Hybrid NATURAL RESOURCE SPECIALIST 3 / LOAN OFFICER (10-3133) at State of Alaska, AK

About the Department

The Department of Natural Resources, Division of Agriculture, is recruiting for a Natural Resource Specialist – Loan Officer in Palmer, Alaska.

What You Will Be Doing:  

The incumbent will analyze and evaluate loan applications made to commercial farmers, loan modifications, and collateral release requests, prepare eligibility determinations, and make recommendations to the Board of Agriculture and Conservation. This position will represent the Division of Agriculture at public Board of Agriculture and Conservation meetings and a variety of public forums. The incumbent will provide guidance on developing business plans for agricultural production, promote the development of agriculture as an economic contributor of the State of Alaska, conduct loan closings on approved applications, and secure collateral to protect the interests of the State. This position manages the revolving loan fund, including recovery of delinquent accounts, asset management, and asset disposal. The incumbent will serve as the point of contact for the local, state, and federal agencies as well as the public for the Agriculture Revolving Loan Fund.

Mission and Values/Culture:  

The Department of Natural Resources' mission is to develop, conserve, and maximize the use of Alaska's natural resources consistent with the public interest. The mission of the Division of Agriculture is to promote and encourage the development of the agriculture industry in the State. This position will contribute to the mission by assisting Alaska agriculture businesses with financial opportunities via the Alaska Revolving Loan Fund (ARLF) and will work with the Director and Board of Agriculture to develop opportunities for farmers statewide. The incumbent will monitor the program integrity through evaluation, feedback, and industry engagement.

Benefits of Joining Our Team:  

Our team consists of professionals dedicated to serving the public efficiently. We work diligently, acquire substantial knowledge, and appreciate the interest in Alaska agriculture across various sectors. Team members gain a significant level of independence after effectively mastering their job responsibilities.

The Working Environment You Can Expect:  

The position is in Palmer, Alaska. Palmer offers small-town living while being only 45 minutes outside of Anchorage. Palmer offers multiple avenues to experience the outdoors that include hiking, mountain biking, downhill and cross-country skiing, and world-class hunting and fishing.

We are looking for a candidate who possesses the following position-specific competencies.  

• Accounting Operations: Knowledge of general ledger accounting and control/subsidiary account relationships and reconciliation techniques, including accounts receivable, accounts payable, and disbursing officer's accountability.
• Lending/Debt Collection: Knowledge of the principles, practices, and techniques of lending and/or debt collection, perfected lien, and security instruments. This includes knowledge of applicable court procedures, processes, and actions.
• Principles of Finance: Knowledge of the basic principles, practices, and methods of financial management to include requisitions, apportionments, allotments, investments, fiscal management, activity reporting, and fiscal year guidelines.

Click here to learn more about working for the Division of Agriculture.

Position Duties

Any combination of education and/or experience that provides the applicant with competencies in:

• Analytical Thinking/Problem Solving: uses a logical, systematic, sequential approach to address problems or opportunities or manage a situation by drawing on one’s knowledge and experience base and calling on other references and resources as necessary.
• Decision-Making: Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.
• Environmental Science: Knowledge of the interdisciplinary concepts, principles, theories, and methods of investigating the natural and physical environment, including examination of ecology, biology, physics, chemistry, plant science, zoology, mineralogy, oceanography, limnology, soil science, geology and physical geography, atmospheric, and other related sciences in the protection and improvement of the environment and its resources.
• Legal, Government, and Jurisprudence: Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, legal practices and documents, Government regulations, Executive orders, agency rules, Government organization and functions, and the democratic political process.
• Writing: Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information (for example, facts, ideas, or messages) in a succinct and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material, that is appropriate for the intended audience.

equivalent to those typically gained by:

Education in a natural resource field such as forestry, geology, agronomy, and hydrology, law, public administration, planning, economics, or a closely related field and/or progressively responsible professional experience in natural resource management.

Definitions:

“Competencies” means a combination of interrelated knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors that enable a person to act effectively in a job or situation.

“Professional experience” means work that is creative, analytical, evaluative, and interpretive; requires a range and depth of specialized knowledge of the profession's principles, concepts, theories, and practices; and is performed with the power or right to decide or act according to one's own judgment.

“Progressively responsible” means indicating growth and/or advancement in complexity, difficulty, or level of responsibility.

“Qualified” means is assessed to credibly possess the competencies needed to learn the job in a reasonable period.

“Training” and “education” in this guidance are synonyms for the process of acquiring knowledge and skills through instruction. It includes instruction through formal and informal methods (such as classroom, on-line, self-study, and on-the-job), from accredited and unaccredited sources, and long duration (such as a post-secondary degree) and short-duration (such as a seminar) programs.

“Typically gained by” means the prevalent, usual method of gaining the competencies expected for entry into the job.

Special Note:

For purposes of the minimum qualifications, natural resource management is defined as the management of the land, water, mineral, forest, oil, gas, agricultural, archaeological, natural and cultural history, park, and related surface and subsurface resources. Experience or education in natural resource management means involvement in the above resources exclusively. Those with experience or education in managing these resources may specialize in different management functions (for example, planning, regulation, research or title). All of this experience is applicable to the natural resource management definition. Some positions may require education in a particular area of natural resource management or specific technical knowledge and training gained through specialized education or progressively greater responsibilities at the lower levels of the series.

Minimum Qualifications

** Please read the information below carefully. **

At the time of the interview, please ensure that you provide the following materials.  Failure to do so may result in loss of consideration.  Required documents include: 

• A copy of your last two performance evaluations or two letters of recommendation from a former supervisor.
• A list of three professional references with current contact information, one of which must be from a former or current supervisor.
• A copy of any documents necessary to show proof of meeting this position's minimum qualifications. This includes a copy of your college transcripts if you are using education to meet the position's minimum qualifications.    
• Driver’s license.
• Resume outlining both financial and lending experience.

SPECIAL NOTICES

• This position requires a moderate amount of travel and occasional work on weekends or overnight.
• This position requires public speaking.

Application Notice

You can ONLY apply for this position through the Workplace Alaska website or by submitting a paper application. Instructions on how to apply with Workplace Alaska can be found on the 'How to Apply" page. Your application must be received by 5:00 p.m. Alaska Standard Time on the closing date.  

Supplemental Questions

For your application to be evaluated, you must answer the Supplemental Questions.  The State of Alaska (SOA) utilizes four proficiency levels to measure and describe an applicant’s level of competence in applying certain behaviors, knowledge, skills, and abilities to accomplish a specific task. The four proficiency levels are Mastery, Fluency, Literacy, and Discovery. You must rate your proficiency level for each competency listed in the supplemental questions.

Education

If post-secondary education is required to meet the minimum qualifications, you must fill out the Education section of the application. If you have not yet obtained a degree, please indicate the units you have completed. Copies of transcripts are required to verify educational credentials if used to meet the minimum qualifications for a position. 

Special Instructions for Foreign Education

Education completed at foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the minimum qualifications listed above. If using this education to meet minimum qualification requirements, you must demonstrate that the credentials have been submitted to a private organization specializing in interpreting foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in standard U.S. education programs. Alternatively, an accredited U.S. post-secondary institution must report that the other institution's transcript is given full value or that full value is recognized in relevant subject areas aligned with the post-secondary institution's curricula. It is your responsibility to provide this evidence when applying. 

Work Experience

If using work experience not already documented in your application, also provide the employer’s name, job title, employment dates, and whether full or part-time. Applications will be reviewed to determine whether the responses are supported and whether the minimum qualifications are met. If they are not, the applicant may not advance to the recruitment interview and selection phase. 

Note: Attaching a resume is not a substitute for completing the application in its entirety. Noting, "see resume" or any similar response on any portion of your application may lead to a determination that your application is incomplete and removal from consideration for this job posting.  

Bargaining Unit

If you are a current state employee, please indicate the union to which you belong at the time of application. Do not complete this question if you are not a current state employee. 

EEO STATEMENT
The State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities who require accommodation, auxiliary aids or services, or alternative communication formats should call 1-800-587-0430 or (907) 465-4095 in Juneau or TTY: Alaska Relay 711 or 1-800-770-8973 or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at P.O. Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811-0201. The State of Alaska is an equal opportunity employer.

Please check your junk folder for any messages that may be sent to you regarding this recruitment.

Other Qualifications

Workplace Alaska Application Questions & Assistance

Questions regarding application submission or system operation errors should be directed to the Workplace Alaska hotline at 1-800-587-0430 (toll-free) or (907) 465-4095 if you are in the Juneau area. Requests for information may also be emailed to [email protected].

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For specific information about this position, please get in touch with the hiring manager at the following:

Dean Robinson

Administrative Officer 1

Phone: 907-761-3870

Email: [email protected]