Clarification from the agency

Priority Placement Program will be cleared. Area I: Current On-board Title 5 or Title 32 Dual Status Technicians (Tenure: 1-Career, 2-Conditional, 3-Indefinite or 4-Term ) - Only those current Vermont National Guard employees who are in permanent, indefinite, or term technician status as result of being competitively hired by the Vermont National Guard. Area II: All current Federal Employees from any agency. Area III: All current and former members of the VTNG. Area IV: United States citizens.

This position is located at Joint Force Headquarters (JFHQ-State), United States Property and Fiscal Office (USPFO), Comptroller Division, Pay and Exam Branch. This position provides professional wide spectrum pay operations (Military Pay, Civilian Pay, Accounts Payable and Travel pay) support to Soldiers of their assigned State. This position serves as the subject matter expert for day-to-day processing across the various systems utilized within the section and to serve as liaison with adjacent departments as needed. Professional pay services include the examination, analysis, presentation, and interpretation of pay entitlements to Soldiers, Civilians, and Vendors. This position requires continuing independent review of effected pay accounts, and work reconciliations, corrections, and resolution of the most diverse, complex pay conditions of accounts.

MAJOR DUTIES:
1. The incumbent is responsible to have extensive knowledge of all pay operations that are handled by the Pay and Exam branch. The incumbent must be able to work independently to conduct comprehensive examinations/reviews of pay accounts for Soldiers, Civilians and Vendors. Examines, analyzes, and interprets finance and accounting data, records, and/or reports to determine conformance to federal appropriation law. Evaluates facts presented to ensure validity, accuracy, and completeness of claims for customers. Request additional information and/or documentation, as required in order to make determinations on a payment's status to ensure timely and accurate payment. A thorough knowledge of the DJMS, DCPS, GFEBS, WAWF, DTS, and CAPS systems are required to examine, review, research, and correct payment transactions for pay accounts not covered by standard rules and regulations. Verifies that substantiating documents are in proper order for authorized entitlements, support payments, to include command approval. Reviews and processes special pay actions or problem cases generated by computer processing problems. Uses system generated data to identify information in the system causing problems. Reviews substantiating and supporting pay authorization documents for propriety, authentication, and accuracy for compliance with applicable regulations, policies, and precedents. Computes and corrects any pay irregularities or if action is to be returned to input source, provides specific guidance for corrective action. Maintains suspense on all actions returned and ensures all actions are processed within the specified time frame.

2. Resolves the most difficult pay problems including extensive research, review, and application of prior pay and tax laws, regulations, and entitlements. Applies GAO decisions, policies, and procedures. Determines eligibility of pay entitlements using current and superseded rules and regulations governing each type of pay. Computes payments using manual computations when required. Reviews pay accounts to settle the most problematic situations affecting entitlements and payments.

3. Apply pay and tax laws, regulations, directives, and policies to all cases. Based on the analysis of pay accounts prepare necessary documentation to pay or collect entitlements and adjust effected taxes. Examines records, original orders, and all substantiating documentation to determine whether pay entitlements and/or tax refunds exist and if credit and/or payment of pay and allowances are in accordance with prescribed administrative regulations and procedures. Responsible to assess travel settlements military permanent change of station (PCS) claims, to include possible dependent travel settlements, dislocation allowance entitlements, do-it-yourself moves (DITY) claims, and temporary duty travel (TOY) vouchers for wounded soldiers and their family members.

4. Must have the ability to effectively communicate with different levels within the State's command and with external agencies, to include Financial Services and National Guard Bureau.

5. Ensures work is processed in accordance with established guidelines, regulations, policies, and procedures. Reviews work within prescribed timeframes. Ensures workload is completed timely. Prepares and reviews various reports. Reviews for accuracy and timeliness on of all supported customers pay entitlements through appropriate DFAS Systems.

6. Responsible to assist in the training and development of the Financial Services Technicians assigned to the section. Required to have extensive knowledge coding in GFEBS, CAPS-W, MYUNITPAY, JSS, OMO, DTS, and DCPS. Entrusted to act as the backup TASO and certifier in systems directed by the Supervisory Financial Technician.

**Performs other duties as assigned**

Conditions of employment

• Males born after 31 December 1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Federal employment suitability as determined by a background investigation.
• Selectee will be required to wear the military uniform.
• Acceptance of an excepted service position constitutes concurrence with these requirements as a condition of employment
• Participation in direct deposit is mandatory.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain the appropriate security clearance of the position.
• This position is covered by the Domestic Violence Misdemeanor Amendment (30 Sep 96) of the Gun Control Act (Lautenberg Amendment) of 1968. An individual convicted of a qualifying crime of domestic violence may not perform the duties of this position.
• May occasionally be required to work other than normal duty hours; overtime may be required.
• This is a Financial Management Level 2 Certified position IAW the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) 2012, Public Law 112-81, Subtitle F-Financial Management, Section 1599d. Incumbent shall comply with the requirements of this certification.
• May be required to travel by car, in military and/or commercial aircraft, and by other means of transportation as appropriate to perform temporary duty assignments.
• For positions requiring the operation of motor vehicles, candidates must have a valid state driver’s license for the state in which they live or are principally employed.

Qualifications

OPEN AREAS OF CONSIDERATION: AREA 1, 2,3, 4
Area I: Current On-board Title 5 or Title 32 Dual Status Technicians (Tenure: 1-Career, 2-Conditional, 3-Indefinite or 4-Term ) - Only those current Vermont National Guard employees who are in permanent, indefinite, or term technician status as result of being competitively hired by the Vermont National Guard.
Area II: All current Federal Employees from any agency.
Area III: All current and former members of the VTNG.
Area IV: United States citizens.
* Veterans' Preference Rules are mandated by law and some applicants may receive priority consideration before other applicants without veterans' preference.

GENERAL EXPERIENCE:
Experience that demonstrates the ability to:

1. Analyze problems to identify significant factors, gather pertinent data, and recognize solutions;
2. Plan and organize work; and
3. Communicate effectively orally and in writing.

As well as the applicant's knowledge, skills, and abilities:

-Skill in collecting and analyzing data effectively, efficiently, and accurately;
-Skill in applying procedures and directives by reading and interpreting program material;
-Skill in presenting formal training presentations and briefings;
-Ability to prepare reports and presentation formats.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE:
1 Year Specialized Experience equivalent to the next lower grade. Experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. All personnel must be certified at the next higher level before being eligible for that level. Experiences gained through military technical training schools are included in the one-year on-the-job experience. Must have fundamental working experiences with a validated understanding of the basic principles and concepts of the occupational series and grade. The applicant's educational degree study program or military or civilian academic courses may substitute for some specialized experience.

Length of time is not of itself qualifying. Candidates' experience should be evaluated on the basis of duties performed rather than strictly on the rank of the individual; however, established compatibility criteria/assignments must be followed for Dual Status Technician positions. The applicant's record of experience, training, and education must show possession of the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to fully perform the duties of the position to be filled.

PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

VOLUNTEER WORK EXPERIENCE: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience

OTHER CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT & NOTES:
-This position is subject to the Lautenberg amendment to the gun control act of 1968 which makes it a felony for anyone who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence to ship, transport, possess, or receive firearms or ammunition. Civilian personnel of the Department of the Defense are not exempt from this provision. This position is covered by the Domestic Violence Misdemeanor Amendment (30 Sep 96) of the Gun Control Act (Lautenberg Amendment) of 1968. An individual convicted of a qualifying crime of domestic violence may not perform the duties of this position.

-Ability to establish effective professional working relationships with coworkers and customers, contributing to a cooperative working environment and successful accomplishment of the mission.

-Irregular and/or overtime compensatory hours may be required to support operational requirements or contingencies or may be required to work hours outside of the normal duty day.

-May be required to travel by car, in military and/or commercial aircraft, and by other means of transportation as appropriate to perform temporary duty assignments

-Must be able to obtain and maintain a secret security clearance.

-This position is designated as Essential Personnel and may be subject to duty in preparation for, or in response to, a state emergency or disaster declaration. Head of Agency requests to exceed 14 days in a calendar year must be approved in advance by the National Guard, Director of Manpower and Personnel NGB-J1.

Please be advised:

1. Specialized experience will be used to determine qualifications for the announced position.
2. An applicant's RESUME must provide, in detail, how they meet the specialized experience listed.
3. It must be documented with "from (mm/yy)" and "to (mm/yy)" dates and description of the specialized experience.
4. If education or a degree is required as part of the "Specialized Experience", you must include transcripts.

DO NOT copy the specialized experience qualifications word for word and place into your resume; you must describe your personal experience as it pertains to each statement.

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 minimally qualified, your resume 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 practices, methods, and techniques of finance and accounting processes. Skill in planning and developing the analysis, reviews, and examinations of pay accounts, interpreting findings, and developing or modifying methods and techniques to resolve a variety of identified problems/issues.

-skill in utilizing computer assisted techniques, statistical sampling, interviews of required personnel, and/or other methods of obtaining required data.

-knowledge of military pay and allowances, civilian pay and allowances, vendor payments, and travel entitlements. A detailed grasp of governing regulations and a thorough understanding of pertinent laws, regulations, and other technical criteria in order to determine propriety of entitlements and pay. Detailed knowledge of related financial regulations and rulings covering diverse types of pay transactions to typically function as a technical authority for the resolution of an extensive range of issues or problems.

-knowledge of the Defense Joint Military Pay Systems (DJMS) both active and reserve, Defense Travel System (DTS), MYUNITPAY, Defense Civilian Pay System (DCPS), General Fund Enterprise Business System (GFEBS), Defense MilPay Office (OMO). Knowledge of a variety of pay functional areas and their relationships to other functions to research or investigate problems or errors that require reconciling and reconstructing incomplete information and conducting extensive and exhaustive searches for required information.

-knowledge of automated financial systems to participate in a variety of required operations audits and analytical reviews related to pay entitlement determinations. Specific knowledge of Microsoft
(MS) Office suites of Access and Excel.

Knowledge of extensive and diverse pay regulations, operations, and procedures governing a wide variety of related transactions to resolve nonstandard transactions, complaints, and discrepancies as well as provide advice or perform other work that requires authoritative procedural knowledge.

Must possess high level of communication skills, show ability to convey thoughts and ideas both orally and in writing, and present a positive, professional image of Pay and Exam Branch Operations. Must be able to deal with sensitive issues involving Soldiers, Civilians and Vendors. Must possess level of analytical skills to determine root cause of problems and recommend solutions to said problems.

You will be rated on the following core competencies:
1. Accountability
2. Teamwork
3. Oral Communication
4. Customer Service
5. Integrity/Honesty