Summary The Operating Accountant reports directly to the Supervisory Accountant in the Finance Office for Readjustment Counseling Service (RCS). The purpose of this position is to perform the full range of professional accounting work requiring the application of sound accounting principles, theories, concepts and practices. Responsibilities Duties for this Accounting position include but are not limited to: Providing financial advice to senior, peer, and subordinate personnel and performs financial assistance work for internal agency operating programs. Develops accounting procedures and resolves complex technical problems in executing a computerized, integrated accounting system. Analyzes and reviews reports and machine listings to ensure that they are in balance and properly formatted. Reconciles a variety of accounts that consist of administrative accounts with some nonstandard specialized accounts. Prepares numerous monthly reconciliations of various appropriations. Compiles, prepares and verifies a detailed reporting system on a timely basis with informative reports of station operations disclosing all essential financial facts. Reconciles a wide variety of accounting records to include, suspense accounts, general ledger accounts, accounts receivable, NX property accounts and PAID TDA. Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30 pm Monday - Friday Telework: 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. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Accountant/PD02438-0 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 01/21/2025. BASIC REQUIREMENTS: This occupation has an Individual Occupation Requirement (IOR). Applicants must meet the following IOR: A. Successful completion of a 4-year degree in 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. TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED. 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. A certificate as Certified Public Accountant or a Certified Internal Auditor, obtained through written examination. 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 hours requirement of paragraph A above, 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 completion of a 4-year course of study described in paragraph A above; and (c) except for literal nonconformance to the requirements of 24 semester hours in accounting, the applicant's education, training, and experience fully meet the specified requirements. TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED. In addition to meeting the basic requirements (IOR), applicant must have specialized experience and/or directly related education as described below: Specialized Experience: For the GS-11, You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-9 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Accounting, auditing, travel, fiscal and financial management functions; resolving basic accounting problems including documentary deficiencies and inaccurate records and reports. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work of the position, such as advanced level (Ph.D., etc.) degree in accounting, business administration (DBA, etc.) with a concentration in accounting, etc. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.) OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and more than 3 years of graduate education which totals at least one year. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.) For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Education A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information "Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act." Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and 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 for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. 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/.