Accountant

Overview

Job Details

Employment Type

Full-Time

Work Arrangement

On-site / location-based

Basic Requirement: The following are basic requirements for appointment as an Accountant in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), which all applicants must meet one of the following: A. Bachelor’s Degree (or higher) (Transcript Required): 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. (The term “accounting” means “accounting and/or auditing” in this standard. Similarly, “accountant” should be interpreted, generally, as “accountant and/or auditor.”) -OR- B. Combination of education and experience (Transcript and Details of experience Required): 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 (COPY OF CERTIFICATION REQUIRED); 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. (UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT AND/OR CLEAR DETAILS OF EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: If you do not submit the required document, your application will not be reviewed.) In addition to the Basic Requirements, applicant(s) must meet at least one of the following minimum qualification requirements. Specialized Experience: One (1) year of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA’s) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (i.e., GS-05) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes: reviewing and analyzing accounting records and financial statements for accuracy, completeness, and compliance with established accounting principles; reconciling financial data and reports to identify and resolve discrepancies; reviewing accounting documents, including travel orders, requisitions, and contracts, to ensure proper accounting classifications; and preparing financial reports, analyses, and budgetary schedules. -OR- Substitution of Education for Experience (Transcript Required): Successfully completed one (1) year of graduate-level education where it provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position (i.e., Accountant) or superior academic achievement. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. -OR- Combination of Education and Experience (Transcript Required): Equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience which meets the total experience requirements for this grade level. The education portion must include graduate courses that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the Accountant position NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. -OR- Superior Academic Achievement (Transcript Required): Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) at the baccalaureate level in the qualifying curriculum detailed above is fully qualifying. Applicants who wish to apply under this provision must submit proof from their educational institution that they meet one of the criteria listed below. To qualify for SAA, applicants must have completed all the requirements for a bachelor’s degree in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled and meet one of the following: 1. Rank in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration. 2. A grade-point average of “B” or better (a GPA of 2.95 or higher out of a possible 4.0) for all completed undergraduate courses, or those completed in the last two years of undergraduate study. 3. A grade point average of “B+” or better (a GPA of 3.45 or higher out of a possible 4.0) for all courses in your major field of study, or those courses in your major completed in the last two years of undergraduate study. 4. Membership in a national honor society (other than freshman honor societies) recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies. For a list of recognized honor societies please visit https://www.achshonor.org/. For more information regarding SAA please visit http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/SEC-II/s2-e5.asp#e4f. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. 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/.