The incumbent serves as an Accountant in the Support Services Division. The purpose of the work is to ensure accurate reporting of all accounting, cost, and budget data, and to facilitate the efficient use of allocated funds for the Regional Office (RO). Assists management in providing analytical and organizational expertise for all division activities, including financial, budgetary, and administrative.

Duties

Specific duties include: Examines, certifies and audit vouchers submitted for payment, while assessing compliance with applicable laws, regulations, policies, and procedures. Establishes and maintains internal controls systems with a special emphasis on the operational areas identified as having a high risk of fraud, waste, and abuse. Ability to communicate either by phone or correspondence with veterans, fiduciary, other offices with inquiry results. Prepares fiscal, administrative, and other statistical reports as deemed appropriate and/or as required and serves on such other projects as directed. Responds to inquiries from Congressional Offices, Regional Counsel and Office of IG. Must have a thorough understanding of the various benefit programs and the payment procedures and regulations applicable to each program administered by the Department. Independently performs reviews for accuracy and consistency of data such as audits, debts, and reimbursement. Ensures that recurring reports are accurately complied and completed on time Provides technical advice to all Regional Office employees on complex and unusual benefit award adjustments, special payment issues, and accounts receivable actions on the applicable computer applications. Ability to use specific VA computer applications, in additions to Microsoft Excel, Word and other electronic database applications. Performs accounting reviews and payment function checks for discrepancies and advises management with proposes plans to prevent future unassociated funds situations. Provides administration support to management staff for personnel management, budget administration, procurement, and other financial related activities. Serve as subject matter expert in all areas of the Financial Operations section. Oversee the work of the Financial Specialist and ensures appropriate separations of duties are in place and the financial integrity of the regional office is maintain and upheld. Develops procedures and coordinates activities across functional lines with other divisions, Regional Offices, service organization, and with other government departments or agencies. Establishes and maintains internal controls systems with a special emphasis on the operational areas identified as having a high risk of fraud, waste, and abuse. Responsible for planning, organizing, assigning, and reviewing the work performed within the Operations area. Must be well versed in all facets of the financial and general operating procedures for the Regional Office, which requires substantial technical and managerial expertise. Serves as a Certifying Official authorizing all financial transactions, adjustments, and Collections. Ability to conduct the most detailed audits and analysis. Skilled in completing oral and written presentations that are clear, concise, and logical. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday, 8 am - 4:30 pm Compressed/Flexible: Available Telework: Available (according to local policy) Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: 37538A/37347A Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• 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

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/20/2023. TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENT: Applicants who are current Federal employees, former Federal employees applying for reinstatement, or a current federal employee applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment must meet time in grade requirements. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials.NOTE: This does not apply to Non-Federal Applicants, or applicants applying for consideration under Non-Competitive Authority (i.e.... "30% or more Disability", VRA, and/or Schedule A).To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50). You must provide a copy of your most recent SF-50 that indicates proof of status, and shows Time in Grade (for example, you were a career or career-conditional employee) and identifies your position title, series, grade, step, salary, tenure, and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must also submit your most recent promotion or within-grade increase in addition to your recent SF-50. If you previously held a higher grade, you must also submit any SF-50 showing that grade. DO NOT submit Award SF-50's and/or General Adjustment SF-50's as they cannot be used to prove time-in-grade. For a GS-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7 level. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9 level. AND You must meet the Basic Education Requirement to qualify for the GS-510-series. Basic Education Requirement: All applicants are required to have one of the following basic education requirements: 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" 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: 1. Twenty-four semester hours in accounting or auditing courses of appropriate type and quality. This can include up to 6 hours of business law. 2. A certificate as Certified Public Accountant or a Certified Internal Auditor, obtained through written examination. 3. 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 non conformance to the requirement of 24 semester hours in accounting, the applicant's education, training, and experience fully meet the specified requirements. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. AND MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: You may qualify based on your experience as described below: To qualify for this position at the GS-09 level, applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level. Specialized Experience GS-9 Grade Level: 1. Professional knowledge of accounting and cost accounting concepts, principles and methods and knowledge of organizational or program practices, policies, and functions. 2. Ability to evaluate and analyze accounting and budgetary information to present supported finding, conclusions, and recommendations; general knowledge of government-wide accounting practices and procedures within the agency. 3. Perform standard accounting, cost accounting and reporting assignments; knowledge of federal laws and guidelines; knowledge of automated systems design practices; ability to describe system specifications. Education: Two (2) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree To qualify for this position at the GS-11 level, applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level. Specialized Experience GS-11 Grade Level: 1. Professional knowledge of accounting and cost accounting concepts, principles and methods and knowledge of organizational or program practices, policies, and functions. 2. Ability to evaluate and analyze accounting and budgetary information to present supported finding, conclusions, and recommendations; general knowledge of government-wide accounting practices and procedures within the agency. 3. Perform standard accounting, cost accounting and reporting assignments; knowledge of federal laws and guidelines; knowledge of automated systems design practices; ability to describe system specifications. Education: Three (3) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree (education must meet the IOR requirement listed above). OR Applicants may substitute education for the experience required. Volunteer Experience: 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; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Full vs. Part-Time Employment: Full-time employment is considered to be at least 35 hours per week. Part-time experience will be credited on a pro-rated basis; when including part-time employment in your resume you must specify the average hours worked per week. Physical Requirements: Work is typically performed in an adequately lighted and climate-controlled business office setting. There is occasional noise from normal office equipment. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at http://://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

You must meet the basic educational requirements as listed above.

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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Columbia Regional Benefit Office 6437 Garners Ferry Rd Columbia, SC 29209 US
• Name: Felicia L Douglas
• Email: [email protected]