Loan Specialist

Summary This position is located in the Native American Direct Loan Program of VA Loan Guaranty Service. The Loan Specialist performs an array of duties with the purpose of overseeing the Native American Direct Loan (NADL) program to limit risk to the agency and facilitate the Veteran's use of eligible benefits. The Loan Specialist assists Veterans applying for the program and verifies if the Veteran has the financial ability to maintain the monthly mortgage payment. Duties Completes determination based on supporting documentation on Veteran’s eligibility for the VA Home Loan Program and issuance of the Certificates of Eligibility (COE). Creates, reviews, and utilizes legal documents, such as the note, mortgage, Loan Estimate, Closing Disclosure, Satisfactions of Mortgages, etc. Documents are created without the assistance of a document generator. Underwrites highly complex loan applications and qualifies borrowers for loans. Completes determination based on supporting documentation on Veteran’s eligibility for the VA Home Loan Program and issuance of the Certificates of Eligibility (COE). Coordinates and conducts loan closings, acting as the title agent, closer, and escrow agent. Underwrites highly complex loan applications and qualifies borrowers for loans. Performs income analysis and calculates loan to value ratios and residual income figures in order to determine loan approvability. Analyzes credit by reviewing credit reports, the Uniform Residential Loan Application (URLA), and personal interviews to determine a borrower’s willingness to repay a loan. Provides financial planning and management guidance to borrowers; conducts interviews with loan applicants to ascertain eligibility for the more complicated home loan applications. Responsible for servicing of NADL loans. Reviews existing loans on an ongoing basis to ensure that customer payments are applied properly and maintains awareness of delinquency rates. Serves as the primary point of contact for Veterans, contractors, local agencies, Congressional interests and agency leadership related to the LGY and NADL Responsible for coordinating with the Veteran, contractor, and other stakeholders throughout the home loan process to ensure all parties are informed of project progress and problems or issues, and their resolution, and disbursement of project funds. Requirements Conditions of employment You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job. Selectees are subject to a background/suitability investigation. Selective Service registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. A complete application package must be submitted: resume, transcripts, etc. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. We may consider your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; and whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government and efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 03/20/2026. Note: All applicants must meet both the Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR) and the Specialized Experience as defined below: Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR): Experience Experience that demonstrated competence in agricultural, commercial, realty, or other types of loans. Experience may have been gained in such work as reviewing and passing upon applications for agricultural, commercial, bank or mortgage loans; servicing a loan portfolio of a bank or other loan association; performing financial analysis of commercial concerns for investment purposes; appraising real estate to determine property valuation; or similar work. OR Education Undergraduate and Graduate Education:Major study -- finance, business administration, economics, accounting, insurance, engineering, mathematics, banking and credit, law, real estate operations, statistics, or other fields related to the position, such as agriculture, agricultural economics, farm, livestock or ranch management, or rural sociology. In addition to the IOR, applicants must possess specialized experience or education as described below: Specialized Experience: To qualify at the GS-12 grade level: Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-11). Specialized experience is work experience that equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience for this position is defined as: (1) applying advanced underwriting practices to income credit and quality borrowers across a variety of employment types to include self-employment for government guaranteed loan program(s); (2) reviewing and making program eligibility recommendations for borrowers characterized by a thorough knowledge and demonstrated expertise of underwriting practices required of government guaranteed loan program(s); (3) collaborating with a broad range of real estate professionals to include realtors, lenders, servicers, appraisers and other professionals to educate and support access to government guaranteed loan programs(s). Note: 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; religions; 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 you document, to include volunteer experience. Education An unofficial or official copy of your transcripts must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/ If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications Additional information Applicants can only apply to one location. This is not a virtual or remote position. Relocation expenses are not approved for this vacancy. Applicants who apply and are selected for locations outside of their local commuting area are responsible for all costs associated with a move to the new official worksite. Work Schedule: Regular office hours, Monday - Friday, 6:00 AM - 6:00 PM. Alternate work schedules may be available. Physical Requirements: The work is usually sedentary but does involve standing, walking, bending or carrying of objects up to 50 pounds, and the operation of a motor vehicle. The Department of Veterans Affairs provides reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities. VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for teleworking. Telework eligibility may be discussed during the interview process. Telework is subject to approval by individual supervisors and managers, is considered a privilege not a right, is subject to approval based on performance and other varying factors, and is not guaranteed. Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. Placement Policy: The posting of this job opportunity announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position. Under the "Fair Chance to Compete Act", the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), https://www.va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Benefits A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits. Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.