Accountant

Summary This position is located in the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, headquartered in Washington, District of Columbia. This announcement will close at 11:59 PM, on the day that 100 applications have been received or the closing date of the announcement, whichever comes first. Responsibilities As an Accountant, you will: Execute accounting operations for federal clients using automated and manual processes to ensure accurate financial data recording, reconciliation, and reporting. Maintain accuracy of posting logic, fund classifications, and ledger balances while collaborating with staff to resolve discrepancies and support financial statement reporting. Identify accounting workflow inefficiencies and recommended procedural enhancements to improve operational efficiency and maintain compliance. Ensure compliance with federal financial regulations and internal controls by applying OMB, Treasury, GAO, HHS, FAR, and grants management policies and addressing technical accounting issues. Improve accounting processes and financial systems by identifying workflow inefficiencies, recommending procedural enhancements, assisting with system testing, and supporting implementation of policy and system changes. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR Basic Qualifications: You must meet the basic requirements listed below and also meet the minimum qualifications requirements. Basic Requirements A. Degree: accounting; or a degree in a related field such as business administration, finance, or public administration that included or was supplemented by 24 semester hours in accounting. The 24 hours may include up to 6 hours of credit in business law. (The term "accounting" means "accounting and/or auditing" in this standard. Similarly, "accountant" should be interpreted, generally, as "accountant and/or auditor.") -OR- B. Combination of education and experience: at least 4 years of experience in accounting, or an equivalent combination of accounting experience, college-level education, and training that provided professional accounting knowledge. The applicant's background must also include oneof the following: 1. Twenty-four semester hours in accounting or auditing courses of appropriate type and quality. This can include up to 6 hours of business law. 2. A certificate as Certified Public Accountant or a Certified Internal Auditor, obtained through written examination; or 3. Completion of the requirements for a degree that included substantial course work in accounting or auditing, e.g., 15 semester hours, but that does not fully satisfy the 24-semester-hour requirement of paragraph A, provided that (a) the applicant has successfully worked at the full-performance level in accounting, auditing, or a related field, e.g., valuation engineering or financial institution examining; (b) a panel of at least two higher level professional accountants or auditors has determined that the applicant has demonstrated a good knowledge of accounting and of related and underlying fields that equals in breadth, depth, currency, and level of advancement that which is normally associated with successful completion of the 4-year course of study described in paragraph A; and (c) except for literal nonconformance to the requirement of 24 semester hours in accounting, the applicant's education, training, and experience fully meet the specified requirements. Minimum Qualifications for GS-11: You must have one year specialized experience to perform successfully the duties of the position. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service performing ALL of the following: Applying federal accounting principles (GAAP/FASAB) to recording, validating, and maintaining financial transactions within agency accounting systems. Processing and reviewing financial entries and conducting reconciliations across general and subsidiary ledgers to ensure accuracy and compliance. Assisting and coordinating audit readiness efforts by gathering documentation, performing reconciliations, and organizing materials for internal and external reviews. -OR- Education: Successful completion of at least three (3) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. -OR- Combination: Successful completion of a combination of graduate-level education (beyond the first two years) and specialized experience, as described above, to meet the total requirements. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position. Minimum Qualifications for GS-12: You must have one year specialized experience to perform successfully the duties of the position. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service performing ALL of the following: Analyzing and applying federal accounting standards and USSGL guidance to execute complex financial transactions and ensure regulatory compliance. Performing and reconciling transaction-level reviews, trial balances, and financial reports to maintain accuracy across general and subsidiary ledgers. Recommending and implementing process improvements by evaluating accounting workflows, identifying inefficiencies, and enhancing financial operations. Documenting experience: IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Qualifications are based on breadth/level of experience. In addition to describing duties performed, applicants must provide the exact dates of each period of employment (from MM/YY to MM/YY) and the number of hours worked per week if part time. As qualification determinations cannot be made when resumes do not include the required information, failure to provide this information may result in disqualification. Applicants are encouraged to use the USAJOBS Resume Builder to develop their federal resume. Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational application questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position. In accordance with Office of Personnel Management policy, federal employees are assumed to have gained experience by performing duties and responsibilities appropriate for their official series and grade level as described in their position description. Experience that would not normally be part of the employee's position is creditable, however, when documented by satisfactory evidence, such as a signed memorandum from the employee's supervisor or an SF-50 or SF-52 documenting an official detail or other official assignment. The documentation must indicate whether the duties were performed full time or, if part time, the "percentage of times" the other duties were performed. It is expected that this documentation is included in the employee's official personnel record. In order to receive credit for experience in your resume that is not within the official series and grade level of your official position, you must provide a copy of the appropriate documentation of such experience as indicated above. 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; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to gain employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. If such experience is on a part-time basis, you must provide the average number of hours worked per week as well as the beginning and ending dates of the experience so it can be fully credited. OPM Qualification General Policies Website Education Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: Note: Applications can be accepted from students who expect to complete qualifying education within 9 months from the date of application. Education was completed successfully before the applicant can be appointed. Additional Information THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW Federal agencies may request information regarding the vaccination status of selected applicants for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as protocols related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine. Incentives may be authorized; however, this is contingent upon multiple factors, including funds availability. If authorized, certain incentives may require you to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a period of up to 3 years. Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid. Incentives may include the following: moving expenses, recruitment or relocation incentive; student loan repayment, superior qualifications appointment, creditable service for annual leave for prior non-federal work experience or prior uniformed military service, etc. Bargaining Unit Position: No Research position: No Drug Screening Required: No Applicants selected for this position will be subject to reasonable suspicion and post-accident drug testing upon hiring. Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans - Special Hiring Authorities for Military Spouses - People With Disabilities (Schedule A) - Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP/ICTAP): For information on how to apply as an CTAP/ICTAP eligible see To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated at 85.0 or above on the rating criteria for this position. Reemployment Priority List (RPL): To receive selection priority for this position, individuals on the RPL must meet the qualification requirements, complete all required assessments and be rated as qualified. RPL candidates are ranked using Category Rating procedures. Beginning January 1, 2010, agencies must seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level under the provisions of title 5, United States Code. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Human Resources Office. For Résumé Tips visit: For Application Tips visit: For additional information about USAJOBS visit the Help Center: