Duties

Summary

This position is in the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Office of the Controller, Washington Finance Center.

If selected, you must work at the location stated in this announcement.

About OCFO: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-office-chief-financial-officer-ocfo

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

You will:

• Provide coordination, leadership and guidance in the implementation of a comprehensive system of financial controls;
• Review internal controls, modify policies and procedures, and implement agency-wide policies that guide the organization toward the accomplishment of its financial management objectives;
• As Certifying Officer, serve as central point of contact for all budgetary/financial information on funds control for procurement of goods and services;
• Lead a staff of Accountants and Financial Specialists.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
13

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• If you are selected, a pre-employment background check is required.
• You must submit a resume and required documents--see How to Apply section.
• You must be a U.S. citizen.
• Position has education requirements--see Qualifications/Education section.
• EPA and non-EPA applicants must submit transcripts/course listings.
• You may be required to travel less than 25% of each month.

This position is designated as Moderate Risk and requires a background investigation. Unless an appropriate background investigation is already on record with the Office of Personnel Management, you must undergo a background investigation. All conditions of the pre-employment security process must be met before an official letter of employment can be issued with a report for duty date.

You must meet time in grade requirements no later than 30 calendar days after the closing date of this announcement.

If you are selected, you may be required to complete a one-year probationary period.

Qualifications

In addition to the educational requirements, we are looking for at least one year of specialized experience related to this position as described below:

To qualify for the GS-13 level, you need to have at least one year of full-time experience equivalent to the GS-12 level defined as assessing and reporting on organization-wide financial controls of resources; establishing and operating automated financial accounting and reporting systems; and advising financial managers and other accountants to provide solutions to financial issues.

Your answers to the online assessment will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas: 1) Knowledge of accounting theories, procedures, and generally accepted accounting principles and standards; 2) Skill in writing sufficient to develop reports on accounting and financial management issues; 3) Skill in analyzing financial data to draw conclusions; 4) Skill in oral communication sufficient to brief senior management on financial recommendations; 5) Skill in using automated and/or manual accounting and financial management systems; 6) Skill in problem-solving; 7) Ability to evaluate a team's activities and progress, sufficient to distribute workload and prioritize deadlines.

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.

If you have part-time work experience, read this: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures .

Education

You need a degree or combination of education and experience as described below to qualify for this position.

You must have a bachelor's or higher degree in accounting or a related field such as business administration, finance, or public administration with 24 semester hours in accounting (up to 6 hours in business law counts toward these hours); OR a combination of education and experience with at least 4 years of experience in the related field.

You must also have one of the following: 1) 24 hours in accounting or auditing courses which can include up to 6 hours of business law; 2) certificate as Certified Public Accountant/Internal Auditor; or 3) completion of a degree that included substantial course work in accounting or auditing, e.g., 15 hours, provided that (a) you have 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 you have 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 above; and (c) except for literal nonconformance to the requirement of 24 hours in accounting, your education, training, and experience fully meet the specified requirements.

For information about accreditation requirements, visit EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures .

Additional information

Except in special circumstances, those new to the federal government will be hired at the starting salary (step 1) of the applicable grade range listed above.

EPA participates in E-Verify. E-Verify is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that enables participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees. For additional information: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures .

Are you a Displaced Federal Employee? If so, please read the Required Documents section and visit the EPA website for additional information: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures

This position has portable work. If selected for this position, you may be authorized to telework after meeting eligibility requirements if approved by the supervisor/manager. Telework is available based on agency policy and/or applicable collective bargaining agreement which may not allow for full-time telework. NOTE: The agency is currently utilizing maximum telework flexibilities due to COVID. Once normal operations resume, you will be required to report to the location stated in this announcement.

If you are selected, travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid by EPA. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expenses associated with reporting to work in this position will be your responsibility.

This position is not in the bargaining unit.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

We will review your resume and required documents to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. Your resume must address the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed in the Qualifications section. If you meet basic qualification requirements, your application will be further evaluated based on your answers to the online assessment. Your responses to the online assessment will be used to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for the position and an applicable score assigned.

We will compare your resume and supporting documentation to your responses on the assessment questionnaire. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. We will evaluate your qualifications and eligibility and notify you if you meet minimum qualification requirements. If you are referred for consideration, you may be subject to additional assessments.

NOTE: We do not require a separate statement responding to the competencies, also referred to as Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). However, your resume should clearly show possession of these competencies.

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

Documents to submit online (you should redact your social security number, date of birth, and other personal information):

-Resume clearly stating your experience related to this position as described in the Duties and Qualifications sections. Your experience description needs to be clear/specific--we may not make assumptions regarding your experience.

-Responses to online assessment questionnaire (must complete online--it's not a document you upload).

-College transcripts - must submit unofficial transcripts or list of courses that includes school attended, school address, course titles, grades earned, completion dates, department, and quarter/semester hours earned. (Official transcripts aren't required at the time of application; if you're selected, you must provide official transcripts before you start work.) IF EDUCATION WAS COMPLETED AT A FOREIGN INSTITUTION: You must submit an equivalency evaluation with your application as described here: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures

-Veterans: DD-214 Member 4 copy (or other copy indicating character of service), VA letter stating overall/combined disability rating (%), and SF-15 (use current form: SF-15 ), if applicable (see page 2 of SF-15 for documents that can be submitted in lieu of DD-214/VA letter); active duty service members: submit certification from the armed forces documenting active duty dates, expected discharge/release date, campaign medals/badges, and character of service (certification is any written document from the armed forces certifying you're expected to be discharged/released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions within 120 days after you submit the certification). If you're a veteran with a disability and want to be considered for employment through the Schedule A noncompetitive process, provide documentation as indicated in the noncompetitive appointment bullet below.

-Displaced Federal employees (ICTAP/CTAP): most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, tenure, and duty station.

-Current/Former Federal Employees: You must submit Notification(s) of Personnel Action (SF-50) that includes Position Title, Grade or Level, and Duty Station. SF-50(s) must prove you're eligible to apply and have met time-in-grade:
• ELIGIBILITY - You must provide SF-50(s) demonstrating you meet the criteria in the Clarification from the Agency section at the top right of this announcement (the most common eligibility requirements are Competitive Status [Block 24/Tenure and Block 34/Position Occupied on the SF-50] and In the Commuting Area [Block 39/Duty Station on the SF-50]).
• TIME-IN-GRADE - If you're applying for a higher grade, you must provide SF-50(s) demonstrating you have completed a minimum of 52 weeks in a position at the next lower grade. The next lower grade is identified in the Qualifications section of this announcement. (Some SF-50 examples that can prove you've met time-in-grade include promotions, within-grade increases, and SF-50s dated a year apart within the same grade/job.)
-Current Federal Employees: You must submit your most recent completed annual performance appraisal dated within the last 18 months (if it isn't dated within the last 18 months or you haven't received a performance appraisal, you must upload a signed/dated explanation why). You only need to upload the page that shows overall rating and manager/supervisor's signature, not the entire document. If your performance appraisal was conducted virtually, a supervisory email certifying your end-of-year review/rating was completed and the date it occurred is acceptable documentation in lieu of the supervisor's signature on the performance appraisal document; the overall rating must also be provided on either the email or the performance appraisal document.

-If you are applying for a noncompetitive appointment, you must submit additional documents to prove your eligibility:
• Schedule A - To be considered for employment through the Schedule A noncompetitive process for people with severe physical disabilities, psychiatric disabilities, and intellectual disabilities, provide documentation from a licensed medical professional; a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist; or any Federal agency, state agency, or agency of the District of Columbia or a US territory that issues or provides disability benefits. Documentation must be on letterhead, include a signature, and state you're eligible for employment under the Schedule A hiring authority, 5 CFR 213.3102(u). For more information: Schedule A Hiring Authority and Sample Letters
• Other - Provide documentation that supports your eligibility for noncompetitive appointment.
Learn more about noncompetitive appointments: Special Appointment Authorities

Learn more about submitting documentation: Uploading Documents

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.