Staff Accountant

Summary

The position is located in the Financial Accounting Service (FAS), Financial Services Center (FSC). FAS is responsible for high-level VA departmental wide accounting functions for all VA appropriations and funds from recording the appropriation of funds, to managing funding within multiple financial management systems, including both the legacy system (FMS) and the new system (iFAMS), to departmental-level external reporting to OMB, GAO, and Treasury.

Duties

The initial application review cut-off for this job announcement is 50 applications. The first 50 applications received will be considered first. Applications received after the initial cut-off number (50 applications) may not receive consideration unless otherwise requested by management. If management requests additional certificates, applicants will continue to be reviewed in groups of 50 in the order they applied. Note: Submitting multiple applications will change the order in which your application is reviewed. Major Duties: Uses expert knowledge of financial and accounting operations to provide solutions to eliminate or reduce significant bottlenecks and barriers to production, promote team building, or improve business practices. Solves significant problems in the development of VA's multiple accounting systems and in the financial management of VA programs. Recommends alternatives and solutions and initiates revised standards and procedures when needed for programs and policies that are highly legalistic, technically intricate, and administratively detailed in nature. Conducts in-depth analysis and testing to ensure transactions comply with tie points reconciliations and USSGL scenarios for the legacy (FMS) and the new (iFAMS) financial management system. Analyzes interface and system files to ensure compliance with Treasury's United States Standard General Ledger (USSGL). Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm. Compressed/Flexible: Available with supervisory approval. Telework: Ad hoc telework (situational telework) available as determined by the agency policy. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Staff Accountant/PD20291A. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/03/2026. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Individual Occupational Requirements: This position includes an Individual Occupation Requirement. Individual Occupational Requirements are requirements that must be met, in addition to the specialized experience and/or education requirement. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration. Evidence of the Individual Occupational Requirement must be reflected in your application materials (resume/transcript). Individual Occupational Requirements: 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. (The term "accounting" means "accounting and/or auditing" in this standard. Similarly, "accountant" should be interpreted, generally, as "accountant and/or auditor.") 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 In addition to the above, you may qualify based on your experience as described below: GS-14 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-13 in the normal line of progression for the the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as experience serving as a technical expert on federal accounting or financial reporting matters and coordinating the resolution of complex accounting or financial reporting problems for a federal agency. This experience includes analyzing and reconciling complex financial transactions across multiple financial management systems; interpreting and applying federal accounting standards, regulations, and policies; developing or recommending accounting policies, procedures, and corrective action plans; and preparing or reviewing financial reports and technical recommendations to resolve significant accounting, financial management, and internal control deficiencies. 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; religions; 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 will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Financial Systems Communication Leadership Problem Solving Principles of Accounting Technical Competence Accounting Operations Control of Funds Computer Skills Compliance Budget Administration Financial Analysis Specialized Experience Statement The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified for this vacancy, you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and meet the well-qualified criteria below: Financial Systems Analysis and Compliance: Demonstrated expertise in analyzing, testing, and reconciling complex financial transactions across multiple accounting systems, including legacy FMS and iFAMS, to ensure compliance with the U.S. Standard General Ledger (USSGL), applicable federal accounting standards, and internal control requirements. Accounting Policy Development and Problem Resolution: Demonstrated ability to research, interpret, develop, and implement complex federal accounting policies, procedures, and standards; identify root causes of financial reporting and internal control deficiencies; and develop effective corrective actions and solutions to resolve significant accounting problems. Financial Reporting,