Job opening: STAFF ACCOUNTANT
Salary: $87 128 - 149 465 per year
Published at: Jun 28 2024
Employment Type: Full-time
This position is located in the External Compliance Division, Compliance Operations, Chief Financial Officer, Business Center, Rural Development (RD), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
This is a restricted REMOTE position. The incumbent works from a HOME office within commuting distance (50 miles) of selected city.
1 vacancy - Las Vegas or Reno, NV
1 vacancy - Denver, CO
1 vacancy - Portland OR, or Spokane WA
Duties
Assists in directing and coordinating studies and analyses to determine whether borrower and grantee accounting objectives are being achieved in accordance with approved RD policies and procedures.
Develops recommendations and justifications for new accounting systems and broad revisions to existing accounting systems.
Provides technical advice and assistance to the Agency’s line and staff offices and to CPAs concerning the interpretation and application of technical accounting principles and auditing standards.
Serves as a consultant to RD committees, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to provide technical advice and assistance on RD accounting policies and procedures.
Requirements
- You must be a US Citizen or US National.
- Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
- Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
- Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
- Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
- Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/.
Qualifications
Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.
For the GS-12: Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 or its nonfederal equivalent that demonstrates: Experience in the accounting field of accounting theories, concepts, principles, and practices to conduct a variety of assignments related to accounting and financial transactions. Experience in performing attestation engagements (compliance reviews/audits). Experience conducting studies and analyses to determine if the borrower's and/or grantee's accounting objectives are being achieved in accordance with Generally Accepted Government Audit Standards. Experience reviewing audited financial statements for compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Experience revising current accounting systems to comply with the issuance of new accounting principles. Experience implementing changes to internal control systems to improve the business operations, financial conditions, or compliance with audit findings. Experience interpreting the findings of an audit and measure the potential impact on the entity's operations. Experience in providing advice and assistance to the Agency's staff offices, external awardees, and to CPAs, concerning the interpretation and application of accounting principles and auditing standards. Experience with researching emerging accounting and audit standards and develop, evaluate, and review position papers on the standards. Experience drafting audit findings and recommendations based on accounting practices or regulatory guidelines. Experience making formal presentations to internal and external organizations, professional societies, and executive management personnel. Performs compliance reviews on external awardees' accounting systems. Experience in advising Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) with respect to agency audit requirements. Reviews CPA audit reports and reviews work papers to determine the degree of borrower and grantee compliance with generally accepted accounting principles, practices and procedures; ensures compliance with the Agency's auditing requirements.
For the GS-13: Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 or its nonfederal equivalent that demonstrates:
Experience in the accounting field of accounting theories, concepts, principles, and practices to conduct a variety of assignments related to accounting and financial transactions. Experience conducting attestation engagements (reviews/audits) as an audit manager (auditor in charge) in accordance with Generally Accepted Government Audit Standards. Experience reviewing audited financial statements for compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Experience implementing changes to internal control systems to improve the business operations, financial conditions, or compliance with audit findings. Experience in drafting and reviewing proposed audit procedures and accounting guidance. Experience researching emerging accounting and audit standards and develop, evaluate, review, and defend position papers on the standards. Experience creating audit findings and recommendations based on technical accounting practices or regulatory guidelines. Experience in providing training to various program areas on reviewing CPA audit reports, financial statements, and other financial reports used to evaluate RD borrowers' and grantees' ability to repay their loans or carry out program objectives. Experience developing and recommending proposed accounting policies, procedures, and standards relating to borrowers' and grantees' accounting systems and reviewing audit reports prepared by internal and external accountants to determine compliance with acceptable accounting principles, practices, and procedures. Independently performs compliance reviews on external awardees' accounting systems. Experience in advising CPAs and financial and program managers on complex accounting problems and providing solutions to internal control and reporting problems. Experience in analyzing financial information to identify problem areas and to advise managers and other accountants.
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
A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education
In addition to the specialized experience, applicants must meet the Basic Requirements as outlined below.
Applicants must provide documentation (such as a transcript, CPA certificate, etc.) to show they meet the Basic Requirements, either Alternative A or Alternative B for this position. Failure to provide documentation may result in loss of consideration for this position.
Alternative A: 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
Alternative 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; 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.
Contacts
- Address Rural Development
1400 Independence Ave SW
Washington, DC 20250
US
- Name: Connie Stokes
- Phone: 0000000000
- Email: [email protected]