Transportation Finance Specialist (Direct Hire)

Full Job Description

This position is in the Central Federal Lands Highway Division (CFLHD) within the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Department of Transportation (DOT).

The employee serves as a Transportation Financial Specialist with the responsibility for monitoring, coordinating and maintaining activities within the financial section.

This includes monitoring, tracking and reconciling funds, preparation of financial reports and developing solutions to complex operating problems.

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet either the education or experience qualifications for the grade at which you are requesting consideration.

To qualify for the GS-11 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-09 it must include: Experience interpreting laws, regulations, policies, procedures, guidelines, and other technical material related to financial programs.

Experience using program review and evaluating techniques to provide assistance with studies and analyses of financial management problems and financial management systems.

Experience applying generally accepted accounting principles, processes and practices in addition to applicable laws, procedures, and guidance involved in financial management issues.

To qualify for the GS-11 on Education alone, you must have 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree OR Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.

You can also qualify based on a combination of higher level graduate education and experience. This must be fully supported by your resume and transcripts, provided with your application.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas: Budget Administration - Knowledge of the principles and practices of budget administration and analysis; including preparing, justifying, reporting on, and executing the budget; and the relationships among program, budget, accounting, and reporting systems.

Principles of Finance - Knowledge of the basic principles, practices, and methods of financial management to include requisitions, apportionments, allotments, investments, fiscal management, activity reporting, and fiscal year guidelines.

Knowledge of financial management practices and procedures. Communication - Writes in Communication clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience.

Computer Skills - Computer Skills Ability to use operating systems.

For all types of consideration, 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. Major Duties:

As a Transportation Finance Specialist, you will: Assist in management with payroll processing, travel reviews, government purchase card monitoring, inactive project reviews, reclassification of expenses and other special projects related to finance.

Collect, review, and analyze financial data from the official accounting system.

Prepare various financial reports, analyses and other technical materials for review by the Financial Manager and other CFL Leadership.

Advise the Financial Manager of any unusual or complex issues and provides recommendations, viable options and/or solutions.

Establish, monitor, and reconcile budgets for various phases of the project lifespan in order to assure funds are available for their intended purposes as well as executed correctly to facilitate timely project and contract closeouts.

Investigate, research and analyze history of obligations, payments, contract modifications, reimbursable agreements and invoices.

The ideal candidate will possess knowledge of various accounting theories and other financial regulations, practices, and procedures.

Ideally, the successful candidate will possess skill in analyzing the history of obligations payments, contract modifications, reimbursable agreements, and invoices to ensure appropriate financial records are correct and to develop necessary changes to internal procedures when necessary.

In addition, the ideal candidate's success in communication skills, both orally and in writing, will contribute to the exchange of information, plan and coordinate work, and obtain cooperation in acceptance and subsequent implementation of recommendations.

The ideal candidate for this position is a highly motivated person who is looking to expand their knowledge and experience in governmental finance, budgets, and financial systems.