This position is located in the Support Services Division (SSD) of the Seattle Regional Benefits Office. The incumbent performs accounting, civilian payroll, and accounts receivable functions in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, policies, and procedures under the supervision of the Supervisory Financial Administrative Specialist.

Duties

Duties of the Financial Account Technician are, but not limited to: Prepares audits of benefit awards; processing fiscal transactions-including one-time special payments and out of system payments to bring accounts to current status. Communicates with Veterans and their beneficiaries, as well as other governmental agencies, in person, by telephone or through written communication. Processes check tracers for Veterans and their beneficiaries for claims of non-receipt and initiates reclamation action when necessary. Examines expenditure vouchers prior to payment to assure that existing laws and regulations authorize the expenditure and that the amount is in compliance with set schedules. Ensures that vouchers are certified, appropriate documentation is attached, and the computations are mathematically correct having the authority to suspend or disallow payments when the criterion for payment is not met. Reviews and analyzes financial statements from the debtor, information in claims folders, and other correspondence associated with debts and prepares appropriate documents. Acts as a liaison with financial departments to answer overpayment inquiries from Veterans or their beneficiaries. Utilizes the payment information systems to determine interest and monthly payment disbursement. Analyzes all incoming mail to the Finance Section and correctly classifies documents for processing. Maintains and compiles info. for required monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, annual, special, and/or one-time reports, including workload reports. Maintains a system of accounting records for all financial management system transactions within the Regional Office. Posts and maintains manual and computerized ledgers and related subsidiary journals and journalizes corrective actions for erroneous conditions. Prepares all necessary documents for transfer of funds, whether intra-agency or inter-agency, and prepares budgets reports. Researches, interprets, and verifies which appropriation and general ledger accounts to establish for input. Makes necessary payroll adjustments, including leave record adjustments, and input info into Personnel and Accounting systems. As agent cashier, performs research through several computerized programs to ID the benefit payment system where the debt resides to avoid unassociated deposits. 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: 7AM-330PM Compressed/Flexible: Available Telework: Available Virtual/Remote: This is NOT a virtual/remote position. Position Description/PD# Financial Account Technician/37340A, 37341A, 37342A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Bargaining Unit: This is a bargaining unit

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, 01/26/2024. TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENT: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements (unless if in the commuting area and eligible for a non-competitive hiring authority such as Schedule A, VRA, or 30% or more disabled Veterans). 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. These requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement and those applying for a Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. For a GS-05 position you may be advanced without time restriction if the lowest grade you held within the preceding 52 weeks (non-temporary competitive appointment) is no more than two grades lower (no lower than GS-03). For a GS-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. Specialized Experience: To qualify for this GS-05: You must possess at least one year of specialized experience, equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors.) Specialized Experience is defined as experience in a payroll/accounting system, approving vouchers, financial audits or monitoring a budget system ensuring expenditures are in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Examples Include: Entering requests into various systems; Assisting with timekeeping duties. Computing pay requests after supervisor validates research of technical manuals. Processing financial actions under strict supervision; and Using payroll systems and actions required to input, correct, and obtain information under supervision. OR Education: You have successfully completed 4 years above high school. (You must provide supporting transcripts) OR Combination: A combination of specialized experience and education above high school level. To compute, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of post high school education by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100% to qualify. To qualify for this GS-06: You must possess at least one year of specialized experience, equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors.) Specialized Experience is defined as experience in a payroll/accounting system, approving vouchers, financial audits or monitoring a budget system ensuring expenditures are in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Examples include: Processing recurring official pay adjustment documents. Computing pay requests through independent research of technical manuals Using automated payroll systems and actions required to input, correct, and obtain information independently. Advising on pay plan systems in accordance with company guidelines/regulations; and Providing technical advice to all employees regarding payroll, time and leave matters. There is no educational substitution for the GS-06 level. To qualify for the GS-07 grade level: You must have at least one year of specialized experience, equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the GS-06 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized Experience is defined as experience in a payroll/accounting system, approving vouchers, financial audits or monitoring a budget system ensuring expenditures are in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Examples include: Using payroll, accounting, or financial systems to ensure actions are in compliance with applicable laws or regulations. Auditing and reconciling payroll or financial reports. Advising employees on applicable guidelines for pay plans or retirement systems to ensure actions are in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Preforming quality reviews and Federal pay request actions Researching and troubleshooting unusual or one-of-a-kind Federal pay adjustments. Extensive knowledge of various Federal pay systems to include advising employees on Federal guidelines for pay plans and retirement systems. Providing senior-level technical advice to Federal employees regarding payroll, time and leave matters. There is no educational substitution for the GS-07 level. 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. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. 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

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education, for the GS-05 level.

There is no educational substitution at the GS-06 or GS-07 level.

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 Seattle Regional Benefit Office 915 2nd Avenue Seattle, WA 98174 US
• Name: Kathlene Sherlock
• Email: [email protected]