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Financial Specialist

Department of Agriculture
Food Safety and Inspection Service
Accounts Payable Management Branch
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located in the Financial Management Division (FMD), Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO). FMD is responsible for financial policies and functions related to payroll employee reimbursements, conference planning, billing, employee relocation, foreign, local and temporary duty travel and travel advances.

This position is eligible for up to 8 days telework per pay period and other flexible work arrangements. Employee participation is at the discretion of the supervisor.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
04/09/2024 to 04/19/2024
Salary
$73,088 to - $113,879 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 11 - 12
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Urbandale, IA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
FSIS-24-MMP-12364420-BM
Control number
785873200

Duties

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  • Prepares and delivers written and oral presentations and serves as an expert in assigned process and program area.
  • Gages in analyzing procedures, methods, and techniques involved in the financial document processing work of the Unit. Uses analysis to provide feedback, develop system enhancements, and workflow improvements.
  • Analyze data of processed time-sensitive financial docs include, but are not limited to billing docs, collections, exports certs, travel authorizations/vouchers, various reimbursements to employees, biweekly payroll time/attendance docs, etc.
  • Analyze the Unit's interaction with automated financial data system. Develops and recommends alternative data capturing methods and systems as well as potential system improvements.
  • Expected to work both independently and as a member of a team.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a US Citizen or US National.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
  • Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
  • Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
  • Subject to one-year supervisory/managerial probationary period unless prior service is creditable. New USDA supervisors must successfully complete all components of the required training program before the end of their probationary period.
  • Direct Deposit – Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
  • Must pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.

Time in grade: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience at the next lower grade to be considered for the next higher grade (e.g. one year at the GS-9 grade level for consideration for the GS-11 grade level.).

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: To be considered minimally qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you have the required specialized experience and/or education for the respective grade level in which you are applying:

GS-11
Specialized Experience:
You must have at least one year of specialized work experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service performing duties which include:

  • Analyzing financial activities;
  • Analyzing samples of financial data for proper authorizations;
  • Preparing reports from automated financial systems;
  • Researching and resolving financial issues; and
  • Interpreting/explaining for a financial institution or program area.
OR

Education: You must possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree. This education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be determined from the school, 54 semester hours should be considered as equivalent to 3 years of full-time study. (You must submit a copy of your transcripts for verification.)

OR

Combination: You must have an appropriate combination of experience and successfully completed graduate-level education. To determine your combination, first compute your experience as a percentage of the experience listed above; then determine your education as a percentage of the education listed above; then add the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent. Only graduate education in excess of two full years (36 semester hours) may be used to qualify. (You must submit a copy of your transcripts for verification.)

GS-12
Specialized Experience:
You must have at least one year of specialized work experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service performing duties which include:
  • Applying policies, precedents, goals, objectives, regulations, and guidelines of a financial program area to analyze financial activities;
  • Analyzing data from financial systems to prepare reports;
  • Researching and applying financial laws, regulations, and policies to provide guidance to other Financial Specialists;
  • Applying financial systems or techniques to modify and adapt policies and procedures; and
  • Advising program managers.
Education cannot be substituted for experience to qualify for the GS-12 grade level.

For more information on how to qualify for this position, Click Here

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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

Education substitute for GS-11 is listed in the qualifications sections.

Education can not be substituted at the GS-12 grade level.

Additional information

  • Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.
  • Veterans who are preference eligible or who have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after three years or more of continuous active service are eligible for consideration under the Veteran's Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA).
  • Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Employees: Permanent County employees without prior Federal tenure who are selected for a Civil Service position under Public Law 105-277 will be given a career-conditional appointment and must serve a 1-year probationary period.
  • For more information on applying under special hiring authorities such as the Veteran's Recruitment Act (VRA), 30 percent disabled veterans, certain military spouses, Schedule A Disabled, etc., explore the different Hiring Paths on the USAJOBS website.
  • Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) provides current or former temporary or term employees of federal land management agencies opportunity to compete for permanent competitive service positions. Individuals must have more than 24 months of service without a break between appointments of two or more years. Service must be in the competitive service and have been at a successful level of performance or better. Refer to PUBLIC LAW 114-47-AUG. 7, 2015 for more information.
  • If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed.
  • This position is eligible for up to 8 days telework per pay period and other flexible work arrangements. Employee participation is at the discretion of the supervisor.
  • This announcement may be used to fill additional like vacancies should any occur in the announced duty location(s).
  • Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact: USDAs TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).
  • It is the policy of the Government not to deny employment simply because an individual has been unemployed or has had financial difficulties that have arisen through no fault of the individual. To see more information visit CHCO Council.
  • Veterans Policy
  • If claiming 10-point Veterans' Preference you must provide the DD214 or certification requirements (see above bullet), plus the proof of entitlement of this preference as listed on the SF15 Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference. The SF15 should be included but is not required. Failure to submit these documents could result in the determination that there is insufficient documentation to support your claim for 10-point preference.

How you will be evaluated

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

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications and competencies listed in this vacancy announcement. Only those highly rated by the subject matter experts will be referred to the selecting official. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the preliminary resume and education (if applicable) reviewrequired for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Oral Communication
  • Organizational Awareness
  • Writing

In addition to the online questionnaire, applicants for this position will be evaluated by one or more subject matter experts. If a panel is conducted, subject matter experts may review your resume and other application materials to determine your qualifications and assign a rating based on the required competencies. Please ensure that your resume does not simply list job duties, but also highlights accomplishments that demonstrate possession of the required competencies.

Preference will be applied to applicants who move forward after the pre-certificate evaluation. Applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements and are determined to be among the best qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. Non-competitive candidates and applicants under some special hiring authorities need only meet minimum qualifications to be referred.

To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and assessment questionnaire, this position requires a preliminary resume and education (if applicable) review to evaluate competencies and education (if applicable) required to perform the job.

Note: If after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or you may be found ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service.

To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12364420

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