This position is located at the ARS, Southeast Area (SEA), at the Tropical Crops & Germplasm Research Center in Mayaguez, PR. In this position, you will support and maintain the Location's financial management activities through various complex systems, which involve numerous accounting codes and subaccounts in the Current Research Information System (CRIS) projects, different sources of funds (appropriated and several non-appropriated), and unusual financial arrangements.

Duties

Compile, consolidate, check, and arrange funding data in requests to cover projected annual operating expenses. Prepare financial data and estimates for Location fund holders and AO for annual budget preparation documents, based on historical data, recurring costs, and annual guidance. Ensure obligations reconciled by validating, monitoring, controlling, and maintaining accounting records for multiple accounts and subsidiary accounts. Work with historical data to establish cost estimates for recurring charges (e.g., cost of utilities, contractor services, operation/maintenance of buildings, travel and vehicle operations, inflationary costs) and make adjustments as spending occurs. Prepare detailed monthly financial status reports, including soft fund accounts, for current and prior years, reflecting fund availability, obligations, and commitments to date and balance remaining. Conduct and reconcile work on the quarterly review and submission of unliquidated obligations for all open fiscal years and ensure that the obligations are still valid. Receive and review obligating documents such as purchase orders, travel vouchers, utilities, requisitions, and contract documents and review for accounting code information, making appropriate corrections where required.

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 https://www.e-verify.gov/.
• Financial Disclosure Required.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. Time in grade: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. GS-05: Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. The specialized experience requirements for this position are: Qualifying experience for GS-05 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-04 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience assisting with budget and financial management tasks including quality control of financial data; and assisting in operation of accounting or financial systems. OR Education: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study above high school. Related degrees include Accounting, Financial Management, General Business, Public Administration, Office Systems, or Business Administration. OR A combination of education and specialized experience. GS-06: Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. The specialized experience requirements for this position are: Qualifying experience for GS-06 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-05 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience performing budget and financial management tasks including quality control of financial data; preparing or forecasting cost estimates or budgetary data; and operating accounting or financial systems. GS-07: Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. The specialized experience requirements for this position are: Qualifying experience for GS-07 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-06 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience preparing financial reports or salary reports; operating accounting or financial systems; and making recommendations to the fundholder. 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

Please see above for education qualification requirement information.

Contacts

• Address Agricultural Research Service 141 Experimental Station Road Stoneville, MS 38776 US
• Name: Sydney Teague
• Phone: 703-259-9455
• Email: [email protected]