Clarification from the agency

First consideration will be given to current permanent employees of the Chillicothe VA Medical Center.

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Duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Performs a variety of audit assignments of low to medium complexity that usually have precedence and require the use of conventional and advanced auditing techniques in gathering and evaluating pertinent data.
• Prepares audit based on use of the most appropriate audit techniques. Conducts entrance conferences with management officials at the audit site.
• Documents survey results in accordance with Comptroller General Standards and VA policies.
• Follows approved audit steps and a wide range of audit techniques (e.g., interviews, computer assisted audit techniques, statistical analysis and questionnaires) in gathering, documenting and summarizing data.
• Performs operational audits of facility programs.
• Reviews and evaluates activities and related internal controls; and provides recommendations for improvement of the effectiveness and efficiency of operations.
• Research regulations, work standards, related accounting and cost information to make comparison to actual work situations and established program goals for compliance, accuracy and reliability.
• Serves as a continuing resource to management by studying and analyzing troublesome areas which are revealed by examination, audits, reviews, investigations, inspections, etc.
• Reviews internal controls considering aspects of security and accountability to prevent or correct waste, embezzlement, unauthorized use of funds and errors in the various financial or property accounting systems.
• Prepares accurate and complete reports on results of reviews, including pertinent facts, conclusions and recommendations.
• Inspects and reviews fiscal and related accounts, on a continuing and recurring basis, to determine compliance with established policies, procedures and regulations.
• Examines adjustments between accounts and ascertains that appropriate action has been taken on reports of exceptions from General Accounting Office, etc.
• Assures payroll procedures to comply with existing regulations by means of selective tests for accuracy of computations, authority for rates of pay and proper deductions, evidence of hours worked, leave records, overtime, and accounting for each specific transaction.
• Performs selective checks of activities pertaining to the various aspects of procurement and contract placement and administration.
• Determines that all proposed awards, spot checked, bear evidence of review and approval of all required levels; that procedures are adequate to insure automatic follow-up on deliveries; that there is a proper invoice procedure, and that contracts having price redetermination are handled in such a manner that the contract will be brought to attention of negotiator sufficiently in advance.
• Serves as a consultant to operating officials providing not only the auditor's findings on financial transactions but also assisting, through objective appraisal of the manner in which financial accounting policies are carried out, in developing adequate operating procedures.
• Prepares and submits official reports, correspondence and complete and adequate working papers to reflect methods and procedures in effect; internal controls exercised; adequacy of administrative operation; deficiencies, irregularities, and exceptions noted; effectiveness of the overall program; determination of areas of weaknesses; detection of theft or fraud; any critical problems and recommendations for appropriate corrective action.
• Researches regulations, directives, and other guidance; conducts meetings with directors or their designated representatives to resolve differences or conflicts in response; verifies accuracy of data and records in audit reports; and evaluates information and data from service chiefs to assure that they contain necessary elements of technical data to prepare command reply to audit/inspection reports.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:30 am - 4:00 pm or 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Telework: VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Position Description/PD#: Auditor/PD919970 and PD919980
Financial Disclosure Report: Required

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/14/2023.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

Basic Requirements:

1. Degree: accounting, auditing; or a degree including auditing courses 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

2. 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.
   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 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.

Specialized Experience for GS-09: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:

• Experience in auditing concepts, principles, and methods.
• Experience in VA's programs and their governing statutes, regulations, and practices sufficient to perform audit assignments using generally accepted Government auditing methods and techniques.
• Experience in establishing and maintaining affective communication and rapport with supervisors, colleagues and representatives of audited activities.
• Experience in planning and carrying out the assignment, resolving conflicts that arise, and coordinating overall audit effort with the appropriate organizational entities. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree.

Specialized Experience for GS-11: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:

• Professional experience in accounting and auditing concepts, practices, and techniques.
• Experience in conducting financial audits of fiscal and related accounts to determine possible violations of applicable regulations; proper reporting, agreement between subsidiary and control accounts, overspending, adequacy of accounting methods and procedures, etc.
• Experience utilizing judgment in determining appropriate methods, procedures and techniques to be used in accomplishing assignments.
• Experience in interpreting and adapting the guides modifying the information presented to fit the situation at hand.
• Experience in independently planning, conducting, and reporting on complete audit applying or adapting standard audit practices to the peculiarities of the assignment.
• Experience determining which conditions observed are fruitful audit subjects and develops workable recommendations. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.

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.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: Work is sedentary.

Work Environment: Work is done in an office setting except when inspecting work sites.

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/.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. PLEASE NOTE YOUR QUALIFYING SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE IN MM/YYYY TO MM/YYYY FORMAT ON YOUR RESUME.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.