Accountant

Full Job Description

This position is apart of the Great Lakes Finance Service (GLFS) in VISN 12.

The incumbent performs 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, 03/13/2026.

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-09 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.

You must meet the Individual Occupational Requirement for the GS-0511 job series and the specialized education and/or experience listed below for the GS-11 grade level.

Degree: Accounting, Auditing; or a degree including auditing courses 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, 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.

If you meet the GS-0511 job series Individual Occupational Requirement described above you also need to meet the experience and/or education as described below: 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: Using automated systems to process accounting data and ensure the results meet all accounting requirements.

Review the work of subordinates to assure accuracy and conformity to policy. Teaching staff on proper accounting methods and policies.

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

Verify and analyze reports with source documents, reconciling accounts, investigate transactions to ensure they are in accordance with laws and regulations.

Reviews reports, prepares and analyzes internal statements and reports. Recommend changes and modifications to improved operating procedures.

OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D.

or equivalent doctoral degree such as LL.M or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a 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 the Master's degree level that is progressively higher level graduate education that leads to a Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree.

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: Collaborates 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.

Reviews the work of Accounting Technicians to assure accuracy and conformity to policy and procedures, training them on proper methods when necessary.

Plans, coordinates, and performs comprehensive reviews, special studies, and internal examinations of finance and accounting functions.

This involves verifying reports with source documents and records, reconciling accounts, investigating to determine if transactions are in accordance with laws and regulations.

Applies knowledge of accounting theories, principles, practices, and automated systems.

Identify inadequate maintenance of fund control points (FCP), inaccurate records and reports, and lack of documentary evidence to support the performance of regulatory reconciliations.

Reviews report media to prepare and analyze internal and external statements and reports. Makes day-to-day decisions regarding unusual and complex accounting transactions.

Consulting with management to solve problems and provide alternatives through sound application of the accounting system.

Analyze and evaluate current accounting methods and procedures to determine adequacy and effectiveness; recommends changes, modifications, and improvements in operating procedures.

Other duties as assigned. Note: Resume must be under two pages for more information please see the "How To Apply" section.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Accountant/PD01952O Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized