Duties

Summary

If you are interested in a career as an Accountant, this job is for you! You will be a valued team member who manage the accounting program including accounting operations and services, automated accounting systems, reporting, audit and internal control and development of required policies and procedures.

Bargaining Unit Status: Not Covered

This announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies

This is not a law enforcement position

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

As an Accountant, you will:

1. Manage the PSA accounting program including accounting operations and services, automated accounting systems, reporting, audit and internal control and development of required policies and procedures. Serve as the principal advisor for the Office Director and senior PSA management on accounting matters and represents PSA with CSOSA and external agencies, including the Department of Treasury, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and the Government Accountability Office (GAO), involved in accounting programs.
2. Plan the accounting program from an overall agency standpoint and from the perspective of specific organizational segments. Develop and issue accounting policies and procedures. Review new legislation or regulations and determines application to PSA programs. Schedule and conduct studies, surveys or projects to assess accounting program needs, evaluate current policies or to determine the need for new or revised policies.
3. Manage the daily operations of PSA accounting systems which include accounting for grants, contracts, interagency agreements, payroll, travel, supplies and services. Direct the examination of vouchers and claims against PSA funds for accuracy, legality, and adherence to obligating documents. Develop accounting structures and methods for cost control and reporting.
4. Direct the administration and utilization of automated systems used in accounting operations. Identify the need for and works with Financial Systems staff to develop, test and implement system changes.
5. Manage federally required financial reporting activities for PSA, ensure compliance with relevant regulation and policy. Responsible for the production of a variety of financial reports for internal use. Ensure timeliness, accuracy, compliance with regulation and policy or responsiveness to management of reporting activities.
6. Develop and implement audit functions for PSA accounting operations and responsible for PSA compliance with the Federal Financial Manager's Integrity Act. Ensure that the processing of fiscal transactions meet acceptable standards of internal control and that appropriate internal audit and control reviews and assessments are conducted in accordance with regulation and policy.
7. Oversee preparation of financial statements and coordination with independent auditors for all annual and quarterly audit planning and execution functions.
8. As the senior staff member in finance and accounting, coordinate work of the function and provide guidance and assistance to lower graded staff.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
13

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
• Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary period, if not already completed.
• All applicants are subject to a comprehensive criminal background investigation, and required to submit to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment
• All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choice
• Status applicants for promotion must have 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade
• Time-in-grade requirements must be met by the close of this announcement

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must meet the basic professional requirements and specialized experience requirement below.

Basic Requirement:

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 one of the following:

Twenty-four semester hours in accounting or auditing courses of appropriate type and quality. This can include up to 6 hours of business law; OR

A certificate as Certified Public Accountant or a Certified Internal Auditor, obtained through written examination; OR

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.

AND

Specialized experience: To qualify for the GS-13 grade level, you must have one year of specialized experience related to the duties of the position that was comparable in difficulty and responsibility to the GS-12 grade level.

Specialized experience is defined as performing accounting and financial program analysis work by utilizing financial systems to analyze and classify financial events; interpret financial data, concepts, principles, standards, regulations and producing a variety of financial statement and reports.

Education

There is no education substitution at this grade level.

Additional information

1. If you are an eligible Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) applicant, you may apply for special selection over other applicants for this position. Individuals who have special priority selection rights under the ICTAP must be well-qualified for the position. To be well qualified, applicants must satisfy all qualification requirements for the position and meet the well-qualified level (mid-level) of the crediting plan for all factors. ICTAP eligibles must submit one of the following as proof of eligibility for the special selection priority: a separation notice, SF-50, Notice of Personnel Action, documenting separation, an agency certification that you cannot be placed after injury compensation has been terminated, an OPM notification that your disability annuity has been terminated, OR a Military Department or National Guard Bureau notification that you are retired under 5 U.S.C. Section 833(h) or Section 8456.

2. If you are a current career or career-conditional Federal employee or former Federal employee who has reinstatement eligibility, you must submit a copy of your latest SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" and/or a copy of the SF-50 that reflects career or career-conditional tenure, or you will not be considered under the merit promotion process. Also, you should submit your most recent performance appraisal.

3. Veterans' Employment Opportunities Act of 1998: Veterans who are preference eligible or who have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after 3 years or more of continuous active duty service may apply. If you are applying under this provision, please submit a copy of your DD-214 (unedited long version).

4. If you are a male applicant who was born after 12/31/59 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency.

5. You can apply for a non-competitive appointment if you meet the basic eligibility requirements and you are eligible for special appointment such as those authorized for the severely disabled; certain Vietnam era and disabled veterans; returned volunteers from the Peace Corps or AmeriCorps Vista , etc. Please indicate the type of special appointment you are seeking, if any, on your application and follow all other instructions for applying shown in this announcement.

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

7. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this 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 in our office, in other Federal agency personnel offices, and on OPM's web site at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications.

8. Equal Opportunity Employer: The Pretrial Services Agency is an equal opportunity employer. Selection for this position will be based solely on merit without regard to race, color, religion, age, gender, national origin, political affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, marital or family status or other non-merit based factors.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Your rating will be based on your responses to the job specific information provided in your resume. Your resume must clearly show how you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed below. Failure to demonstrate how you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities will result in a rating of "Qualified" by the rating panel.

1. Knowledge of generally accepted Federal accounting standards and principles, accounting concepts and fiscal procedures.

2. Ability to apply Federal accounting financial regulations, policies and procedures including those issued by Treasury, OMB, and GAO and other Federal policies governing accounting operations, reporting and use of appropriated funds.

3. Skill in the preparation of Federal financial statements and in coordination of independent audits.

Once the application process is completed, your application will be reviewed to ensure you meet the job requirements. You will be evaluated on the extent and quality of your experience, education and training, job- related awards and supervisory appraisal of performance. If you meet the basic qualification requirements, your resume will be forwarded to a panel for rating. Category Rating will be used to evaluate applicants using the following categories to further determine which applicants will be referred to the selecting official for final consideration.

Best Qualified: Applicants possessing a background that demonstrates a superior level on all evaluation criteria.

Well Qualified: Applicants possessing a background that demonstrates a satisfactory level on evaluation criteria.

Qualified: Applicants possessing the specialized experience described above.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)

Trust determination process
Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Your Resume listing hours worked per week, salary, dates of employment and duties performed.
2. Other supporting documents:

• Cover Letter, optional
• College transcript(s), transcripts must include the school name, student name, degree and date awarded, if applicable. (Note: If you are selected for the position, official transcript(s) will be required prior to your first day)
• Most recent SF-50 or Notification of Personnel Action showing you are/were in the competitive service and the highest grade or promotion potential held (if applying as a status candidate with current or former Federal Service). (Award Notification of Personnel Actions are not acceptable)
• Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable
• DD-214 (member 4 copy), SF-15 Form and VA letter, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty from Veterans for consideration under Veteran hiring authorities
• Non-competitive appointment authority documentation, if applicable
• Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program Documentation, if applicable (e.g. Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.)
• Employees applying with an interchange agreement must provide proof of their permanent appointment
• Only send documentation as requested/required by this announcement and that directly supports your qualifications for this position.

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.