office of Personnel Management?

 For more information, review  Interchange Agreements with Other Merit Systems.
 
-OR-
 
 Are you a current:

• Postal Career Service Employee;

• Postal Rate Commission Employee;

• Government Accountability Office (GAO) Employee; or,

• Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts Employee?

For more information, review Miscellaneous Authorities Not Regulated By U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
 
 
(limit characters)
9. Are you a Peace Corps Volunteer or AmeriCorps VISTA Alumni who completed your service within the past 12 months; OR,

Are you a Peace Corps Volunteer or AmeriCorps VISTA Alumni who completed your service within the past 36 months AND you are requesting an extension of your non-competitive appointment eligibility due to your military service; study at a recognized institution of higher learning; or involvement in another activity, which the hiring agency may view warrants extension?  OR,

 Are you a current or former Peace Corps employee who completed at least 36 months of continuous service without a break in service of 3 days or more AND has been separated from the Peace Corps for less than three years?
(limit characters)
10.
Do you have a severe intellectual disability, severe physical disability, or psychiatric disability that qualifies you for a Schedule A Disability appointment?

For more information, review USAJOBS Individuals with Disabilities resources.
 
 
(limit characters)
11. Have you completed a qualifying conservation project(s) with the US Forest Service?  If yes, confirm that you meet the following:
  • you received a Public Land Corps - Certificate of Eligibility for Noncompetitive Hiring Status
  • you were between 16 and 30 years old (inclusive) when the certification of eligibility was signed
  • you completed a minimum of 640 hours of satisfactory service on appropriate conservation projects that included at least 120 hours on Public Lands Corps projects; AND,
  • you are within the two-year eligibility period from the date the certification was signed.
(limit characters)
12. Have you registered for reemployment consideration AND meet one of the below: 

• Are you a current or former competitive service USDA employee who will be or was separated by Reduction-In-Force (RIF) and received a rating of satisfactory or above as your last annual performance rating? 
OR 
• Are you a former USDA competitive service employee who separated due to a compensable injury or disability?
(limit characters)
13.
Are you a former Federal career or career-conditional employee AND

• has reinstatement eligibility; AND 
• has not held a position on a permanent basis in the competitive service with the same or higher promotion potential of the position being advertised?
(limit characters)
14.
Are you a former Federal career or career-conditional employee AND  

• has reinstatement eligibility; AND 
• has held a position on a permanent basis in the competitive service with the same or higher promotion potential of the position being advertised?
(limit characters)
15. Are you a former Resource Assistant with the US Forest Service?  If yes, confirm that you meet the following:
  • you received a Certificate of Eligibility for Noncompetitive Hiring Status Based on Resource Assistants Program
  • you successfully completed a minimum of 960 hours of full- or part-time work, not to exceed 3,500 hours over a two-year period
  • you earned an undergraduate (associate or bachelor) or graduate degree from an accredited institution of higher education; AND, 
  • you are within the two-year eligibility period from the date the certification was signed.
(limit characters)
16.
Are you:

• a veteran whose latest discharge was under honorable conditions AND you served three or more years of continuous active duty service in the military (Note: if released shortly before completing a 3-year tour, you are considered to meet the eligibility); OR,
• eligible for veterans' preference?

Note: If you are currently on active duty you may be considered under the two provisions above provided you submit  a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty service under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted. 

For more information, review USAJOBS Veterans resources.
 
 
(limit characters)
Preferences
1. Are you a current or former Political appointee, Presidential appointee, and/or non-career Senior Executive Service (SES) appointee? (limit characters)
Assessment 1
Thank you for your interest in this Incident Business Management Specialist GS-0301-13 position with the USDA Forest Service. Your resume and the responses you provide to this assessment questionnaire will be used to determine if you are among the best qualified for this position. (limit characters)
Specialized Qualifications (limit characters)
This section will be used to determine if you possess the experience that demonstrates your ability to perform the work of an Incident Business Management Specialist, GS-0301-13 Please note that your answers will be verified against the information you provide in your resume or application and information provided by your references. FAILURE TO RESPOND TO THESE QUESTIONS WILL RESULT IN AN INELIGIBLE RATING. (limit characters)
1. Select the one statement below that best describes the experience you possess that demonstrates your ability to perform the work of a GS-13 Incident Business Management Specialist.
(limit characters)
For each of the following tasks, choose the statement from the list below that best describe your experience and/or training. Do not overstate or understate your level of experience and demonstrated capability. Your ratings are subject to evaluation and verification based on the resume and other relevant documents you submit. (limit characters)
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided. (limit characters)
2. Brief managers of incident (such as wildland fire, hurricane/flood/earthquake recovery) business problems, opportunities and accomplishments
(limit characters)
3. Negotiate with key federal and state officials on incident business controversial issues, or to gain acceptance of new programs or systems.
(limit characters)
4. Provide advice and consultation to various levels of the organization on incident business activities.
(limit characters)
5. Conduct interagency fire business management training for various levels of the organization.
(limit characters)
6. Serve as instructor for a variety of incident business management courses.
(limit characters)
7. Direct review of the effectiveness of financial management and other business management practices on incidents (such as wildland fire, hurricane/flood/earthquake recovery).
(limit characters)
8. Develop incident business policies and guidance as needed.
(limit characters)
9. Gather information about organizational functions or workload in order to recommend incident (such as wildland fire, hurricane/flood/earthquake recovery) business program actions and/or policies.
(limit characters)
10. Recommend resolutions of incident business program issues to program leadership and fire management staff.
(limit characters)
11. Represent the organization on incident business issues and conflicts of a multi-jurisdictional and multi-state nature.
(limit characters)
12. Conduct review of the effectiveness of financial management and other business management practices for the fire program (such as wildland fire, hurricane/flood/earthquake recovery).
(limit characters)
13. Coordinate geographic area training sessions on incident business topics.
(limit characters)
14. Research and identify complex incident business program issues impacting program initiative
(limit characters)
15. Develop incident related agreements to beneficially serve management needs.
(limit characters)
16. Analyze incident business polices on difficult or complex matters.
(limit characters)
17. Provide resolutions to incident related business management problems and issues during on-going incidents (such as wildland fire, hurricane/flood/earthquake recovery)
(limit characters)
18. Use technical expertise for National and Regional fire business management and reviews.
(limit characters)
19. Conduct regional and/or unit level interagency fire business management training for incident command positions.
(limit characters)
20. Develop cooperative fire agreements.
(limit characters)
21. Recommend resolutions for improving future methods and performance related to incident business management program.
(limit characters)
22. Prepare program-related correspondence, reports, and/or other written materials regarding incident business and fire programs, policies, and/or operations.
(limit characters)
23. Participate in the development of training for positions within the incident (such as wildland fire, hurricane/flood/earthquake recovery) business management organization.
(limit characters)
24. Develop training materials for positions within the Finance Section of the Incident Command System.
(limit characters)
25. Prepare incident business reports with recommended actions for management consideration.
(limit characters)
26. Plan the work to be accomplished by the unit to establish production or quality standards.
(limit characters)
27. Responsible for establishing and communicating guidelines and performance requirements to employees.
(limit characters)
28. Ability to hear and resolve employee complaints, effect minor disciplinary measures, and recommend action in more serious cases.
(limit characters)
29. Ability to serve as the functional expert on specific analytical initiatives affecting the Staff or multiple units within the Staff.
(limit characters)
30. Work with servicing Human Resources office representatives to identify and resolve workforce needs and problems.
(limit characters)
31. Promote and support a positive work environment to create a climate of mutual respect and integrity.
(limit characters)
32. Promote an inclusive work environment that is free from all types of discrimination.
(limit characters)
33. Your responses to the Announcement and Assessment Questionnaires, along with your resume and all supporting documentation are subject to evaluation and verification to ensure accuracy. Submitting false information or attempts to falsify information may be grounds for disqualifying you or for terminating you after you have been hired. Please take this opportunity to review your responses to ensure their accuracy.
(limit characters)