Accountant in Washington DC, District Of Columbia

Summary Are you an experienced Accountant looking to serve in the public sector? The Architect of the Capitol has an exciting position located in the Financial Reporting and Analysis Branch within the Accounting Division of the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The Accountant will be responsible for supporting the accounting and financial reporting activities for the Architect of the Capitol (AOC). Responsibilities As an Accountant, you will analyze the accounting accuracy of all financial data that is generated from the AOC’s accounting system and provide accountability of all funds as well as assets and liabilities. Operational Accounting and Analysis Analyzing and reconciling general ledger accounts and accounting data to assess accounting data integrity. Analyzing and accounting for the lifecycle of interagency agreements (IAAs) and related transactions. Performing general ledger account analyses, accounting for leases and property plant and equipment (PPE), Treasury reporting, and financial audit support. Analyzing supporting documents to ensure that the data included is internally consistent, and is accurately recorded in the financial system in accordance with all governing procedures for the reporting of such items. In cases of inaccurate reporting, incumbent takes the necessary action to resolve any discrepancies. Reviewing accounting entries to determine the accuracy of the data recorded in the financial system. Reviewing and assessing the accounting impact of any changes to laws, regulations and financial management guidance to ensure that accounting processes are in compliance with overarching standards and guidelines. Accounting Transaction Processing Processing accounting adjustments to general ledger accounts in the financial system to ensure that accounts reflect proper balances. Preparing and updating accounting entries to reflect AOC business actives such as billing and collections, acquisition and disposal of property, accruals, and other relevant accounting transactions. Preparing and posting non-recurring adjustments as needed to correct and reflect accurate general ledger account balances, as needed. Financial Management and External Reporting Provide support for maintaining efficient financial management processes and reporting AOC’s financial activities to external stakeholders. Such duties include, but are not limited to: Performing ongoing analysis to ensure that financial data is compliant with governing procedures and those transactions are accurately classified and presented in the financial reports. In cases of inaccurate reporting, taking the necessary action to resolve any discrepancies. Providing support for the preparation of the agency’s audited financial statements. Assisting with the preparation of externally required financial reports, which include, but are not limited to external reports for submission to Treasury, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and Congress. Working with management to propose or implement changes that promulgate efficient, compliant and well documented policies and procedures. Identifying and communicating impact of new regulations or financial management requirements on existing policies and procedures. Financial Audit Support Working with external auditors on financial audits and reviews. Working collaboratively with auditors and colleagues to clarify and resolve audit issues. Duties quoted at GS-13 level; If selected at the GS-12, candidate will have non-competitive promotion potential to the GS-13. Requirements Conditions of Employment 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. You must meet the education requirement for Accountants You must meet the selective placement factor. To be employed by the Architect of the Capitol in a paid position, an individual must meet one of the categories below: A citizen of the United States; A person who is lawfully admitted for permanent residence and is seeking citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)(B); A person who is admitted as a refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157 or is granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. 1158 and has filed a declaration of intention to become a lawful permanent resident and then a citizen when eligible; A person who owes allegiance to the United States (nationals of American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Northern Mariana Islands, and nationals who meet other requirements described in 8 U.S.C. 1408); or A person who is currently an officer or employee of the Government of the United States. 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 ** All applicants must meet the following selective placement factor: Skill using a financial management system to analyze financial and accounting data. 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 of specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level. To qualify at the GS-12 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-11 level in the federal service. Examples of qualifying experience include the following types of tasks performed on a regular and recurring basis: Interpreting and applying accounting policies and procedures; Preparing or reviewing financial statements and other financial reports; Evaluating internal financial reporting controls and support auditor requests; Analyzing, verifying, and reconciling fiscal transactions and/or records using a variety of accounting systems; and Preparing written communications to convey information related to accounting processes, policies and procedures for large scale organizations. To qualify at the GS-13 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-12 level in the federal service. Examples of qualifying experience include the following types of tasks performed on a regular and recurring basis: Designing and performing accounting reconciliations in accordance with accounting policies and procedures; Establishing requirements, preparing and reviewing financial statements and other financial reports; Implementing internal controls over financial reporting controls and responding to auditor requests; and Applying professional accounting standards to recommend, interpret or develop accounting policies. Education REQUIRED EDUCATION A. Degree: Bachelor’s 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. (The term “accounting” means “accounting and/or auditing” and 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. One of the following must be included: 24 semester hours in accounting or auditing courses, 6 of which can be in business law; A certificate as Certified Public Accountant or a Certified Internal Auditor through written exam; 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. Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Education completed outside of the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part of foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing if selected. 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.