Accountant

Full Job Description

The purpose of this position is to lead/advise on or perform professional accounting work that requires application of accounting theories, concepts, principles, and standards to the financial activities of governmental, quasi-governmental, or private sector organizations.

The work includes designing, developing, operating, or inspecting accounting systems; prescribing accounting standards, polices, and requirements; examining, analyzing, and interpreting accounting data, records, reports.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/13/2026.

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.

For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. 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.

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 provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.

Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet BOTH Basic requirements and Grade level requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Individual Occupational Requirements: 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.

In addition to the basic requirements, applicants must also meet the below specialized experience requirements: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Provides guidance and assistance to lower graded accountants, accounting interns and technicians in the resolution of complex problems, the interpretation of written guidelines and similar technical matters.

Gathers and analyzes data from a variety of sources. Provides analysis and technical expertise for accounting matters to the chief, accountant, Fiscal Officer, or upper management.

Reviews, interprets and applies legislation and regulations.

Performs funds distribution including receiving allocations, issuing allotments, monitoring, controlling, and reporting annual program and fund authorization for current and prior year.

Prepares financial schedules and participates in briefings, test updates, review and analysis, and video conferences. Analyzes and reconciles financial inventory accounting fund reporting system.

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.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Major Duties:

Duties include but are not limited to: Maintaining the standard general ledger reporting system. Analyzing report data which records transactions within the system for the purpose of correcting errors.

Preparing financial schedules for briefings. Duties performs require the application of professional accounting principles, theories, concepts and practices to unique situations.

Employ accounting policies/standards in the resolution of unprecedented problems/situations Serves as the principal point of contact performing staff level accounting work including analyzing/interpreting higher headquarters accounting polices and procedures and reporting directives for implementation throughout the command.

Performs fund distribution including receiving allocations, issuing allotments, monitoring, controlling, and reporting annual program and fund authorization for current and prior year.

Evaluates current funding utilizing historical trend analysis.

Coordinates with management personnel levels to identify situations responsible for poor performance and recommend alternative avenues to resolve recurring problems.

Analyzes and reconciles financial inventory accounting fund reporting system Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: This position may be authorized for telework on an ADHOC basis.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Accountant/PD136980