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Lead Accountant

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Veterans Health Administration

Summary

The Lead Accountant position is for Fiscal Service of the VA Eastern Colorado Healthcare System (ECHCS), in Aurora, Colorado. This position works under minimal supervision of the Supervisory Accountant, and as such, is responsible for the accuracy of the Fiscal Accounts of ECHCS and VA Community-Based Clinics in the Region. The Lead Accountant is responsible for the detailed and efficient operation and oversight control of day-to-day fiscal activities at this facility.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
04/08/2026 to 04/14/2026
This job will close when we have received 50 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$99,800 - $129,742 per year

Salary will be adjusted for schedule at specific location

Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Locations
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Aurora, CO
Location Negotiable After Selection
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—This position will be authorized for situational ad Hoc telework
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
CBSU-12929577-26-MD
Control number
864190100

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

This position is ONLY open to Current Permanent Department of Veterans Affairs Employees Nationwide (Serving on a Career/Career-Conditional Appointment or Covered Under OPM's Interchange Agreement).

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Duties

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Duties include but are not limited to:

  • Maintaining the standard general ledger reporting system.
  • Analyzing report data which records transactions within the system for the purpose of correcting errors.
  • Preparing financial schedules for briefings.
  • Duties performed require the application of professional accounting principles, theories, concepts and practices to unique situations.
  • Employing accounting policies/standards in the resolution of unprecedented problems/situations.
  • Serving as the principal point of contact performing staff level accounting work, including analyzing/interpreting higher headquarters accounting polices and procedures and reporting directives for implementation throughout the command.
  • Performing fund distribution including receiving allocations, issuing allotments, monitoring, controlling, and reporting annual program and fund authorization for current and prior year.
  • Evaluating current funding utilizing historical trend analysis.
  • Coordinating with management personnel levels to identify situations responsible for poor performance and recommending alternative avenues to resolve recurring problems.
  • Analyzing and reconciling the financial inventory accounting fund reporting system.


Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00am - 4:30pm
Telework: Location negotiable/virutal" (employee will be assigned space at a VA facility).
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Lead Accountant/PD122530
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
  • To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
  • Physical Requirements: Work is mostly sedentary but requires considerable typing, walking, speaking on the phone with individuals and in group settings, and working at a computer. The incumbent may be required to occasionally transfer files or accounting records up to 40 pounds.
  • Subject to background/security investigation
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
  • your performance and conduct;
  • the needs and interests of the agency;
  • whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
  • whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/14/2026.

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 12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS 11. 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.

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

  • To qualify for this position, applicants must meet BOTH basic requirements and grade level requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Individual Occupational Requirements: (Proof of education required)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:
    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.
  • In addition to the basic requirements, applicants must also meet the below specialized experience requirements:
  • Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Communication and interpersonal relations, including the ability to appropriately and courteously relate to internal and external customers; t possesses a strong knowledge of Integrated Funds Distribution, Control Activity, Accounting & Procurement System (IFCAP) and Financial Management System (FMS), with an in-depth knowledge and understanding of how the systems interface and the ability to solve problems which arise within the systems. Knowledge of and the ability to interpret and apply applicable laws, policies and regulations pertaining to agency financial activities, i.e. VA Directives and Handbooks, Comptroller General Decisions, General Accounting Office Guidelines, General Services Administration and Treasury Department Regulations. Incumbent must possess an extensive knowledge of fund control point accounting, allotment accounting, accrual accounting and double entry general ledger accounting systems which include assets, liabilities, revenue, expenses, and capital accounts. The accountant determines functional accounting requirements, assures interface with the larger automated management system, guides systems programming, develops functional tests, writes standard operating procedures, gives oral presentations, and attends meetings on system integration and problem resolution. Additionally, the accountant possesses knowledge of the various automated accounting systems; Incumbent must possess a high degree of knowledge of appropriations, allotments, analysis accounts, cost accounts, general ledger accounts in a variety of funds, and applicable restrictions. In addition, the incumbent must be knowledgeable of fund and appropriation accounting concepts and procedures
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/.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

Receiving Service Credit for 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. VA may offer newly-appointed 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.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

  • Accountability
  • Arithmetic/Mathematical Reasoning
  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork


The assessment includes a cut score based on minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cute score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.

Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. 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. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

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.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

Veterans Health Administration

OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise - "To care for him who shall have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate care to Veterans?

The VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System (ECHCS) offers a unique opportunity to balance professional growth with personal life. Our integrated, patient-centered approach provides compassionate, state-of-the-art care to Veterans while supporting a fulfilling career.

Located in Aurora, CO, just east of Denver, the new, state-of-the-art campus is a gateway to the Rockies and the Denver Metro area, offering unparalleled access to outdoor recreation, cultural attractions, and vibrant city life. Whether starting a career, raising a family, or planning retirement, Denver's central location makes it an ideal home.

ECHCS is a teaching hospital with a cutting-edge technology, research, and education. With specialized programs and comprehensive care for Veterans, it's a great career choice for clinical and administrative professionals alike.

Agency contact information

VISN 19 HR Contact Center
Phone
719-227-4600
Email
V19USAJOBS@VA.GOV
Address
VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System
1700 N Wheeling St
Aurora, CO 80045
US

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