As a Accountant you will ensure accurate reporting of all accounting, cost, and budget data, and to facilitate the efficient use of allocated funds for the CRO; and assists management in providing analytical and organizational expertise for all division activities, including financial, budgetary, and administrative. This position is located within the Chicago Regional Office (CRO), Support Services Division.

Duties

Specific duties are as follows: Professional, comprehensive knowledge of accounting theories, practices, methods, and techniques, and knowledge of organizational practices, policies, and programs to independently perform a variety of assignments. Ability to analyze accounting systems or to modify and adapt conventional accounting and analytical techniques to solve a variety of accounting problems. Ability to write letters, memoranda, and operating procedures, directives, and/or guides to convey information relating to the accounting process. The incumbent must exercise insight into accounting problems to interpret policy guides, and mist assist in settling problems arising within the organization not covered by guidelines or instructions. Meeting with and advising agency manager on satisfying regulatory requirements, reprogramming funds, eliminating waste and fraud; designing internal controls to track financial records, safeguard assets, and ensure accurate and reliable statements and reports. Ability to write letters, memoranda, and operating procedures, directives, and/or guides to convey information relating to the accounting process. Serves as either the primary or the alternate liaison with the Administrative and Loan Accounting Center (ALAC) Develops and implements electronic applications and spreadsheets within the Support Services Division and the RO Prepares systematic analyses of operations, internal control reviews, and other division reports. Prepares a formal statement of the reconciliation for reporting any out of line conditions to management and develops and directs performance of additional reconciliations as needed to assure the integrity of all records and reports and designs special reports for management for general administrative accounting. Reports to management any omission or misstatement of obligations that may be considered delinquent obligations or any apparent statutory violations. Analyzes pertinent accounts, furnishes information for management that may provide the basis for establishing RO policies or corrective action with respect to rates of expenditures and determination of charges to be made for services furnished; and provides analytical and organizational expertise for all division activities, including financial, budgetary, and administrative. Temporarily fills in critical areas to ensure that an appropriate level of coverage is maintained. Conducts accounting training required for the development of assigned personnel and coordinates with senior staff in all matters pertaining to the installation and day-to-day operations of the station's accounting systems. Conducts internal audits and test audits to verify validity and accuracy of accounting records and reports. Responsible for establishing and monitoring a system of internal controls to prevent over obligation of funds, omission of obligation, or obligation of funds at a rate that would cause untimely exhaustion of station funds.

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
• Selectees are subject to a background/suitability investigation
• Selective Service registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Qualifications

Specialized Experience: To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/26/2024. 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 by the closing date of this announcement. PLEASE NOTE: To support your claim of time in grade, you must submit your most recent appointment, promotion, or within grade increase SF-50 (An award, realignment, or general adjustment SF-50 does NOT meet this requirement). Some applicants may have to submit more than one SF-50 to demonstrate their eligibility. See the required documents section for more information. 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. PLEASE NOTE: There is an Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR) for this series: The Office of Personnel Management's group coverage qualification standards, associated individual occupational requirements (IOR), and individual qualification standards covering white collar occupations in the Federal competitive service can be found here. 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. GS-07 Level: In addition to the Basic Requirement above (IOR), to qualify, applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-5) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as work that involves knowledge of accounting theories, methods, practices, and techniques using conventional procedures and practices; modifying techniques and resolve accounting problems by using knowledge of accounting systems; ensuring proper documentation and entry of accounting transactions within a large integrated system using knowledge of accounting principles; and the ability to create written communications to include letters, memorandums, operating procedures, and directives to convey information relating to the accounting process. OR 1 year of graduate-level education or superior academic achievement (S.A.A.). The S.A.A. provision is an educational achievement based on class standing, grade-point average or honor society membership. OR Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-9 level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education totaling to 100% of the requirements for the position. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED). GS-09 Level: In addition to the Basic Requirement above (IOR), to qualify, applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-7) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as work that involves knowledge of and demonstrated expertise in accounting theories, practices, methods, and techniques; governmental accounting operations and requirements; analytical techniques to solve a variety of accounting problems; automated systems design practices and limitations; and the ability to create written communications to include letters, memorandums, operating procedures, and directives to convey information relating to the accounting process. OR A master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related may be substituted. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work in order to be substitutable. OR Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-9 level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education totaling to 100% of the requirements for the position. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED). GS-11 Level: In addition to the Basic Requirement above (IOR), to qualify, applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-9) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as work that involves maintaining and correcting accounting records; preparing, reviewing, and analyzing accounting records and statements; researching, interpreting, and analyzing pertinent laws, regulations, policies, and guidance to accurately administer financial programs and providing guidance and advising managers on accounting and financial matters. OR 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree OR Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-11 level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education totaling to 100% of the requirements for the position. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED).

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

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. 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.

Contacts

• Address Chicago Regional Benefit Office 2122 W Taylor St Chicago, IL 60612 US
• Name: Milton Wang
• Email: [email protected]