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Rate and Cost Analyst

Postal Regulatory Commission
Office of Accountability and Compliance
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Postal Regulatory Commission has an exciting employment opportunity for a highly motivated and curious person with empirical skills and interest in data visualization and process automation.

Overview

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Job canceled
Open & closing dates
11/07/2024 to 12/01/2024
This job will close when we have received 150 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$75,329 to - $128,956 per year
Pay scale & grade
ZY 2 - 3
Location
2 vacancies in the following location:
Washington, DC
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
Excepted
Promotion potential
7
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
PRC 04-25
Control number
818224400

Duties

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A Rate and Cost Analyst PRC-2 in the Office of Accountability and Compliance (OAC) will have the responsibility of analyzing complex economic and financial data and providing recommendations to division and office leadership within the Compliance Division of OAC.
A Rate and Cost Analyst PRC-2 is responsible for:

  • Analyzing data related to Postal Service costing, pricing, and rate design
  • Verifying the mathematical accuracy of pricing, costing, economic, marketing, and statistical statements submitted by the Postal Service
  • Assuring that price adjustments, contracts, and other proposals comply with applicable law or regulation
  • Assuring that discounts accurately reflect the costs saved by outsourcing work
  • Analyzing technical components of documents submitted to the Commission
  • Assisting in the replication and audit of quantitative analyses of financial data and providing recommendations to senior staff based on findings
  • Reviewing data for source accuracy and refining into useable format. Identifying and substantiating reporting disparities regarding changes, trends, or circumstances not readily evident from the data retrieved
  • Investigating and assessing arguments related to pricing and costing made by the Postal Service, mailers, and the general public
  • Preparing and reviewing written and oral reports based on analyses, including Commission orders, special studies, and/or information requests from Congress, USPS, or other stakeholders
  • Using coding languages, software, or other tools to identify opportunities to streamline or automate processes
  • Developing graphic representations of data and analysis
A Rate and Cost Analyst PRC-3 in the Office of Accountability and Compliance (OAC) will have the responsibility of analyzing complex economic and financial data and providing recommendations to division and office leadership within the Compliance Division of OAC. This level requires a higher degree of independent work than the same position at a PRC level 2.
A Rate and Cost Analyst PRC-3 is responsible for:
  • Analyzing data related to Postal Service costing, pricing, and rate design
  • Verifying the mathematical accuracy of pricing, costing, economic, marketing, and statistical statements submitted by the Postal Service
  • Assuring that price adjustments, contracts, and other proposals comply with applicable law or regulation
  • Assuring that discounts accurately reflect the costs saved by outsourcing work
  • Analyzing technical components of documents submitted to the Commission
  • Assisting in the replication and audit of quantitative analyses of financial data and provide recommendations to senior staff based on findings
  • Reviewing data for source accuracy and refining into useable format. Identifying and substantiating reporting disparities regarding changes, trends, or circumstances not readily evident from the data retrieved
  • Investigating and assessing arguments related to pricing and costing made by the Postal Service, mailers, and the general public
  • Preparing and reviewing written and oral reports based on analyses, including Commission orders, special studies, and/or information requests from Congress, USPS, or other stakeholders
  • Using coding languages, software, or other tools to identify opportunities to streamline or automate processes\
  • Developing graphic representations of data and analysis

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Citizenship Requirement: You must be a U.S. citizen or national to be eligible for this position.
  • Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Status: Exempt
  • e-Verify: All new hires must complete the I-9 form, this information will be processed through e-Verify to determine employment eligibility. If a discrepancy arises, you must take affirmative steps to resolve the matter.
  • Background Investigation Requirement: You must successfully pass a background investigation. Failing to pass the background check may be grounds for removal or legal action. If hired, you may be subject to additional investigations at a later time.
  • Direct Deposit: You will be required to have all federal salary payments electronically deposited into a bank account with a financial institution of your choice.
  • Selective Service Registration: All applicants born male, on (or after) 12/31/1959, must be registered with the Selective Service System OR have an approved exemption. Visit www.SSS.gov for more info.
  • This position may require you to submit a Public Financial Disclosure Report (OGE 278) upon entry and annually thereafter.
  • You will be required to serve a probationary period of 1 year.
  • Relocation expenses are not authorized.

Qualifications

To be eligible for consideration, candidates must have experience or education that has equipped them with the ability, skill and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position. Typically, experience is related to this line of work and at a level similar to this position. Applicants must meet the mandatory technical qualifications described below. Please describe experience relative to each mandatory and desired technical qualification.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): Applicants will be evaluated and ranked based on evidence of ability to successfully perform the duties of the position by assigning up to 10 points for each of the following criteria:

The following qualifications must be demonstrated in your resume:

  • Knowledge in quantitative fields, such as Statistics, Economics, and Finance
  • Investigative/research skills
  • Demonstrated experience or education in modeling or auditing and analyzing costs and prices using Excel. Advanced proficiency with Excel and experience with SAS and/or STATA desired
  • Knowledge of data visualization techniques
  • Ability to develop procedures to measure reliability and accuracy of data
  • Ability present and explain analytical results to groups of people
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Knowledge of or experience with coding language or other software tools (e.g. Python, excel macros) desired
  • Prior knowledge of postal pricing, operations, products, and US Postal laws or work in network industries desired, but not necessary
Successful candidates at the PRC-3 level will have the following qualifications:
  • Knowledge and some work experience in quantitative fields, such as Statistics, Economics, and Finance
  • Investigative/research skills
  • Demonstrated experience and education in modeling or auditing and analyzing costs and prices using Excel. Advanced proficiency with Excel and experience with SAS and/or STATA desired
  • Knowledge of data visualization techniques
  • Ability to develop procedures to measure reliability and accuracy of data
  • Ability present and explain analytical results to groups of people
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Experience with coding language or other software tools (e.g. Python, excel macros) desired
  • Prior knowledge of postal pricing, operations, products, and US Postal laws or work in network industries desired, but not necessary
To be eligible for consideration, your application materials must demonstrate that you have experience that has equipped you with the ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of the position described above. Typically, experience will be related to legal or regulatory work at a level similar to this position and may encompass 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.

Education

A. Successful completion of a course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in economics or a quantitative field (e.g., mathematics, economics, finance, accounting) that included higher level courses in quantitative analysis,

DESIRABLE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE

B. Two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Master's degree or equivalent graduate degree in economics, finance or a related field; Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) credentials

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.

Additional information


Ethics Requirements: The Commission is committed to government ethics. As a Commission employee, you will be subject to the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch and the criminal conflict of interest statutes. Commission employees are also subject to Commission-specific ethics rules (39 C.F.R. subpart A of part 3001 and supplemental standards of ethical conduct [5 C.F.R. part 5601]). The supplemental standards prohibit Commission employees, as well as their spouses and dependent children, from owning any securities issued by entities that are identified on the Commission's annually published prohibited securities list. As an employee of the Commission, you must complete initial ethics training within three months of your appointment and, depending on your position, complete required financial disclosure forms within 30 days of your appointment.

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. The Commission may offer Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

Work Environment: This position is in the Office of Accountability and Compliance (OAC). This Office is responsible for promoting United States Postal Service transparency and accountability by establishing and maintaining a modern system to regulate rates, ensuring Postal Service compliance with the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA), making recommendations based on the analysis of financial reports from the Postal Service, and by preparing annual and periodic reports to Congress. The Office of Accountability and Compliance serves the Commission and Commissioners, the Postal Service, mailers, the U.S. Department of State, and the American public. This position is eligible for telework.

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 by a screening panel based on evidence of your ability to successfully perform the duties of the position according to the qualifications outlined in this announcement. The panel will forward the appropriate candidates to the Director of Accountability and Compliance for further consideration and possible interview.

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