The Senior Information Technology (IT) Specialist serves under the general supervision of the IT Specialist Program Manager and is responsible for examining IT-related risks, management, and internal controls at Farm Credit System institutions. This position is part of the Farm Credit Administration.
Ideal candidates have experience conducting bank examinations of financial institutions and leading meetings with member banks and associations to discuss operating results/performance, regulatory guidance, and examination conclusions and recommendations. You may qualify at the VH-40 (GS-14) band level if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the VH-39 (GS-13) band in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position which includes leading information technology (IT) examinations or audits as a financial regulator, consultant, or internal officer; developing IT policy for either a financial regulator or private institution to enhance adherence to laws, regulations or acts; and providing guidance and training to others in federal regulations, laws or acts, such as IT security and governance, cybersecurity framework, business continuity, systems development, change management, IT operations, hardware/software configuration standards, etc. 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 Requirements: Current and former Federal employees (including VEOA eligibles) must have served one-year (52 weeks) at the next lower grade in the Federal service to meet time-in-grade restrictions per 5 CFR 300, Subpart F, by the closing date of the announcement.
As a Senior Information Technology (IT) Specialist, you will: Develop risk-based institution-specific examination plans (for large, complex, or high-concern institutions) that comply with all applicable guidelines and include procedures for evaluating an institution's unique IT-related risks. Lead IT examinations in accordance with generally accepted IT audit standards and guidelines to ensure that the institution's information technology and business systems are adequately controlled, monitored, and assessed. Provide technical support to OE examiners and management during IT examination activities. Plan and manage IT examination activities for institutions ranging from low to highly complex. Recommend new or improved IT examination techniques or methods to enhance future examinations. Conduct meetings with institution officials to discuss examination findings, obtain their feedback, and communicate expectations for corrective actions or regulatory guidance. Develop examination letters and reports, internal and external correspondence related to examinations or projects, Enforcement Action Memoranda (as needed), and other materials essential to the reporting process and ongoing communication with institution personnel. Apply expert level skills in evaluating general IT controls in a number of the following IT-related areas: security policies, standards, and processes; change management procedures; software development lifecycle standards; incident management policies and procedures; hardware/software configuration standards, policies, and procedures; and, disaster recovery and business continuity plans and processes. A key distinction between the VH-38, VH-39, and VH-40 is the authority to act and the level of supervision in place.