Duties

Summary

This position is located in the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), Office of the Chief Operating Officer, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Accounting & Finance Division, Accounting Branch, Accounting Operations Section providing financial management services within AOC. As a Financial Management Specialist, you are responsible for processing complex payments for large construction and service contracts including contract holdback (retainage) management and analyzing policies and procedures.

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Responsibilities

Processing Complex Contract Payments and Retainage and other Invoice Payment Processing

• Performs retainage reconciliations in support of audit and accounting reporting requirements.
• Provides training on financial management issues to Contracting Officers (COs), Contracting Officer's Technical Representatives (CORs) and vendors responsible for the contracts and invoicing of contract work.
• Uses various automated systems and manual processes in the processing/approval of vendor invoices for payment. Systems used currently include the Treasury Invoice Processing Platform (IPP), AOC's Financial Management System (FMS) and E2-CWTSatoTravel; this may expand to additional systems.
• Responsible for large construction and service contracts involving contract hold back (retainage). Reviews and approves contracts with retainage withheld, verifying that the correct amounts are withheld.

Analysis of Policies and Procedures and Account Maintenance and Reconciliation

• Responsible to reconcile monthly credit card interfaces prior to approval/payment of credit card billings. Meets the required deadlines to avoid credit card interest accruing.
• Analyzes and reviews reports to assure that they are in balance and in proper format, that the accounting data is valid and that it adheres to prescribed regulatory manuals and procedures. Documents problems, takes corrective action to bring reports and listings in balance, verifies corrected copy and recommends changes in procedures to prevent a recurrence of such problems.
• With some guidance from supervisor and lead, analyzes retainage reconciliation in support of audit and accounting/reporting requirements. Validates retainage liability account balances to contract retainage balances.
• Reconciles all retainage prior to any retainage payments being processed, properly identifying detail retainage lines to be relieved based on supporting documentation and in coordination with Project and Program Managers (PPM) who oversee the contracts.
• Analyzes discrepancies and performs reconciliations for items identified in the course of processing transactions, including both payment processing and travel order review and processing.
• Responds to customer inquiries by performing in-depth research utilizing IPP, FMS, Purchase Order data and related regulations and fiscal law.
• Reviews existing financial policies, procedures, guidelines and systems that encompass the agency's financial management program.
• Proposes changes to guidelines, procedures or policies if existing ones are outdated, conflicting or inadequate.
• Designs, administers, plans, implements and coordinates on-going financial management projects.
• Identifies and recommends needed changes to processing and/or guidelines for key aspects of accounting operations, particularly in the accounts payable and accounts receivable functions.
• Provides financial system education and training to Accounting Branch and other personnel to enhance agency use of the data generated from such financial systems.
• Resolves financial management problems and discrepancies under the general guidance of the supervisor.
• Provides assistance in the analysis, review and resolution of financial issues.

Customer Service, Communication and Collaboration

• Responds to both internal AOC customers and external vendors/contractors by responding to inquiries verbally or in writing in a clear and concise manner. This includes assessing their needs, gathering pertinent information, writing descriptive reports and reviewing information to determine the appropriate resolution.
• Conducts in-person quarterly meetings at assigned jurisdictions' sites, which may include providing PowerPoint briefings to train them on general accounting or financial management issues.
• The in-person meetings are also to address issues that relate to the unique accounting or financial management issues of the individual jurisdiction.
• Communicates with customers, employees and other individuals to answer questions, disseminate or explain information and address complaints in a calm and diplomatic manner.
• Facilitates management of the workload by monitoring progress of vendor invoices, analyzing system holds and resolving discrepancies to achieve timely payment disbursements.
• Prepares monthly reports of workload and accomplishments for the Accounting Operations team for inclusion in periodic reports to senior management.

Serves as Backup for Travel and Intragovernmental Payment Processing

• Serves as backup and/or provides assistance and guidance to the above Financial Management Specialist, in the processing of Intragovernmental Payment Transactions, ensuring all payments are cleared within the same month.
  Receives, reviews and routes AOC travel authorization requests and local and long-distance requests for reimbursement.

Performs other related duties as assigned.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
12 - Position has non-competitive promotion potential to the GS-12.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen.
• You must be able to pass a drug test.
• Your resume and question responses must demonstrate the job-related KSAs.
• You must meet the definition of specialized experience.

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Qualifications

You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position. You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on the OPM web site at OPM qualification standards

Specialized Experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, an applicant's one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for successful job performance.

To qualify at the GS-11 level, your resume must clearly demonstrate that you have one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience comparable in difficulty and responsibility to at least the GS-09 level in the federal service. Examples of qualifying experience include at least three (3) or more of the following types of tasks performed on a regular and recurring basis:

1. Applying concepts and principles of financial management functions, systems, policies, and procedures for the examination, verification, and maintenance of accounts and financial data;

2. Reviewing existing financial policies, procedures, guidelines and systems that encompass the agency's financial management program. Includes the analysis, interpretation, and evaluation of trends and measurements to resolve financial issues;

3. Using automated financial database/reporting systems to enter, correct and retrieve factual information and compile reports;

4. Researching retainage contract terms and reconciliations;

5. Validating, monitoring and maintaining financial transactions and records; AND

6. Analyzing and evaluating reports and data from financial systems to identify issues and discrepancies.

OR

Have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or at least 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or an LL.M. To be qualifying, the higher-level graduate education must be in a major field of study in Accounting, auditing or other field of study with course work directly related to the work of this position.

OR

Have an equivalent combination of the above specialized experience AND higher level graduate education that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position.

Education

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Additional information

Welcome Veterans. The Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) gives veterans' preference rights in the legislative branch to certain veterans as applied by the Congressional Accountability Act. Veterans' preference is applied on this vacancy announcement. If you are a veteran and have been separated under honorable conditions, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility; SF-15, if applicable; and Department of Veterans Affairs documentation of disability, if applicable. For more information, please visit OPM vet guide

If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information.

DRUG TESTING: The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is a Drug Free Workplace. As part of the AOC's suitability assessment, a candidate tentatively selected for a position who is not currently an AOC employee is required to submit to screening for illegal drug use. Satisfactory completion of a drug test is a condition of employment with the Agency. A candidate must test negative prior to being eligible for appointment into a position. We will schedule, provide and cover the cost for the drug test.

The selectee(s) under the vacancy announcement for this position is subject to a criminal record check by the U.S. Capitol Police and satisfactory adjudication to be eligible for employment at the Architect of the Capitol.

The Architect of the Capitol is an E-VERIFY Participant. E-VERIFY is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment authorization in the United States. If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the DHS Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" electronic system. For more information on E-Verify, please visit http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc_1185221678150.shtm

The Architect of the Capitol is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information and/or disability.

This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Moving expenses are not authorized.

Relocation expenses are not authorized.

Probationary Period - A newly appointed selectee is subject to the completion of a one-year trial/probationary period, regardless of whether or not a trial/probationary period has been completed previously with the Architect of the Capitol or another Federal agency.

This vacancy announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies in any of the jurisdictions of the Architect of the Capitol.

All application materials become the property of the Architect of the Capitol.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Review your resume and responses carefully. Your eligibility for consideration and qualifications for the position will be determined based upon a review of your detailed resume and your responses to job specific self-assessment questions.

Your resume will be evaluated based on evidence of your ability to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) for this position, possession of any specialized experience, and how well your background and experience relates to the self-assessment questions in the job announcement. The self-assessment questions relate to the following knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies:

Financial Management

Problem Solving

Financial Analysis

Interpersonal Skills

Writing

Your responses to the self-assessment questions serve as the basis for your initial rating. You will receive a numerical score based on your responses to these questions. Next, your responses will be evaluated by a Human Resources Specialist and/or a subject matter expert against the information provided in your resume and optional cover letter. Your resume must support your answers to the self-assessment questions. Falsifying your background, education and/or experience is cause for non-selection or disqualification from further consideration.

Please note that a complete application is required for consideration. (Please review the "Required Documents" section of this job announcement to see what must be included in a complete application).

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
Yes

Required Documents

The Architect of the Capitol's (AOC) job application process is designed to ensure you only provide information necessary to evaluate your qualifications and eligibility for the position vacancy.

To apply for this position, you only need to submit: a) your resume and b) answers to the online vacancy assessment questionnaire. The online questionnaire contains eligibility and screening questions and other relevant information. No additional documentation or attachments are required at the time of application.

Your resume should list your education, training and work experience including job titles, employment dates, duties and accomplishments.

Nothing further is required until it is requested by AOC's Human Capital Management Division. If additional documentation is required for the position, you will be asked to provide it during the interview or selection process. At that time, you may be asked to submit documentation to support statements made in your resume.

For example, you may be asked to provide a copy of your diploma, college transcripts, or proof of Federal employment status. If the position requires licensure or certification, you will be asked to provide proof at the time of selection.

If Veterans' preference is claimed, you will be asked to submit proof (DD-214, and, if claiming a 10-point preference, a SF-15 and the proof required by that form).

Failure to provide the required documents will end further consideration and/or result in the withdrawal of any tentative job offers.

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.