This job announcement has closed

The incumbent in this position serves a Senior Accountant and under the leadership and the purview of the Division Chief. The incumbent of this position is tasked with providing a wide variety of accounting, analytical, and financial support to the VBA Finance Center.

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Hiring complete

Open & closing dates

07/01/2024 to 07/09/2024
Salary

$115,439 - $150,075 per year
Pay scale & grade

GS 13
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Location

1 vacancy in the following location:
- Hines, IL
Remote job

No
Telework eligible

Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required

25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed

No
Appointment type

Permanent
Work schedule

Full-time
Service

Competitive
Promotion potential

None
Job family (Series)
- 0510 Accounting
Supervisory status

No
Security clearance

Other
Drug test

No
Position sensitivity and risk

Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
- Suitability/Fitness
Announcement number

201-HIN-12455495-24-CS-NBU
Control number

798036200

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Clarification from the agency

This vacancy announcement is open ONLY to current, permanent Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration Finance Center employees and current/former VA employees who are CTAP eligible.

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Specific duties include:

Serves as a Certifying Officer for daily Veteran and beneficiary payments, analyzes payment vouchers to accounting reports, and verifies funding
Analyzes and interprets laws, regulations, decisions, and directives of other governmental bodies which have an impact on VBAFC's C&P and EDU Benefit Programs financial accounting and reporting systems
Ensures all entries used to record accounting events are accurate and meet guidance provided by Treasury and others
Plans, organizes, monitors, controls, and executes projects of short-term and long-term duration to ensure its quality and timely completion
Assists in developing, maintaining, and administering a complex set of automated systems/subsystems to produce accurate and timely financial/accounting information
Responsible for ensuring the accuracy of the official accounting records and documents for all VA Benefit Programs
Analyzes mandatory or discretionary funding and projection of needs based on historical trends and expected growth
Performs and provides analysis and advice on financial matters associated with control of funds for Management officials and administrators
Solves complex reporting problems encountered in the review, analysis, reconciliation, and consolidation of various accounting and financial reporting applicable to VBAFC appropriations and funds
Serves as the VBA Finance Center business lead and representative in the development, implementation, and operation of all systems affecting the programs supported by the Center
Estimates, monitors, and reports on status and progress of work and meets established milestones and deadlines for completion of assignments, projects, and tasks
Researches, learns, and applies a wide range of qualitative and/or quantitative methods to identify, assess, analyze, and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of work products
Responsible for the application of appropriate problem-solving techniques, work methods, practices, and procedures, and identifies the parameters of a viable solution
Assists in the development of business requirements
Performs as a liaison for both internal and external audits
Responsible for Finance Center website modifications and maintenance
Estimates, monitors, and reports on status and progress of work and meets established milestones and deadlines for completion of assignments, projects, and tasks
Provides financial advice and assistance for internal agency operating accounting programs to include research in direct support of the mission and organization objectives
Provides technical training and professional assistance to VBA Finance Center staff on accounting policies and procedures
Articulates and communicates assignments, projects, problems to be solved, actionable events, milestones, and/or programs issues under review, and deadlines/timeframes for completion
Performs financial or management reporting functions for which the Center is responsible
Develops guidance to supplement guidelines received from VA Central Office, OMB, GAO, or Department of Treasury
Initiates written communication and independently composes documents, correspondence, and reports involving complex or technical information, standard operating procedures, and business requirements
Independently prepares reports from a variety of sources identifying problem areas and containing analysis and recommendations for improvement

Promotion Potential: None.

Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday, 8am - 4:30pm
Compressed/Flexible: Available
Telework: Available
Virtual: This is a virtual position
Position Description/PD#: Accountant (Senior Accountant); GS-0510-13, 41859-0
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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Conditions of Employment

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
You may be required to serve a probationary period
Subject to background/security investigation

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:07/09/2024.

TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENT: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50). The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. You must provide a copy of your most recent SF-50 that indicates proof of status, and shows Time in Grade (for example, you were a career or career-conditional employee) and identifies your position title, series, grade, step, salary, tenure, and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must also submit your most recent promotion or within-grade increase in addition to your recent SF-50. If you previously held a higher grade, you must also submit any SF-50 showing that grade. DO NOT submit Award SF-50's and/or General Adjustment SF-50's as they cannot be used to prove time-in-grade.

For a GS-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12 level.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:
GS-13 Grade Level:

Specialized Experience: You must have 1 year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 in order to qualify for this position. Specialized experience includes:
- The work level is characterized as broad and highly difficult assignments requiring the full range of accounting, reporting, and analytical duties. The incumbent must have extensive professional knowledge of the theory, principles, concepts, and practices of accounting to apply this knowledge to broad and difficult assignments. This entails the ability to develop and promulgate accounting policies and standards covering all financial system operations or to resolve problems of above average difficulty in maintaining accounting systems. The incumbent must have a thorough knowledge of governmental accounting practices and procedures including those established by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Treasury, OMB, and GAO to design, modify, administer, or analyze accounting systems or programs. The incumbent must exercise initiative, resourcefulness, and mature judgment. Deals tactfully and convincingly with Management, staff members, and others within and outside of the organization regarding the coordination of policies and operating procedures. The work is characterized by solving accounting problems in particularly difficult and responsible circumstances. The Accountant may have major responsibilities in accounting systems development, design, or operations and maintains responsibilities with overall responsibility for VBA Finance Center system operations. The work includes advising the Center Director, Deputy Director, and staff as well as preparing written regular or special purpose reports that accurately reflect findings and recommendations regarding accounting and financial system operations. The incumbent typically works with a variety of accounting and financial systems in environments where there is significant interface with automated management systems. The Accountant is an expert in multiple aspects of VA Benefit Program accounting and its application and financial reporting.

-AND-

Basic requirement:

The 0510- Accounting series has a basic individual occupational requirement (IOR). In addition to meeting the specialized experience, you must meet the the IOR and fully support your qualification by uploading documentation to your application. The IOR for the Accountant (Senior Accountant) GS-0510-13 is as follows:

Basic Requirements

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
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 one of 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.

Volunteer Experience: 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, including volunteer experience.
Full vs. Part-Time Employment: Full-time employment is considered to be at least 35 hours per week. Part-time experience will be credited on a pro-rated basis; when including part-time employment in your resume you must specify the average hours worked per week.
Physical Requirements: Work is primarily sedentary but involves use of a personal computer. A degree of manual dexterity and visual acuity enough to utilize these tools are required. Occasional standing, bending, walking, and stooping may also be experienced. Some slight physical effort is required in that incumbent lifts and carries reference books, working papers, and similar items to and from meetings. A moderate amount of
standing and walking is required in getting to and from meeting places away from the worksite. The incumbent may become fatigued due to reading difficult types of printed and handwritten material over an extended period. No special physical demands are required

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at http://://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to be credited towards qualifications. Provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
All education claimed by applicants will be verified upon appointment. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript to receive credit.

Additional information

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 telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

Placement Policy: The posting of this 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.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

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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.

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.

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Applicants who do not fully address the specialized experience needed for the position (as described above in the job announcement) in their resume will not be referred for consideration.

After you have met the minimum qualifications, you will be rated on the following competencies based on your application for this position:

Oral/Written Communication - Ability to express information to individuals or groups effectively taking into account the audience and nature of the information and make clear and convincing oral presentations / Ability to express facts and ideas in writing in a succinct and organized manner
Problem Solving- Ability to identify and analyze problems and use sound reasoning to arrive at conclusions and find alternative solutions to complex problems / Ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information to make logical judgments
Project Management - Ability to apply principles, methods, or tools for developing, scheduling, coordinating, monitoring, evaluating, and managing technical projects and resources / Ability to manage activities and projects involved with assuring the integrity of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Veterans Benefit Administration (VBA) financial accounting, reporting, systems and budget functions of the VBAFC
Risk Management - Ability to formulate an integrated enterprise risk management framework and analyze mitigation of risk / Ability to recommend and promote best practices in risk management and ensure all analyses are thorough and accurate
Internal Controls - Ability to apply knowledge of the principles, methods, and techniques for establishing internal control activities, monitoring their use, and evaluating their performance / Ability to assure effective internal controls are developed and maintained to ensure the integrity of the organization
Accounting Operations - Ability to apply knowledge of accounting, financial, control/subsidiary account reconciliation techniques and statistical data to prepare documents and reports / Ability to develop a complex set of automated systems/subsystems to effectively produce accounting/financial information

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or an interview.

Help
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.
As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package to include the documents detailed below. Your resume and supporting documentation will be verified. Failure to submit the documents as specified may result in loss of consideration for this job announcement.
- Resume detailing specialized experience and competencies as they relate to this position.
  - For each position in your resume, you must specify the start and end dates (month/year) and a description of duties. If the position was Federal, you should also indicate the grade level. Resumes containing a general summary of all positions held, not specifying start/end dates, and/or not including documentation supporting Federal grade level(s) are insufficient to determine basic qualifications.
- Your most recent NON-AWARD SF-50. The SF-50 must indicate proof of status and should identify your position title, series, grade, step, salary, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted).
- Your SF-50 reflecting when you entered your highest grade (e.g. Promotion, Appointment, etc.) in order to verify time-in-grade requirements.
- Transcript and/or professional certification to support the IOR requirement
Additional Documents accepted:
- CTAP documentation - RIF notice, SF-50 showing VA employee, and performance appraisal
Please use this checklist to make sure you have included all documents required for your application. You will not be contacted for additional information.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Complete the questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 07/09/2024 to receive consideration. It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12455495.
1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
Click here for instructions on viewing your application status.
Agency contact information

Chenele Coleman-Sellers

Phone

410-230-4400

Email

Chenele.Coleman-Sellers@va.gov

Address

VBA Financial Service Center
5000 S 5TH AVE.
Hines, IL 60141
US

Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.

You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

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To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package to include the documents detailed below. Your resume and supporting documentation will be verified. Failure to submit the documents as specified may result in loss of consideration for this job announcement.

Resume detailing specialized experience and competencies as they relate to this position.
- For each position in your resume, you must specify the start and end dates (month/year) and a description of duties. If the position was Federal, you should also indicate the grade level. Resumes containing a general summary of all positions held, not specifying start/end dates, and/or not including documentation supporting Federal grade level(s) are insufficient to determine basic qualifications.
Your most recent NON-AWARD SF-50. The SF-50 must indicate proof of status and should identify your position title, series, grade, step, salary, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted).
Your SF-50 reflecting when you entered your highest grade (e.g. Promotion, Appointment, etc.) in order to verify time-in-grade requirements.
Transcript and/or professional certification to support the IOR requirement

Additional Documents accepted:

CTAP documentation - RIF notice, SF-50 showing VA employee, and performance appraisal

Please use this checklist to make sure you have included all documents required for your application. You will not be contacted for additional information.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

Help

Complete the questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 07/09/2024 to receive consideration. It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12455495.

To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.

Click here for instructions on viewing your application status.

Agency contact information

Chenele Coleman-Sellers

Phone: 410-230-4400
Email: Chenele.Coleman-Sellers@va.gov
Address: VBA Financial Service Center
5000 S 5TH AVE.
Hines, IL 60141
US

Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.

You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

This job announcement has closed

Help

Hiring complete

Open & closing dates

07/01/2024 to 07/09/2024
Salary

$115,439 - $150,075 per year
Pay scale & grade

GS 13
Location

1 vacancy in the following location:
- Hines, IL
Remote job

No
Telework eligible

Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required

25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed

No
Appointment type

Permanent
Work schedule

Full-time
Service

Competitive
Promotion potential

None
Job family (Series)
- 0510 Accounting
Supervisory status

No
Security clearance

Other
Drug test

No
Position sensitivity and risk

Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
- Suitability/Fitness
Announcement number

201-HIN-12455495-24-CS-NBU
Control number

798036200

This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/798036200. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.

Accountant (Senior Accountant)

Summary

Overview

Open & closing dates

Salary

Pay scale & grade

Location

Remote job

Telework eligible

Travel Required

Relocation expenses reimbursed

Appointment type

Work schedule

Service

Promotion potential

Job family (Series)

Supervisory status

Security clearance

Drug test

Position sensitivity and risk

Trust determination process

Announcement number

Control number

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Duties

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Qualifications

Basic Requirements

Education

Additional information

How You Will Be Evaluated

Required Documents

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

How to Apply

Agency contact information

Next steps

Fair & Transparent