Accountant

Summary

Serves as an Accountant in the Office of the CFO, performing accounting duties that include reconciling general ledger accounts, preparing financial reports, providing accounting guidance, supporting automated accounting systems, analyzing financial data, and resolving accounting discrepancies in accordance with the Federal Credit Reform Act (FCRA), Statements of Federal Financial Accounting Standards (SFFAS), Treasury Financial Manual (TFM), and other relevant statutes and regulations.

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Duties

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The Accountant :

• Conducts financial analyses, audits, and/or investigations of major foreign and/or domestic businesses; reviews, analyzes, and validates industry financial data.
• Designs, implements, and develops automated accounting systems.
• Provides expert advice in specialized areas of accounting, resolving problems, and developing policies.
• Determines accounting system adequacy, reviews legislation and regulations and develops rules, procedures and guidelines for program users and develops and monitors internal accounting control program(s): identifying problem areas and developing solutions to improve operating program effectiveness.
• Maintains complex operating accounting systems, which includes developing systems improvements, and providing solutions to program management problems and provides advice to financial and program managers and other accountants on unusual and difficult accounting systems and/or operations problems.
• Develops procedural manuals, methods, and directives. Conducts independent studies for special projects and develops segments of surveys and systems for gathering and analyzing data; resolves accounting discrepancies in reported data.

The ideal candidate for this position possesses extensive experience in federal financial reporting and general ledger reconciliations, including SF-133s, DATA Act submissions, and year-end audit support. Additionally, they bring demonstrated expertise in evaluating automated accounting systems, enhancing internal controls, and delivering strategic financial guidance to executive stakeholders.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S.Citizen and eligible for consideration.
• You must meet specialized experience to qualify.
• Required documents must be submitted by the closing date.
• Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance the organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
• BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: A background security investigation is required for all selected individuals. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of the security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
• PROBATIONARY PERIOD: You must complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
• TIME-IN-GRADE: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade in the competitive or excepted service in the executive branch to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions contained in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.

Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must (1) meet the Education Requirement for the series, (2) provide a copy of transcripts for verification, AND/OR (3) meet the specialized experience requirements for the grade at which you are requesting consideration.

To qualify for the GS-11 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-09 it must include:

• Experience providing input for the monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements, including all supporting schedules; monthly SF-133s (Report on Budget Execution and Budgetary Resources); review of DATA Act submissions; and other Federal financial reports as needed.
• Experience supporting the senior accountant with required financial reconciliations, report preparation and other financial documentation as needed.
• Experience providing input for the annual financial statement audit, including assistance in responding to Prepared By Client (PBC) items, other audit requests for information, and assisting in providing information to the senior accountant to answer auditor inquiries.

To qualify for the GS-11 on Education alone, you must have:

3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.

You can also qualify based on a combination of higher level graduate education and experience. This must be fully supported by your resume and transcripts, provided with your application.

To qualify for the GS-12 , you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-11, it must include:

• Experience reconciling financial accounts, including cash, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and resolving variances between subsidiary ledgers and general ledger control accounts.
• Experience participating in the development, testing, or implementation of automated accounting system segments, policies, or data gathering procedures.
• Experience conducting financial analyses, audits, or investigations of domestic or foreign businesses by validating and evaluating industry financial data.

To qualify for the GS-13 , you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-12, it must include:

• Experience designing, implementing, or maintaining automated accounting systems, including reviewing legislation regulations, policies, or procedures to determine system adequacy and recommend improvements.
• Experience providing accounting advice, technical guidance, and advisory services to financial managers, program managers, and other accountants on accounting systems and operations problems.
• Experience developing accounting policies, procedures, directives, procedural manuals, data-collection systems, or special studies to support financial management decision-making and improve accounting operations.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:

• Accounting Operations - Knowledge of general ledger accounting and the control/subsidiary account relationships and reconciliation techniques, including accounts receivable, accounts payable, and disbursing officer's accountability.
• Financial Systems - Knowledge of the standards, architecture, and specifications of automated financial systems, including source documents, system flows, system interfaces, and related internal controls.
• Financial Analysis - Knowledge of the principles, methods, and techniques of financial analysis, forecasting, and modeling to interpret quantitative and qualitative data; includes data modeling, earned value management, and evaluating key financial indicators, trends, and historical data.

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.

For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link:

All applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

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. 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.

TRANSCRIPTS are REQUIRED as there is a stated education requirement for the series. The transcripts need not be official, but must show that you meet the stated education requirements, including specific major or class requirements.

Additional information

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Transportation by email at, View email address on click.appcast.io. To learn more, please visit our page at: The Fair Chance to Compete Act | US Department of Transportation

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

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.

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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.

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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.