Accountant

Full Job Description

This Accountant position is for the Finance Service of the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System (ECHCS).

This position works under minimal supervision of the Accounting Supervisor, and as such, it is responsible for the accuracy of the Fiscal accounts of the Eastern Colorado HealthCare System and VA Community-Based Clinics within the region.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/06/2026.

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-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09.

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.

Individual Occupational Requirements Basic Requirements A.

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~ B.

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 meeting one of the Basic Requirements you must meet one of the following: You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience (For the GS-09): 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: Establishing and maintaining commercial-type double entry accounting system covering appropriations, revolving funds, general post funds, grants, overall budgets.

Maintaining daily transactions; updating records, computer-generated hard copy listing, subsidiary journals, operating ledger accounts, and fund control points.

Interpreting regulations and procedures related to day-to-day (Accounting) operations and policy.

Preparing, analyzing, and submitting financial statements and reports to: local management, Management, and other agencies or organizations (Annual Report of Real Property, Annual Certification of Accounting Records, Audits of Consolidated Financial Statement, and others).

Verifying, analyzing and/or reconciling computer-generated reports validating General Ledger control accounts to their related subsidiary records.

~OR~, Education (Transcript Required): Applicants may substitute education for the required experience.

To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree.

~OR~, Combination (Transcript Required): Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level.

You must have successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the first year) and specialized experience, as described above, to meet the total requirements.

The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position.

Specialized Experience (For the GS-11): 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: Establishing and maintaining commercial-type double entry accounting system covering appropriations, revolving funds, general post funds, grants, overall budgets.

Maintaining daily transactions; updating records, computer-generated hard copy listing, subsidiary journals, operating ledger accounts, and fund control points.

Interpreting regulations and procedures related to day-to-day (Accounting) operations and policy.

Preparing, analyzing, and submitting financial statements and reports to: local management, Management, and other agencies or organizations (Annual Report of Real Property, Annual Certification of Accounting Records, Audits of Consolidated Financial Statement, and others).

Verifying, analyzing and/or reconciling computer-generated reports validating General Ledger control accounts to their related subsidiary records.

Identifying/reporting deficiencies found during the internal audit. Reconciling hard copy documents to reports generated by systems affecting the General ledger.

~OR~, Education (Transcript Required): Applicants may substitute education for the required experience.

To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.

~OR~ Combination (Transcript Required): Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level.

You must have successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the first two years) and specialized experience, as described above, to meet the total requirements.

The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do to the work of this 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:

Major duties and responsibilities include: Establishing and maintaining commercial-type double entry accounting system covering appropriations, revolving funds, general post funds, grants, overall budgets.

Maintaining daily transactions; updating records, computer-generated hard copy listing, subsidiary journals, operating ledger accounts, and fund control points.

Interpreting regulations and procedures related to day-to-day (Accounting) operations and policy.

Ascertaining that sufficient cash is available for the disbursement of funds (personal services, travel, supplies, services, and equipment).

Preparing, analyzing, and submitting financial statements and reports to: local management, Management, and other agencies or organizations (Annual Report of Real Property, Annual Certification of Accounting Records, Audits of Consolidated Financial Statement, and others).

Furnishing accounting information for control of funds and the develop of budget plans. Advising proper accounting procedures to insure data conforms to regulations.

Identifying/reporting deficiencies found during the internal audit.

Verifying, analyzing and/or reconciling computer-generated reports validating General Ledger control accounts to their related subsidiary records.

Reconciling hard copy documents to reports generated by systems affecting the General ledger. Reviewing computer systems and recommending/implementing changes and improvements as needed.

Identifying department needs in the areas of; manpower, equipment, supplies, and space. Identify methods to reduce costs in the areas of; manpower, equipment, supplies, and space.

Providing coverage during the absence of the section Chief Accountant.

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: 8:00am - 4:30pm, Monday - Friday Telework: This position is authorized for telework - situational (ad hoc).

Location negotiable may be discussed during the interview process to meet the Return To Office Requirements.

Position Description/PD#: Accountant/PD10664A and PD10665A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized