This position is located in the Office of Budget, Finance, and Award Management (BFA), Division of Financial Management (DFM), Financial Innovation and Systems Branch (FISB). BFA is an office reporting Directly to the Director of NSF and is responsible for centralizing and integrating the Foundation's budget, finance, grant and contract awards operations, and fully implements the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Act of 1990 and the Government Management Reform Act (GMRA) of 1994.
Summary
This position is located in the Office of Budget, Finance, and Award Management (BFA), Division of Financial Management (DFM), Financial Innovation and Systems Branch (FISB). BFA is an office reporting Directly to the Director of NSF and is responsible for centralizing and integrating the Foundation's budget, finance, grant and contract awards operations, and fully implements the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Act of 1990 and the Government Management Reform Act (GMRA) of 1994.
Current or former Federal employees with competitive status obtained through a permanent Federal competitive service appointment OR individuals with eligibility for noncompetitive special appointing authority OR ICTAP/CTAP eligibles OR veterans eligible under the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act.
This opportunity is also open to the public under Delegated Examining through DFM-2022-0004 DE.
The Systems Accountant manages a significant financial system program or function related to the development, implementation, and maintenance of the National Science Foundation's (NSF) financial system using Oracle Federal Financials Release 12 and internal and external interfaces. This requires the incumbent to define objectives, interpret policy promulgated by authorities senior to the immediate supervisor, and determines their effect on program needs. Specific duties include the following:
Project Management and Execution
Manage projects through all life cycle phases and ensure all project deliverables are developed and maintained.
Develop or coordinate the development of project documentation and plans; including project schedules, risk management plans, communication and change management plans.
Conduct project risk assessments and makes recommendations to senior management in mitigating project risks.
Align project deliverables with strategic business goals and priorities and develops business case for expending Foundation-wide resources toward the design, development, and implementation of a core financial system and interfaces.
Participate in the planning and evaluation of a financial management system and reporting applications.
Lead and coordinate the implementation of new technology initiatives, such as Robotic Process Automation, Machine Learning and Block Chain (Distributed Ledger).
System Implementation and Maintenance
Lead cross-functional requirements sessions with system users to develop and/or evaluate functional and technical requirements for the maintenance, upgrade, enhancements and/or replacement of the core financial systems and its interfaces. Translate functional requirements to system specifications. Develop and execute testing plans and scenarios.
Design and maintain accounting code structures of the National Science Foundation's core financial system and ensures that they meet requirements established by the NSF, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Department of Treasury.
Design and/or provide guidance in the design of the chart of accounts of the financial management system in accordance with the Standard General Ledger (SGL) at the transaction level.
Develop change management strategies to transition stakeholders from the current financial systems environment to future system environment.
Analyze business processes and develop approaches to streamline business processes and address financial management issues.
Conduct research on new systems requirements set forth by OMB, Department of Treasury, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and other regulatory and oversight organizations.
Training end users on new and existing financial system functionality and reporting.
Perform system assurance activities to ensure the financial system is functioning as intended.
Data Analytics and Quality
Lead, develop, and execute data clean up strategies and tactical plans to clean up data in the core financial system and interfaces.
Lead, develop and execute data conversion strategies to migrate legacy data from current financial system to the new core financial system.
Lead efforts to conduct data quality assessments to determine the health and quality of data in the core financial system and data coming from feeder systems into the core system.
Make recommendations to senior management on data clean up strategies, priorities in data clean up, and work with policy lead in the Division of Financial Management (DFM) to develop policies and procedures to ensure strong data governance over financial data.
Financial System Policy and Analysis
Provide input into financial system policies and develop procedures for the National Science Foundation’s core financial system and its interfaces; and work in partnership with the DFM Senior Policy Advisor to incorporate financial system policies and procedures into DFM's overall policies and procedures framework.
Coordinates with DFM Senior Policy Advisor’s on NSF's response to Government-wide exposure drafts on new financial systems policies and procedures.
Maintain communication with control agencies such as OMB, Department of Treasury, GAO, General Services Administration (GSA) and the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASAB) regarding changes to Federal financial systems policies and procedures.
Oversee or conduct reviews of the NSF's core financial system and its interfaces to ensure compliance with the Federal Financial Management Improvement Act of 1996, Federal Information Security Management Act, Clinger-Cohen Act, GAO, OMB Circulars, A-123 Appendix D and A-130 as well as other applicable laws and regulations and to support management's annual assurance statement on financial systems compliance.
Selective Service registration required for male applicants, unless exempt.
Selectee may be required to serve a 1-year trial/probationary period
It is NSF policy that NSF personnel employed at or IPAs detailed to NSF are not permitted to participate in foreign government talent recruitment programs. Failure to comply with this NSF policy could result in disciplinary action up to and including removal from Federal Service or termination of an IPA assignment and referral to the Office of Inspector General. Foreign Talent Definitions
As required by Executive Order 14043, Federal employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 regardless of the employee’s duty location or work arrangement, subject to such exceptions as required by law. This policy applies to all NSF staff, to include employees, Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) assignees, Visiting Scientists, Engineers, and Educators (VSEEs), as well as fellows and interns. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by November 22, 2021 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination by November 22, 2021 or before appointment or on-boarding with the agency, if after November 22. Upon selection, NSF will provide additional information regarding what documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required exception from this requirement.
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.
Time in Grade Requirement: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent.
You must meet eligibility and qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date.
You must answer all job-related questions in the NSF eRecruit questionnaire and any external assessment that is included.
All online applicants must provide a valid email address. If your email address is inaccurate or your mailbox is full or blocked, you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.
This position is in the bargaining unit.
Qualifications
All candidates must meet one of the following basic requirements for accountant positions: 1. A degree from an accredited college or university in accounting and/or auditing or in a related field such as business administration, finance, or public administration that included or was supplemented by 24 semester hours in accounting. May include up to 6 hours of credit in business law. 2. A combination of education and experience - 4 yrs of experience in accounting or a combination of accounting experience, college level education, and training and one of following: 1) 24 semester hrs. in appropriate accounting or auditing courses (can include 6 hrs. of business law); 2) certificate as a Certified Public Acct. or a Certified Internal Auditor, from a written exam; 3) degree that included substantial accounting/auditing courses, (15 sem. hrs.), but less than 24 sem. hrs.
In addition to meeting the basic qualification requirement described above, candidates at the GS-14 level must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience are:
experience using Oracle R12 E- Business Suite (EBS), SAP or Momentum functionality and financial management processes to make recommendations for financial system process improvements;
analyzing and documenting financial reporting requirements, developing adhoc financial reports and queries;
experience in utilizing project management principles and best practices to support financial system designs, implementations, enhancements;
skill in providing technical guidance related to financial system functionality and technical infrastructure, to resolve technical issues associated with implementing and maintaining a Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) financial system;
analyzing and interpreting data to ensure data quality and integrity;
experience in analyzing and interpreting USSGL and related transactions to provide professional accounting advice for issue resolution and financial system design.
Education
You must meet the minimum education requirements as described in “Qualifications."
Additional information
Relocation Expenses will not be paid.
Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): ICTAP and CTAP provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP or CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP or CTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified you must meet the following: OPM qualification requirements for the position, all selective factors, where applicable; special OPM approved qualifying conditions for the position; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate, to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and receives a rating of at least “Very Good” on the questionnaire. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP or CTAP eligibility, or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information regarding ICTAP or CTAP eligibility is available from OPM's Career Transition Resources
Veteran's Preference: If you are entitled to veterans' preference, you should indicate the type of veterans' preference you are claiming on your resume. Your veterans' preference entitlement will be verified by the employing agency. For 5-point veterans' preference, please provide your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty, or other official documentation (e.g., documentation of receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal) that proves your military service was performed under honorable conditions. For 10-point veterans' preference, please submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, DD-214, and the required documentation as specified on the SF-15.
NSF has determined that all of its positions are eligible for telework. Work suitable for telework depends on job duties; therefore, employees must receive approval from their supervisor for telework and have a telework agreement in place. Entering into a telework agreement is voluntary.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
A GREAT LOCATION! The National Science Foundation Headquarters is conveniently located across the street from the Eisenhower Avenue Metro Station, right in Alexandria, VA, a few miles from downtown Washington, DC. There are shops and restaurants within walking distance, as well as historic Old Town Alexandria a short trip away. Employees receive the Federal benefits package and NSF offers:
Pre-tax parking Public transportation subsidy Child care subsidy Flexible working hours Telecommuting Physical Fitness Facility on site Health Services Unit on site Employee Assistance Program
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Ratings will be assigned based on your responses to the occupational questionnaire. In some cases, additional assessment processes may be used.
Review your resume and responses carefully. Responses that are not fully supported by the information in your application package may result in adjustments to your score. A Human Resources Representative will validate the qualifications of those candidates eligible to be referred to the selecting official.
Applicants eligible for selection preference under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) must meet the agency definition of "well qualified." At NSF, this means a score of 90.0 or higher.
In the merit promotion selection process, formal performance appraisals may be considered if voluntarily submitted by the applicant.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
A GREAT LOCATION! The National Science Foundation Headquarters is conveniently located across the street from the Eisenhower Avenue Metro Station, right in Alexandria, VA, a few miles from downtown Washington, DC. There are shops and restaurants within walking distance, as well as historic Old Town Alexandria a short trip away. Employees receive the Federal benefits package and NSF offers:
Pre-tax parking Public transportation subsidy Child care subsidy Flexible working hours Telecommuting Physical Fitness Facility on site Health Services Unit on site Employee Assistance Program
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
If you are an NSF employee on or eligible for a permanent, competitive service position or you are an NSF employee who is reinstatement eligible based on prior Federal permanent, competitive service, you need not submit documents to confirm status. All applicants are required to provide a resume, in any format they choose. Cover letters are optional.
If you are not an NSF employee as described above, but you are eligible under merit promotion, under an Interchange Agreements, under a non-competitive authority, or under a similar authority, you will be required to submit supporting documentation. This will typically require the submission of one or more of the following documents:
1. Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50s) or comparable federal agency forms to verify your eligibility for reinstatement and/or grade/step/salary if you are a current or former permanent federal civil service employee. • SF-50 must indicate that appointment is/was to a competitive service position with permanent tenure or conditional tenure within the last three years; OR, to a similar position in the excepted service at an agency that has an Interchange Agreement. • An example of a comparable agency form is a personnel action from a DOD Non-appropriated Fund organization or from the US Postal Service for a current and continuing appointment without a break in service. • Documents that are NOT comparable and NOT acceptable substitutes for a SF-50 include a SF-52, a Performance Appraisal form, a Personnel Action Request (PAR), or a Request for Personnel Action (RPA).
2. Performance appraisals and awards may be considered during the evaluation process if voluntarily submitted.
3. DD-214 (Member-4 copy); and if applicable, the Department of Veterans Affairs Notice of Compensable Disability Rating from applicants requesting consideration under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA), Veteran Recruitment Act (VRA), or the disabled veterans appointing authority.
4. Schedule A Certification – from applicants requesting consideration under the Schedule A appointing authority for disabled applicants.
5. Other – Documentation which verifies you are eligible to be appointed to a permanent position in the federal competitive civil service.
If you are requesting consideration under a Special Hiring Authority listed below, you must submit the required documentation as outlined in the regulation or Executive Order. Please also annotate your application to reflect that you are applying under a special hiring authority. If you are requesting consideration under a Special Hiring Authority not listed below, please email eRecruit@nsf.gov or reach out to the point of contact listed on the vacancy announcement.
• Returned Peace Corp Volunteers • Certain Military Spouses (Executive Order 13473) • Former Overseas Employees • Foreign Service Employees • Career Service Employees • Postal Rate Commission Employees • Government Accountability Office (GAO) Employees • Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts Employees
If you are requesting special employment consideration under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) or CTAP, you must submit documentation provided by your current or former employing agency verifying your eligibility for that program. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible.
You must submit proof of meeting the basic education requirement described in the QUALIFICATIONS paragraph. Therefore, you should submit TRANSCRIPTS (unofficial copies are acceptable) or a DIPLOMA that verifies that the requirement is met.
All uploading must be completed before 11:59 PM Eastern time on the vacancy closing date.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Your application should be submitted online and must be completed and all required documents successfully uploaded before 11:59 PM Eastern time on the closing date. You must answer all of the job-related questions to ensure full consideration for this position. For more detailed information, please review our NSF eRecruit Applicant Guide.
If you are unable to apply electronically, please use the Contact Information below for special instructions on how to submit your application materials. Hearing impaired individuals may call TDD (703) 292-5090 for assistance.
WARNING! Applications submitted online must have a valid email address. If your email address is inaccurate or your mailbox is full or blocked, you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.
If you are an NSF employee on or eligible for a permanent, competitive service position or you are an NSF employee who is reinstatement eligible based on prior Federal permanent, competitive service, you need not submit documents to confirm status. All applicants are required to provide a resume, in any format they choose. Cover letters are optional.
If you are not an NSF employee as described above, but you are eligible under merit promotion, under an Interchange Agreements, under a non-competitive authority, or under a similar authority, you will be required to submit supporting documentation. This will typically require the submission of one or more of the following documents:
1. Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50s) or comparable federal agency forms to verify your eligibility for reinstatement and/or grade/step/salary if you are a current or former permanent federal civil service employee. • SF-50 must indicate that appointment is/was to a competitive service position with permanent tenure or conditional tenure within the last three years; OR, to a similar position in the excepted service at an agency that has an Interchange Agreement. • An example of a comparable agency form is a personnel action from a DOD Non-appropriated Fund organization or from the US Postal Service for a current and continuing appointment without a break in service. • Documents that are NOT comparable and NOT acceptable substitutes for a SF-50 include a SF-52, a Performance Appraisal form, a Personnel Action Request (PAR), or a Request for Personnel Action (RPA).
2. Performance appraisals and awards may be considered during the evaluation process if voluntarily submitted.
3. DD-214 (Member-4 copy); and if applicable, the Department of Veterans Affairs Notice of Compensable Disability Rating from applicants requesting consideration under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA), Veteran Recruitment Act (VRA), or the disabled veterans appointing authority.
4. Schedule A Certification – from applicants requesting consideration under the Schedule A appointing authority for disabled applicants.
5. Other – Documentation which verifies you are eligible to be appointed to a permanent position in the federal competitive civil service.
If you are requesting consideration under a Special Hiring Authority listed below, you must submit the required documentation as outlined in the regulation or Executive Order. Please also annotate your application to reflect that you are applying under a special hiring authority. If you are requesting consideration under a Special Hiring Authority not listed below, please email eRecruit@nsf.gov or reach out to the point of contact listed on the vacancy announcement.
• Returned Peace Corp Volunteers • Certain Military Spouses (Executive Order 13473) • Former Overseas Employees • Foreign Service Employees • Career Service Employees • Postal Rate Commission Employees • Government Accountability Office (GAO) Employees • Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts Employees
If you are requesting special employment consideration under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) or CTAP, you must submit documentation provided by your current or former employing agency verifying your eligibility for that program. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible.
You must submit proof of meeting the basic education requirement described in the QUALIFICATIONS paragraph. Therefore, you should submit TRANSCRIPTS (unofficial copies are acceptable) or a DIPLOMA that verifies that the requirement is met.
All uploading must be completed before 11:59 PM Eastern time on the vacancy closing date.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Your application should be submitted online and must be completed and all required documents successfully uploaded before 11:59 PM Eastern time on the closing date. You must answer all of the job-related questions to ensure full consideration for this position. For more detailed information, please review our NSF eRecruit Applicant Guide.
If you are unable to apply electronically, please use the Contact Information below for special instructions on how to submit your application materials. Hearing impaired individuals may call TDD (703) 292-5090 for assistance.
WARNING! Applications submitted online must have a valid email address. If your email address is inaccurate or your mailbox is full or blocked, you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.
