Accountant in Beltsville, Maryland

Summary This position is located in the Financial Management Division (FMD, Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO). The FMD is responsible for verifying, authorizing, and processing financial documents that represent multi-million-dollar annual payments to employees and the billing and collection of multimillions of dollars in revenue from sources owing funds to FSIS. This position is eligible for up to 8 days telework per pay period and other flexible work arrangements. Responsibilities Conveys policies, procedures, regulations and directives of the OMB, Treasury, and General Accounting Office to interested persons. Provides technical direction and guidance in the day-to-day operations of performing debt collection maintenance, preparing cost accounting reports, and verifying financial statements. Serves as a Senior Accountant and participates fully with the Branch Chief in the development, coordination and implementation of financial programs reporting requirements, financial oversight, policies, procedures, regulations and controls. Ensures compliance with the regulations of FSIS, USDA and other Federal Departments, which includes Treasury Department, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), General Accounting Office, Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board, etc. Develops and reviews SOPs, instructions, and provides training to FSIS personnel as required or requested on accounting matters or financial systems processes and provides assistance to program officials on accounting operations and procedures. Recommends necessary changes to obtain maximum efficiency and economy of operations. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. Time in grade: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience at the next lower grade to be considered for the next higher grade (e.g. one year at the GS-12 grade level for consideration for the GS-13 grade level.). Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience to be considered for this position (specialized experience must be at the GS-12 or equivalent to be considered for the GS-13 grade level.) Reviewing internal accounting reports for data integrity Recommending corrective action to management or similar position on correcting imbalances with the agency Providing technical direction on daily tasks related to debt collection, preparing cost accounting reports, and other similar accounting activities Reviews current policies within the organization to ensure compliance with accounting laws, regulations, and policies Working with senior management to develop, coordinate, and implement new accounting reporting requirements and financial oversight For more information on how to qualify for this position, Click Here 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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Education 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: 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; 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. Additional Information Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100. Veterans who are preference eligible or who have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after three years or more of continuous active service are eligible for consideration under the Veteran’s Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA). Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Employees: Permanent County employees without prior Federal tenure who are selected for a Civil Service position under Public Law 105-277 will be given a career-conditional appointment and must serve a 1-year probationary period. For more information on applying under special hiring authorities such as the Veteran’s Recruitment Act (VRA), 30 percent disabled veterans, certain military spouses, Schedule A Disabled, etc., explore the different Hiring Paths on the USAJOBS website. This position is eligible for up to 8 days telework per pay period and other flexible work arrangements. Employee participation is at the discretion of the supervisor. Assignment Restrictions: FSIS Directive 4735.9, Office of Field Operations Assignment Restrictions and Rules on Gifts from Regulated Industry, sets out the Agency’s requirements regarding employee assignment restrictions, as it pertains to family and personal relationships. Please read before applying. This announcement may be used to fill additional like vacancies should any occur in the announced duty location(s). Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact: USDAs TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD). It is the policy of the Government not to deny employment simply because an individual has been unemployed or has had financial difficulties that have arisen through no fault of the individual. To see more information visit CHCO Council. Veterans Policy