Accountant

Full Job Description

This Accountant position is in Fiscal services at the Providence VA Medical Center, located at the Providence Rhode Island. This position is full time at 40 hours per week.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 03/06/2026.

Basic Requirement: 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.

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; OR A certificate as Certified Public Accountant or a Certified Internal Auditor; 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 in accounting, provided that (a) the applicant has successfully worked at the full-performance level in accounting, auditing, or a related field, e.g., (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 of obtaining a degree in accounting or in a related field such as business administration, finance, or public administration, and (c) except for literal non-conformance to the requirement of 24 semester hours in accounting, your education, training, and experience fully meet the specified requirements.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: To Qualify at the GS-07 level: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Examining a variety of financial statements for completeness, internal accuracy, and conformance with uniform accounting classifications and other specific accounting requirements; reconciling reports and financial data with financial reports on file, pointing out inconsistencies or errors; assembling information and making comparative analyses; drafting interpretations of accounting requirements, in response to requests; reviewing accounting documents such as travel orders, requisitions, and contracts to determine whether accounts are in conformance with uniform accounting classifications; and developing annual and monthly budgetary schedules for specific cost categories and accounts for the organization.

OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience.

To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 1 full year of graduate level education or superior academic achievement.

OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level.

You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond post-high school education as described above to meet total experience requirements at the GS-07 grade level for this position.

To Qualify at the GS-09 level: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Conducts daily examination of various accounting transaction listings, cost reports, financial statements, project fund balances, and work orders to ascertain accuracy and completeness of data.

Reviews and analyzes programs and procedures related to receiving, validating and recording accounting transactions affecting the asset, liability, expense and revenue accounts of supported activities.

Directs the assignment of project and cost codes, accounting classification and file maintenance and provides information for transmitting data to appropriate office.

OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience.

To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed two (2) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree OR master's OR equivalent graduate degree.

OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level.

You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond post-high school education as described above to meet total experience requirements at the GS-09 grade level for this position.

[For example, an applicant with 6 months of appropriate experience equivalent to GS-7 (50 percent of the experience requirement for GS-9) and 27 semester hours of appropriate graduate education (50 percent of the education requirement for GS-9, in excess of that required for GS-7) would be qualified for a GS-9 position.

To Qualify at the GS-11 level: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include but are not limited to identifies all types of accounting errors and variances and provide progressively more detailed analysis of problem causes and recommendations for corrective action; responsible for internal financial auditing and development of required financial reports; reconciles, compiles, verifies and disseminates billing information.

OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience.

To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed three (3) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D.

or equivalent doctoral degree. The degree is in a field that equipped me with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position being filled.

OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-11 level.

You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond post-high school education as described above to meet total experience requirements at the GS-11 grade level for this position.This may be computed by first determining the total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the GS-11 grade level; then determining the education as a percentage of the education required for the GS-11 grade level; and then adding the two percentages.

The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for the GS-11 grade level.

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:

The Accountant works closely with systems personnel on the design of automated systems to facilitate the processing of accounting data to assure the results attained meet all accounting requirements.

Major duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Reviews the work of Accounting Technicians; Assures accuracy and conformity to policy and procedures; Plans, coordinates and performs one-time/recurring comprehensive reviews; Verifies reports with source documents and records, reconciling accounts, investigating to determine if transactions are in accordance with pertinent laws and regulations; Applies a professional knowledge of accounting theories, principles, practices, and automated systems; Utilizes a large body of guidelines, regulations and statutory requirements to identify accounting problems; Reviews report media, directs and/or prepares and analyzes internal and external statements and reports; Makes day to day decisions regarding unusual and complex accounting transactions; Consults on solution of management problems to provide alternatives through sound application of professional knowledge of the accounting system; Analyzes and evaluates current general accounting methods and procedures; Recommends changes, modifications and improvements in operating procedures; Assists in designing, developing and installing accounting forms and adapting same to meet the requirements of special activities and conditions; Advises installation operating officials; Prepares operating changes when revisions are required; and Other assigned duties.

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. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

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/PD001320, PD001330, PD001340, and PD001340 001330 001320 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Notifications: Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency 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. This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay.