Accountant

Full Job Description

This Accountant position is organizationally aligned to the VISN 12 Great Lakes Finance Service, located at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI 53705.

The purpose of this position is to perform the full range of professional accounting work requiring the application of sound accounting principles, theories, concepts and practices.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 03/10/2026.

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-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. For a GS-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9.

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.

Qualification Requirements: Basic Requirements: To qualify for this position, applicants must meet one of the following GS-0510 Accounting Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR).

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.

Grade Requirements: In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements above, applicants must possess the required specialized experience, education, or combination of experience and education as identified below.

To qualify for this position at the GS-7 level, you must meet one of the following: GS-7 Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in Federal Service that equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled.

Specialized experience includes but is not limited to: Knowledge of concepts and principles of accounting; Knowledge of accounting systems for payroll, purchases, and maintenance; Knowledge of organization's business practices and administrative support.

-OR- GS-7 Education: Substitute education for required experience. You must have one 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.

Education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. -OR- GS-7 Combination: Equivalent combination of specialized experience and education.

Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position.

To qualify for this position at the GS-9 level, you must meet one of the following: GS-9 Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in Federal Service that equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled.

Specialized experience includes, but is not limited to: Comprehensive knowledge of accounting theories, practices, methods, and techniques; Ability to independently plan and conduct variety of accounting assignments; Analyzing accounting systems; Modifying and adapting accounting and analytical techniques to solve accounting issues and/or problems.

-OR- GS-9 Education: Substitute education for the experience.

You must have two years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree; OR master's degree; OR equivalent graduate degree which provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position.

-OR- GS-9 Combination: Equivalent combination of specialized experience and education beyond one year of graduate level education.

Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position.

To qualify for this position at the GS-11 level, you must meet one of the following: GS-11 Specialized Experience: Applicants must possess at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-9 in Federal Service that equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled.

Specialized experience includes, but is not limited to: Comprehensive accounting knowledge of theories, practices, methods, and techniques; Independently plan and conduct variety of accounting assignments; Analyzing accounting systems; Modifying and adapting accounting and analytical techniques to solve complex accounting issues and/or problems; Analyzing trends in accounting systems and their significance to programs and operations; Resolving problems within the accounting system or program operation, and determining need for program redesign or modification.

-OR- GS-11 Education: Substitute education for the experience. You must have three years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D.

degree; OR Ph.D.; OR equivalent doctoral degree. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position.

-OR- GS-11 Combination: Equivalent combination of specialized experience and education beyond one and a half years of graduate-level education.

Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position.

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:

This Accountant position involves a multi-grade career ladder.

The major duties listed below represent the full performance level of GS-11, however a selection can be made at any of the following grade levels: GS-07, GS-09 OR GS-11.

At the GS-07 grade level, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence.

At the GS-09 grade level, you will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-11.

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.

Major duties include, but are not limited to: Conduct daily examination of various accounting transaction listings, cost reports, financial statements, project fund balances, and work orders.

Analyze and review ADP maintenance listings and determines what additions, modifications, and deletions to databases are needed.

Develop, prepare, and revise regulations and information papers for project and revolving fund accounting control and reporting instructions.

Serve as a professional accountant applying thorough knowledge of the total accounting system and of well-established accounting principles, techniques, and regulations to a wide variety of transactions.

Manage summary cost accounts verifying validity and accuracy of accounting transactions and data. Determine proper work methods and develop work sheets and forms necessary to complete assignments.

Work with systems personnel on design of automated systems to facilitate processing of accounting data. Review work of Accounting Technicians, assign projects and provide training.

Plan, coordinate and perform comprehensive reviews, special studies and selective internal examinations of finance and accounting functions.

Review report media, direct and/or prepare and analyze internal and external statements and reports.

Analyze and review current general accounting methods and procedures in terms of adequacy and effectiveness; recommend changes, modifications and improvements in operating procedures.

May be required to perform research to determine and certify the availability of funds. Performs other duties as assigned.

Preferred Experience: A qualified candidate also possesses the following: Knowledge of accounting techniques and procedures. Knowledge of account relationships within an extensive accounting structure.

Knowledge of and ability to work with a government accounting system (e.g., IFCAP, FMS, BTSSS).

Knowledge of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and various federal government accounting policies, regulations, and procedures related to accounts payable and/or production accounting.

Skill in the use of Microsoft Office Programs (e.g., Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook). Ability to recommend changes and improvements to the accounting system and/or process(es).

Ability to analyze and pursue solutions to problems in area to which assigned. Ability to analyze and prepare clear, concise, and technically sound reports related to work within the Service.

Analyzes new and modified interface systems for impact upon the accounting system and data.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: This position may be authorized for Ad-Hoc telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Accountant/PD12269A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Notifications: Veterans' preference does not apply for internal VA employees.

Interchange Agreements with Other Merit System: Employees who occupy medical or medical-related positions and were appointed under 38 U.S.C. 4701

or

[formerly 38 U.S.C. 4104

and

] must be serving in a full-time position without time limit and have served continuously for at least one year in this other merit system to be eligible to convert to the Title 5 System.

Some exceptions to this rule may apply if you have previously acquired tenure under a Title 5 appointment.

Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action).

The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted).

In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held.