Financial Specialist

Full Job Description

The Smithsonian Institution (SI) is the world's largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo.

This position is located at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) in Edgewater, Maryland.

The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center is responsible for ecological and environmental research and education.

GS-13 Experience: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal Service.

For this position, specialized experience is defined as formulating and executing a budget for an organization; utilizing analytical methods to create financial reports; reviewing and approving purchases; preparing advanced spending plans; approving official travel; and providing guidance on budgetary and financial matters to staff and management.

Your resume must be no more than two (2) pages and should clearly demonstrate how your experience aligns with the responsibilities and specialized experience required for this position.

Do not copy language directly from the vacancy announcement, as you will be deemed ineligible for consideration. Instead, provide detailed, descriptive information about your actual experience.

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; religious; 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.

Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience.

Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week. Major Duties:

The Financial Specialist is responsible for providing expert accounting advice and analysis to unit personnel, SI central management, and federal oversight agencies regarding accounting programs, financial transactions, systems, and operations.

This role supports the resolution of the most technically complex accounting and financial issues.

In this position, you will: Provides expert technical advice and guidance for very complex and systemic problems pertaining to unit financial/accounting systems and to ensure unit adherence to federal and professional accounting standards.

Coordinates the preparation and execution of the unit's entire federal budget request in accordance with Office of Planning, Management and Budget (OPMB) guidelines and SI policy.

Tracks and analyzes federal funds, including Salaries and Expenses, No-Year, Design and Construction and various Trust accounts established as gifts, grants and contracts.

Supervises a staff that carries out the unit's budgetary, financial, and accounting functions. Develops performance standards and evaluates work performance of subordinates.

Serves as senior procurement officer responsible for approving orders up to established dollar limits for that role. Prepares advance procurement plans.

Monitors and approves travel authorizations and vouchers.

ATTENTION: Due to the large number of qualified applicants for positions of this type, this job announcement will close at 11:59 pm Eastern Time on either: (A) The closing date listed above or (B) The date that 300 applications are received; whichever occurs first.

If the announcement closes on the date that 300 applications are received, all applications submitted by 11:59pm that day will be given consideration, including those in excess of 300.