Accountant - Transportation Security Administration - Arlington, Virginia - EXPIRED

These Accountant positions are located in the Financial Management Division, Office of Finance and Administration (OFA), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS). If selected for this position, you will serve as an individual contributor applying experience and detailed knowledge of accounting principles, concepts, regulations, practices, analytical methods and techniques to perform routine, multiple, and varying accounting assignments under the direction of a manager, project/program manager, or team lead. You will coordinate with TSA\'s accounting service provider to resolve day-to-day operational accounting issues; and ensure that accounting transactions, including those for reimbursable activity and other complex accounting events, are processed in accordance with the United States Standard General Ledger (USSGL). Duties will include:

• Coordinating with TSA\'s accounting service provider to resolve day-to-day operational accounting issues and ensuring that accounting services performed on TSA\'s behalf comply with Federal standards and TSA-unique requirements.
• Ensuring that balances reported in suspense accounts are kept to a minimum in accordance with standards established by the DHS, the Treasury Department, and other policy setting organizations.
• Ensuring that TSA\'s accounting transactions, including those for reimbursable activity and other complex accounting events, are processed in accordance with the United States Standard General Ledger (USSGL).
• Ensuring that TSA\'s Fund Balance with Treasury (FBWT) is fully reconciled at the close of each month.
• Monitoring accounting for reimbursable agreements, under which TSA performs services for other Federal or non-federal entities with reimbursement.
• Working with other TSA organizations that impose fees, fines, and penalties to ensure that these amounts are accounted for in accordance with applicable laws and guidance. This includes developing accruals for revenue earned but not yet received, and analyzing requests from debtors for a waiver of debt.
• Ensuring obligations and expenditures incurred by TSA are recorded in the general ledger and related subsidiary ledgers in a timely manner.
• Working with TSA\'s debit card program which is used to provide cash for emergency situations and other special purposes.
• Monitoring accounting for purchase card transactions, to ensure that purchase card charges are posted to the correct accounts and funds.
• Working with the Financial Systems Branch to ensure that accounting standards and procedures are adhered to within agency financial management systems.
• Reviewing legislation, rules, regulations and departmental guidelines for impact on TSA\'s accounting and other financial management related activities.

The major duties described above reflect the full performance level of this position. Typically, the lower pay band (Pay Band H) performs the same duties but will receive more guidance and projects or work assignments may be less complex.

To qualify for this position you must meet one of the basic requirements (A or B) outlined below. BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL PAY BANDS:

A. Education: 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 of credit in Business Law. OR

B. Combining Education and Experience: A 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. Background must also include one of the following:

1. 24 semester hours in Accounting or Auditing courses which may include 6 hours of Business Law;
2. A Certificate as a Certified Public Accountant or a Certified Internal Auditor, obtained through written examination;
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, 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.

NOTE (FOR ALL CANDIDATES): A copy of college transcript, list of college courses designating semester or quarter hours earned, or proof of CPA or CIA certification is required and MUST be attached to your application. The education generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

In addition to meeting the basic requirements listed above, To qualify at the SV-F Band (equivalent to GS-5/7/9), you must have the required education or experience as described above.

In addition to meeting the basic requirements listed above, To qualify for the SV-G Pay Band (equivalent to GS-11), you must meet one of the qualification requirements (A, B OR C) outlined below.

A. Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience at the SV-F Pay Band or GS-9 in the Federal service, or equivalent experience in the private sector. Specialized experience is defined as experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience is defined as:

• Experience using advanced accounting theories, practices, methods and techniques for purposes of representing the financial interests of a large corporation or agency;
• Experience analyzing complex accounting systems, and using analytical techniques to solve complex accounting problems;
• Experience prescribing accounting standards, policies, and requirements; examining, analyzing, and interpreting accounting data, records, and reports; or advising or assisting management with accounting and financial management matters.

OR

Education: You must have three (3) years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in Accounting or in a related field of study.

OR

C. Combining Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements for this position, and may be computed by first determining your total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the band level; then determining your education as a percentage of the education required for the band level; and then adding the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for the position.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: Education at the graduate level in an accredited college or university in the amounts indicated above meets the requirements for this position. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. One (1) year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement.

NOTE: Credit for experience is given based on a 40-hour work week. Part-time experience is credited on a part-time ratio, i.e., working 20 hours per week for two months equals one month of experience. No additional credit is given for overtime.

National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer 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.

You must meet the qualification requirements for this position no later than the closing date of the vacancy announcement.