Clarification from the agency

Current Federal employees; former Federal employees with reinstatement eligibility; well qualified displaced and surplus Federal employees in the local commuting area; individuals eligible for special hiring authorities and veterans who are eligible for special hiring authorities.

If you are selected for this position, you will perform the following duties:

• Responsible for the completeness and accuracy on the FTC general ledger trial balance transmitted to U.S. Department of the Treasury and certified by the agency's Chief Financial Officer. Develops and performs ongoing analyses and interpretation of financial data in the general ledger to determine if the information is accurate. Performs specific analyses to ensure the general ledger is properly maintained, providing quality and reliability of financial information sufficient to preclude qualifications during annual audits of the agency's financial statements.
• Prepares the agency's financial statements in accordance with guidance issued by the OMB, Treasury, and other applicable organizations, oversight and guidance of the reconciliation, reporting and reconciling of Intragovernmental transactions, identifying and resolving all financial data and reporting issues; and developing financial reports for internal use.
• Develops implementation plans for the financial statement audit and leading efforts to develop and implement corrective action plans to resolve reporting and accounting issues identified during the audit, and to ensure proper closure of the corrective action plans.
• Ensures proper internal controls are in place for activities performed and adequate segregation of duties are present and resolve and process transaction that create Statements of Difference (SOD), ensuring transactions are input/corrected prior to month end.
• Provides expert advice and guidance to the agency's professional technical staff on a wide variety of financial and accounting matters, including authoritative interpretations of FTC, Treasury, OMB, GSA, GAO, JFMIP and GASB regulations, laws and standards.
• Weighs the implication of agency objectives, legal requirements and program needs while being fully aware of the implication of the answer given, how it weighs on the proposals, how it will affect established procedures and what impact it has on the future.
• Develops agency standards for guidance to management on highly complex accounting issues, recommending viable alternatives and weighing their respective merits. Serves as the agency's primary representative in dealings with other Federal agencies on technical accounting issues pertaining to various accounting matters.
• Provides recommendation to the Accounting Officer, division chief, Chief Financial Officer, and other key operating officials, within and outside the agency, on agency and government-wide financial management activities.
• Advises senior officials on proposed improvements to function/program workflow practices or procedures, improvements of internal controls, redesign of reports, methods to improve the consolidation of data, reduce costs or improve operations.
• Analyzes the requirements of the government-wide U.S. Standard General Ledger (USSGL) and develops, or oversees the development of, new accounts, posting rules/models, policy, and instructions to ensure compliance with standards.
• Analyzes, interprets and oversees implementation of new/revised accounting standards developed by GAO and OMB, advising management on the implications of the standards and potential impacts, coordinating with financial and program officials to ensure accurate and effective implementation.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. citizenship requirement must be met by the closing date of this vacancy.
• This position is subject to a background investigation.
• Males born after December 31, 1959 must register with Selective Service.
• You may serve a one-year probationary period under this appointment.
• You must meet time-in-grade requirement by the closing date of this vacancy.
• You must submit a copy of your performance appraisal with your application.
• This position is in the bargaining unit.
• This position is designated as eligible for remote work. If selected, you must be approved for remote work prior to onboarding in accordance with FTC's Workplace Flexibilities Policy.
• If approved for remote work or telework from a regional office, your salary may change based on your official duty station.

Qualifications

To qualify for a Staff Accountant (Senior Financial Reporting Accountant) at the GS-14 level, you must meet the following requirements:

Basic 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 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 non-conformance to the requirement of 24 semester hours in accounting, the applicant's education, training, and experience fully meet the specified requirements.

Additional Requirements

In addition to meeting the basic qualification requirements above, you must demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) year of qualifying experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: conducting analysis of financial data, monitoring financial systems, developing financial policy, interpreting and adapting to government wide financial policy, producing Financial Statements for a Federal Entity, producing Governmentwide Treasury Account Symbol (GTAS) submissions, coordinating a Financial Statement Audit; experience in United States Standard General Ledger (USSGL) proprietary and budgetary transactions, relationships, edits and validations, financial analysis including tie point and GTAS edits and validations, DATA Act reporting, intragovernmental Trading partner analysis on reciprocal category transactions, producing the Treasury Report on Receivables (TROR), and/or implementing agency compliance to Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASAB) standards.





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.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the announcement has closed, your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine if you meet the qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are found qualified, your résumé and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application package, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this position. If you are found to be among the top qualified candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

Knowledge of the Federal Trade Commission mission and related legislation, Treasury, OMB, GAO, USSM, FASAB and other government agency regulations, laws and standards, to ensure that the FTC's financial reporting meets all regulatory compliance requirements.

Ability in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with all levels of key management officials, advising senior officials on financial reporting, associated management controls, and professional accounting advice and assistance to resolve diverse, complex or controversial accounting and financial reporting problems.

Mastery of a professional knowledge of the theory, concepts, principles, practices and requirements of federal accounting, federal financial reporting, federal financial statements, and federal financial management.

Demonstrated knowledge of and experience in financial programs including financial and managerial cost accounting, internal controls and accountability processes, and the production of auditable financial statements.

Skill in written and oral communication to express ideas, concepts, methodologies, and controversies clearly and concisely in papers and briefings, and to persuade others and gain cooperation in the face of significant difference of opinion or controversy.