Summary The position is located in the Nothern Internal Controls Branch, Internal Compliance Division, Office of Compliance, Chief Financial Officer, Business Center, Rural Development. The incumbent applies extensive and detailed knowledge of accounting practices, principles, standards and systems of financial and budgetary reporting. This is Not a Remote position. Incumbent will be required to report to selected duty location. Responsibilities Performs internal and external audits and reviews of highly intricate technical accounting systems, business functions and accounting theories, principles, procedures, and practices. Serves as a project leader to evaluate accounting and operational processes. Evaluates and recommends enhancements to Rural Development accounting systems and provides technical guidance in developing solutions. Recommends and/or initiates new methods and procedures to ensure compliance with Federal regulatory requirements and standards. Serves as the liaison for all audit requests for Rural Development operations and accounting systems. Requirements Conditions of Employment 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: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. For the GS-11 level: Applicants must possess one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level; or its non-Federal equivalent that demonstrates: Experience in the accounting field of accounting theories, concepts, principles, and practices to conduct a variety of assignments related to accounting and financial transactions. Experience in review and analysis of accounting and auditing functions and the support of changes to loan and grant accounting systems to include the coordination, design, testing, and implementation. Experience in ensuring compliance with accepted accounting principles and standards in addition to the review of selected loan/grant activity to identify financial trends. Experience of financial management, fiscal, governmental, and public accounting theories, procedures, practices. Experience interpreting financial and accounting data and providing appropriate analysis. Experience in evaluating the full spectrum of accounting, financial management and/or internal controls. Experience in composing correspondence or communication on accounting problems, internal controls and/or the impact of new legislation, policies, procedures. For the GS-12 level: Applicants must possess one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level; or its non-Federal equivalent that demonstrates: Experience in the accounting field of accounting theories, concepts, principles, and practices to conduct a variety of assignments related to accounting and financial transactions. Experience in coordination, review and analysis of accounting and auditing functions and the support of changes to loan and grant accounting systems to include the coordination, design, development, testing, and implementation. Ensuring compliance with accepted accounting principles and standards. Experience in review of selected loan/grant activity to identify financial trends. Prepares reports identifying weakness and non-conformance with recommendations and/or alternative solutions to complex financial, accounting, managerial and regulatory issues. Experience of financial management, fiscal, governmental and public accounting theories, procedures, practices. Experience interpreting financial and accounting data and providing appropriate analysis. Experience in evaluating and recommending solutions on the full spectrum of accounting, financial management and/or internal controls. Experience in composing technical correspondence or communication on accounting problems, internal controls and/or the impact of new legislation, policies, procedures. NOTE: To be considered for this position, you must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the GS-0510 series set forth in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards by the closing date of the announcement. A copy is available at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards 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 In addition to the specialized experience, applicants must meet the Basic Requirements as outlined below. Applicants must provide documentation (such as a transcript, CPA certificate, etc.) to show they meet the Basic Requirements, either Alternative A or Alternative B for this position. Failure to provide documentation may result in loss of consideration for this position. Alternative A: 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 Alternative B: 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: Twenty-four semester hours in accounting or auditing courses of appropriate type and quality. This can include up to 6 hours of business law; A certificate as Certified Public Accountant or a Certified Internal Auditor, obtained through written examination; or 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. Additional Information Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP 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 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 must serve a 1-year probationary period. 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. To be eligible for appointment to this position, the new hire must be cleared to come on board once the results of the fingerprint check, review of the OF-306, Declaration for Federal Employment, the candidate's Electronic Questionnaires for Investigations Processing (eQIP) entries have been reviewed and determined to be satisfactory. This position requires a favorable credit check as part of the background investigation. If selected, you will be required to submit Form OGE-450 within 30 days of your initial appointment date annually thereafter. Selectee is subject to financial Disclosure Requirements in accordance with 5 CFR, Part 2635, Sub part E regarding business or personal transactions with applicants, borrowers, or business contacts who have or who are seeking business with this Agency. Selectee must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance. If selected you will be subject to a National Agency Check and Inquiry (NACI) and a credit report. If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc) should contact: USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD). This position may be eligible to telework up to four days per week, based upon the duties of the position. This position may also be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements.