Clarification from the agency

Only current United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS OIG), United States Postal Service (USPS), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) employees will be considered or selected from this vacancy announcement.

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About Our Directorate:
The Contracts & Supply Management directorate oversees major Postal Service contracting efforts to determine if costs are being effectively and efficiently controlled by current purchasing policies, initiatives, and practices. To that end, the directorate leverages data-driven insights and advance techniques to issue audit reports about contracting, purchasing, and supply management programs.

The Auditor Specialist serves as the authoritative resource for the agency in the area of data analytics in auditing. As an expert technical authority for an auditing function, the specialist is responsible for leading data analytics, modeling, business intelligence, and enhanced reporting activities of the Contracts & Supply Management directorate subject matter areas.

Overall responsibilities include performing and managing the day-to-day technical and subject matter area activities to execute the audit and/or strategic project. You will serve as project leader or technical expert for matters concerning an assigned area of responsibility. As a successful candidate, you will have relevant experience in:

• Taking the lead and coordinating with the internal management and leadership to develop a range of data analytic strategies and practices where no policy exists, taking innovative actions to address new needs or issues.
• Planning, organizing, and implementing the requirements for data models, data analytics, and enhanced reporting that involve major areas of uncertainty in approach, methodology, or interpretation to identity appropriate solutions.
• Scheduling and monitoring data analytic activities and other assignments so as to comply with the organization's needs. Leading data analysis and reporting activities to ensure that professional standards are maintained in the planning and execution phase, and in the accumulation of evidentiary data.
• Conducting research and analysis, such as integrating the data and findings across audits to develop audit ideas, fraud leads, criteria or new approaches for use by other auditors.
• Preparing audit plans, proposals, or guidelines for comprehensive examination of entire functional areas. Making recommendations or influencing decisions on programs that involve matters such as improvements in business processes, organizational structure, management systems, or controversial situations.
• Working with internal and external stakeholders to enhance data models to reflect major changes in business requirements, business operations, and new datasets. Monitoring and implementing best practices and techniques in technical and subject matter areas.
• Conducting outreach and training activities to all levels of users on potential and deployed enterprise data model process, methodology, and results.
• Communicating project results and issues to all levels as needed, internally and externally; and influencing approval and user adoption of solutions and plans.
• Presenting findings, conclusions, and recommendations in a logical and effective manner. Working with auditors on enhanced reporting activities.
• Identifying issues and planning audit steps that provide results in terms of dollar savings and/or non-financial benefits to the Postal Service.
• Identifying and utilizing the most appropriate data collection methods for producing quality products.
• Producing complete reports or other written products that present complex issues in easily understood language and are accurate, timely, and clear.
• Clearly distinguishing between fact and opinion and avoiding disclosing sensitive or tentative conclusions prematurely.

The duties and responsibilities associated with this position may vary based upon the agency's needs at the time of hire. The preceding description of major duties and responsibilities is only intended to give applicants a general overview of the expectations.

Compensation: The USPS OIG uses a Pay Banding system, which is equivalent to the Federal GS scale. Grade and salary determinations will be made based upon a candidate's education and professional experience.

This position is being advertised at the Specialist Band level, equivalent to a GS-14. The salary range for this position is $140,239.00 - $187,093.00. The salary figures include locality pay. For locality table specifics, visit: OPM's General Schedule (GS).

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Must be able to pass a drug screening.
• Must be able to pass a background investigation.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Moderate Background Investigation (MBI) clearance.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a government-issued credit card.
• May be required to successfully complete a 12-month probationary period.

Qualifications

Position Minimum Qualification Requirements
You must meet all the minimum qualifications listed below.

Professional Experience Requirement:

• At least four (4) years of professional, full-time experience conducting performance audits in accordance with Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards at an Office of Inspector General or similar audit organization or an equivalent combination that provided professional auditing knowledge (your resume must reflect where, when, and how you gained this experience.)

Education Requirement:

• Degree in auditing or in a related field (see below list for related field degree list) such as business administration, public administration, or technically related (must submit transcripts from an accredited college or university.)

OR

• A combination of education and experience - at least four (4) years of experience in Performance Auditing, or an equivalent combination of performance auditing experience, college-level education, and training that provided professional auditing knowledge. The applicant's background must also include one of the following:
  • Certificate as a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) or a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), obtained through written examination; OR
  • Completion of the requirements for a degree that included substantial course work in auditing or accounting, e.g., 15 semester hours (must submit transcripts from an accredited college or university.)

Auditor (0511) Related and Accepted Degrees:

• Business Related, including but not limited to:
  • Auditing, Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, Statistics/Mathematics, Finance, International Business, Management, Marketing, Organizational Behavior/Psychology, etc.
• Government Related, including but not limited to:
  • Criminal Justice, Political Science, Public Administration, Public Policy, Law, Public Relations/Communications, etc.
• Technically Related, including but not limited to:
  • Data Science/Analytics, Computer Science, Engineering, Cybersecurity, Human Resources, Information Technology, Journalism/Investigative Reporting, Logistics, Contract/Supply Chain Management, etc.

Desirable Qualifications

• Advanced degree.
• Professional certification(s), e.g., CPA , CIA, or data analytics-related.
• Proficiency in data analytics tools or programming languages such as Python, SQL, R, ACL, or similar platforms, with a strong ability to apply programming skills for advanced data analysis and visualization to enhance audit processes and decision-making.
• Familiarity with data environments, including working within cloud computing and analytics platforms (e.g., Azure, Databricks), and with large-scale, relational databases.
• Experience with federal or organizational contract data, such as familiarity with integrating contract data from multiple sources (e.g., financial, procurement, or vendor systems), and knowledge of fraud risk models and techniques.

Evaluation Factors | How you will be evaluated:

You must have the experience, knowledge, and skills as listed in each of the evaluation factors listed below. Include your major accomplishments relevant to the position requirements and factors in your resume.

• Mastery of a professional knowledge of the theories, concepts, principles, and practices of auditing sufficient to conduct difficult assignments involving interfaces and inter-relationships between and among programs, functions, policies, and various issues.
• In-depth data analytics knowledge and ability to develop and apply unique or extensive probing, data mining, and analysis techniques and methods, including automation of data processes.
• Skill in addressing problems that involve a number of organizational entities and complex data; developing creative recommendations to controversial problems; and conducting examinations that require an integrated analysis of intricate and complex agency activities and data. Mature judgment to develop thoughtful and constructive responses which lead to positive program plans and actions by the employee.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

Failure to demonstrate that you meet all the evaluation factor requirements as listed below will result in a score of zero (0), an ineligible status, and you will not be referred for further consideration.

How you will be evaluated

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

NOTE: This announcement may be used to establish a pool of qualified candidates for future hiring needs. Applicants may be considered for positions in other directorates within the Office of Audit.

You will be assessed on how well you meet the qualifications and competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics) on this announcement.

The Human Resources Office will review your resume and supporting application documentation to ensure that you meet the eligibility required for this position. You will no longer be considered for this position if you:

• Fail to attach all required documentation;
• Submit a resume that exceeds the two-page limit;
• Submit application materials that indicate that you are not minimally qualified for this position;
• Receive a zero (0) rating on any Evaluation Factor; or
• Fail to qualify during the interview.

Only the top-rated candidates will be referred to a review official or the selecting official for further consideration. Top-rated applicants may be required to participate in an interview. Your rating may be further adjusted or rated as ineligible by the review official or the selecting official based on your interview performance. Once all applicant scores are finalized, the selecting official will make a final decision.

Applicants for this position may be interviewed one or more times as part of the hiring process. During interviews, applicants may not use any AI tool or virtual assistant (such as ChatGPT) to help them answer questions, except for accessibility tools used as part of a reasonable accommodation. Applicants who fail to follow these rules will be disqualified from the hiring process.