Accountant

Summary

View Common Definitions of terms found in this announcement. Organizational Location: This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of Professional Responsibility, in Farmers Branch, Texas; Washington, District of Columbia. This non-bargaining unit position.

Duties

As a Accountant, GS-13 full performance GS-14, you will perform the following duties: Conduct on-site and off-site financial audits to ensure that investigative operations strictly comply with legal regulations. Review journals, ledgers, and procurement systems to identify critical financial statement issues using professional accounting standards. Evaluate evidence, expenditures, and liabilities to verify that financial management systems meet established standards and milestones. Draft audit reports detailing findings and conduct mandatory entrance and exit briefings with senior management. Provide expert witness testimony in judicial proceedings and collaborate with law enforcement agencies to resolve cross-jurisdictional issues.

Qualifications

Please limit your resume to 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position. BASIC REQUIREMENT: You must possess one of the following to satisfy the Individual Occupation Requirements for the GS-0510 job series: A. Degree: A degree (Bachelor's or higher) in accounting; or a degree (Bachelor's or higher) 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: 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; OR ??????? 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 (Bachelors or higher) 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. IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE ABOVE BASIC EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS, YOU MUST ALSO MEET THE FOLLOWING MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: You qualify for the GS-13 grade level if you possess one (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-12 grade level or equivalent performing duties such as: Performing financial audits, including researching, analyzing information, identifying problems, and detailing findings; Adhering to accounting and auditing policies and regulations; Providing analysis and advice regarding accounting programs and financial systems; Serving as a mid-level accountant providing accounting services which support agency/department programs and components. You qualify for the GS-14 grade level if you possess one (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-13 grade level or equivalent performing duties such as: Reviewing and interpreting regulations, directives, and guidelines affecting assigned programs; Briefing management on accounting review technical information, findings, and compliance determinations; Identifying and reporting problems that are valid and can be factually depicted and supported; Complying with financial management systems with established requirements and standards; Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Qualification claims will be subject to verification. 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. Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office. The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps, VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Education cannot be substituted for experience at the GS-13 or GS-14 level.