Accountant
What you'd do
The incumbent serves as an accountant supporting the Health Care System Chief Financial Officer and Accounting Section Supervisor. Incumbent performs duties consistent with accounting principles, standards and related requirements prescribed by the Controller General of the U.S. Duties include allotments, cost, capital asset, deposit funds, interoffice, revolving, trust funds, and appropriation accounting.
Major duties
Major duties and responsibilities include: The incumbent must have a well-established knowledge of principles, theories, techniques, and methodology of accounting and the structure and policies of the VA Accounting System. The incumbent must also have the ability to apply these established principles, techniques, and theories of accounting to the finance operation in a professional manner. Accounting (50%) Classify, record, control, report, and analyze financial data to (1) show the cost of carrying our responsibilities, (2) provide a basis for financial planning, (3) provide date for evaluating performance, (4) show the status of financial condition and results of operations, (5) safeguard public funds and other resources, and (6) assure compliance with applicable laws. In so doing, the incumbent is an important part of the agency's management control system. The incumbent renders technical advice on all phases of accounting matters including the analysis and interpretation of pertinent accounting data. Incumbent provides technical advice on the form and content of financial statements for use by local management consistent with established guidance. Conducts analysis of initial or irregular transactions which present accounting procedural problems. The incumbent will develop appropriate methods of accounting for transactions not sufficiently covered by existing procedures consistent with established guidance. Audits (25%) Conduct (1) periodic internal reviews, (2) periodic internal and external audits and other reports, and (3) evaluations and recommendations for the establishment of new controls or the deletion of present controls which may be ineffective. Conduct routine reviews of accounting transactions (such as fee and contract payments) which requires the application of generally accepted accounting principles to ensure technical accuracy of accounting records and compliance with VA regulations. Reconciliations (25%) Computation and processing of required end of month adjustments. Receives purchase orders, contracts, travel orders and similar documents for obligation against appropriated funds. R Extracting data from various systems to include RSD, VISTA and FMS Reconciles accounts by comparing account balances with related data to assure agreement; reviewing records and source documents to identify the sources of discrepancies; and determining the entries required to bring the account into balance. 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: Monday-Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: This position may be authorized for ad-hoc telework at the Supervisors discretion. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Accountant/PD23478A and PD23480A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.
What you need to qualify
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/29/2026. 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-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7, and for a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9. 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. Basic Requirements - Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR): A. Degree in 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 in business lay (The term "accounting" means "accounting &/or auditing" in this standard. Similarly, "accountant" should be interpreted, generally, as "accountant and/or auditor.")OR B. A combination of education & experience with 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: a) 24 semester hours in accounting & or auditing courses of appropriate type and quality. This can include up to 6 hours of business law b) A certificate as Certified Public Accountant or a Certified Internal Auditor, obtained through written examination; or c) 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-hours requirement, provided that 3. 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. 2. 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; and 1. 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; In addition to the Basic Requirements above, the following must also be met by grade level. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-09 Specialized Experience: 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: Checking data & comparing reports or transactions to source documents, or authorizations against transactions to ensure their acceptability for further processing Drafting simple instructions to describe internal accounting procedures Providing systems analysis, advice, & design regarding financial management and accounting systems Assisting customers with various construction accounting inquiries Taking corrective action on financial system issues or reporting errors Identifying, interpreting, and applying auditing standard & accounting principles Analyze general ledger accounts to ensure accuracy of reports OR Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or Master's or equivalent graduate degree. OR Combination: Applicants may also combine education & experience to qualify at this level. Only education beyond the first year of graduate education can be considered. GS-11 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: Maintains & controls accounts & accounting transactions in a highly complex finance and accounting system Inputs data into a financial management system integrated and automated double entry accrual-based accounting system Processes transactions that include verifying the accuracy & completeness of the accounting data, compliance with regulations, determining the accounts & subsidiary accounts affected & determining the entries to be made Reviews transactions for timeliness & reasonableness Verifies that obligations are set up timely and reports all delinquent obligations Working with a large integrated financial system (to include financial accounting, managerial cost accounting, workload/cost analysis, budget, collections analysis, reporting, etc.); distributing funds & analyzing actual expenses Assists in training users in accounting systems & electronic invoicing system Assists with financial audits, including internal and financial quality assurance audits, as well as prepare documentation for external audits OR Education: 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: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. Only graduate education beyond the second year can be considered. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-09. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary. No special physical effort or ability is required. Work Environment: Work is performed in an office setting that is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. 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/.
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