Cost Accountant

Summary

This position is located in the Department of Health and Human Services, Program Support Center, headquartered in Rockville, Maryland. This announcement will close at 11:59 PM, on the day that 150 applications have been received or on the closing date, whichever is first.

Duties

As a Cost Accountant, you will be: Applying knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and relevant federal standards to assist in recording, validating, and maintaining and/or troubleshooting financial transactions in agency accounting systems, such as Oracle Federal Financials and other enterprise resource planning platforms. Supporting cost accounting and system-related activities by assisting senior personnel in analyzing data trends, validating ledger outputs and support in reconciliation of cost elements within accounting systems. Processing financial entries, conducting transaction reviews, and assisting with reconciliations across general and subsidiary ledgers. Maintaining the integrity of day-to-day accounting operations and ensuring adherence to existing guidance and procedures. Ensuring compliance with regulatory guidance from OMB, Treasury, GAO and HHS, and works with team members to ensure accounting entries are properly documented and timely.

Qualifications

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR Basic Qualifications: Degree: 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 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: Twenty-four semester hours in accounting or auditing courses of appropriate type and quality. This can include up to 6 hours of business law; A certificate as Certified Public Accountant or a Certified Internal Auditor, obtained through written examination; or 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. AND GS-11 Minimum Qualifications: You must have one year specialized experience to perform successfully the duties of the position. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service performing ALL of the following: Applying 2 CFR 200 and other federal regulations to conduct reviews and support the negotiation of indirect cost rates and cost allocation plans. Analyzing financial information and apply accounting, auditing, and administrative principles to evaluate financial practices of nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, and state and local governments. Reviewing, identifying, and resolving issues related to cost allocations, cost transfers, and potential overbillings identified in the reviews. Participating in negotiations with grantee organizations to establish indirect cost rates and cost allocation plans, using technical expertise and effective communication to support agency's position, with occasional guidance from the Branch Chief. Advising management on inconsistent cost patterns and provide policy interpretation and technical assistance to grantees and stakeholders. OR Have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work of the position. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.) OR Have a combination of graduate education and experience that meets 100% of the requirement. GS-12 Minimum Qualifications: You must have one year specialized experience to perform successfully the duties of the position. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service performing ALL of the following: Applying advanced accounting, auditing, and administrative principles to evaluate financial practices of nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, and state and local governments. Leading negotiations with senior officials to address cost-related adjustments, using technical expertise and effective communication to support agency's position. Conducting comprehensive virtual or on-site reviews of Facilities and Administrative Rate proposals and Statewide Cost Allocation Plans to evaluate cost allocation methodologies and ensure costs are properly allocated and billed in compliance with federal regulations Identifying, evaluating, and resolving complex issues involving cost transfers, cost allocations, and potential overbillings in the proposals. Serving as a technical resource and subject matter expert by providing guidance to stakeholders, contractors, and colleagues. GS-13 Minimum Qualifications: You must have one year specialized experience to perform successfully the duties of the position. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service performing ALL of the following: Serving as a senior technical authority in applying advanced accounting, auditing, and administrative principles to evaluate financial information of nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, and state and local governments. Leading and overseeing complex university space reviews, conducted onsite or virtually, to support the negotiation of Facilities and Administrative (F&A) rates. Directing comprehensive onsite or virtual reviews of Statewide Cost Allocation Plans (SWCAPs), ensuring full compliance with federal cost principles and billing requirements. Leading high-level negotiations of indirect cost rates and cost allocation plans with senior officials of the grantee organizations, using technical expertise, sound judgment, and effective communication to support the agency's position. Providing technical guidance and authoritative advice on cost principles and allocation methodologies to stakeholders, grantees, and junior staff members Documenting experience: IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Qualifications are based on breadth/level of experience. In addition to describing duties performed, applicants must provide the exact dates of each period of employment (from MM/YY to MM/YY) and the number of hours worked per week if part time. As qualification determinations cannot be made when resumes do not include the required information, failure to provide this information may result in disqualification. Applicants are encouraged to use the USAJOBS Resume Builder to develop their federal resume. Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational application questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of yo