Accountant (Staff)

Summary This position is located in the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Asst Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner. Responsibilities The following are the duties of this position at the GS-13. If you are selected at a lower grade level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform all these duties, and will receive training to help you grow in this position. As an Accountant (Staff), you will: Design, implement, and develop automated accounting systems; provide expert advice in specialized areas of accounting, resolve problems, develop procedures; determine accounting system adequacy; review legislation and regulations; develop processes to implement regulation and guidelines for program users. Develop and monitor accounting internal control program(s): identify problem areas and developing solutions to improve operating program effectiveness. Maintain complex operating accounting systems, which includes developing system improvements, and providing solutions to program management. Provide advice to financial and program managers and other accountants to address unusual or challenging accounting system processes or limitations and or operational issues. Develop procedural manuals, methodologies, and directives. Conduct studies for special projects. Conduct financial analyses, audits, and reviews; analyze and validate industry financial data; develop segments of surveys and systems for gathering and analyzing data; resolve accounting discrepancies in reported data. Requirements Conditions of Employment The official duty station for this position will be in Washington, District of Columbia. Failure to report to duty at this location may be grounds for a disciplinary action, including removal. Key Requirements: Must be U.S. Citizen or U.S. National. A one year probationary period may be required. Must successfully complete a background investigation. Public Trust - Background Investigation will be required. Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency. Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer. If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so. Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form i-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S. Please refer to "Additional Information Section for additional Conditions of Employment." Qualifications You must meet the following requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. Specialized Experience: For the GS-13 grade level, you must have one year (52 full weeks) of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized Experience for this position includes: - Operating and maintaining accounting systems, including identifying inefficiencies and developing system improvements; AND - Identifying and evaluating outdated accounting policies or procedures and making recommendations for improvements to senior management; AND - Ensuring financial activities are accomplished in compliance with applicable guidelines, such as Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, Federal Accounting Standards, federal regulations, or organizational policies; AND - Preparing, analyzing and interpreting accounting data, records, and reports; AND - Participating on audits, reviews, or management requested studies of financial statements or operations. Specialized Experience: For the GS-12 grade level, you must have one year (52 full weeks) of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized Experience for this position includes: - Assisting with the development or implementation of accounting system enhancements or modifications; AND - Ensuring financial activities are accomplished in compliance with applicable guidelines, such as Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, Federal Accounting Standards, federal regulations, or organizational policies; AND - Preparing, analyzing and interpreting accounting data, records, and reports; AND - Participating on audits, reviews, or management requested studies of financial statements or operations; AND - Conducting special studies or specialized projects and assignments. Specialized Experience: For the GS-11 grade level, you must have one year (52 full weeks) of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized Experience for this position includes: - Assisting with the operation and maintenance of an accounting system; AND - Ensuring financial activities are accomplished in compliance with applicable guidelines, such as Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, Federal Accounting Standards, federal regulations, or organizational policies.; AND - Preparing, analyzing and interpreting accounting data, records, and reports; AND - Resolving accounting discrepancies. OR Education: You may substitute education for general or specialized experience as follows: 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. OR Combination: You may qualify by a combination of experience and education. To combine education and experience, the total percentage of experience at the required grade level compared to the specialized experience requirement, as well as the percentage of completed education compared to the education requirement must equal at least 100 percent. Experience may have been gained in either the public, private sector or volunteer service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/day/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week on your resume. Time-in-Grade: In addition to the above requirements, you must meet the following time-in-grade requirement, if applicable: For the GS-13 you must have been at the GS-12 level for 52 weeks. For the GS-12 you must have been at the GS-11 level for 52 weeks. For the GS-11 you must have been at the GS-09 level for 52 weeks. Time After Competitive Appointment: Candidates who are current Federal employees serving on a non-temporary competitive appointment must have served at least three months in that appointment. Education Basic Requirements: A. Degree: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in accounting or 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 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: 1. Twenty-four semester hours in accounting or auditing courses of appropriate type and quality. This can include up to 6 hours of business law; 2. A certificate as Certified Public Accountant or a Certified Internal Auditor, obtained through written examination; or 3. 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. The education generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions. Additional Information OTHER INFORMATION: We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies. Relocation expenses will not be paid. Relocation incentive will not be paid. Recruitment incentive will not be paid. This is a bargaining unit position. This position is Exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). HUD offers alternative and flexible work schedules. This announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies for similar positions across HUD. During the online application process, you will be asked to specify if you would like your application information shared with other hiring managers in the Program Office listed in this announcement or in other HUD Program Offices. Opting to share your application information will not impact your application for this announcement, nor will it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT (CONTINUED): HUD employees are subject to a number of government-wide and HUD specific ethics laws and regulations, including restrictions on working in a real estate related business, and having Section 8 tenants, along with other prohibited interests and activities. To review applicable ethics rules and HUD specific restrictions, please visit https://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/general_counsel/ethics.