Accountant

In order to qualify for the GS-09 , you must meet the following: You must demonstrate in your resume at least one year (52 weeks) of qualifying specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal government, obtained in either the private or public sector, to include: (1) applying knowledge of accounting principles, practices, methods and techniques to formulate a variety of financial reports; (2) assisting with the monitoring expenditures or grant estimates for a healthcare organization with complex accounting systems; AND (3) assisting with conducting financial reviews or audits or recommend ways to correct deficiencies.

– OR –

Substitution of Education for Experience: You may substitute education for specialized experience at the GS-09 level by possessing a Master’s or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related to the position being filled.

– OR –

Combination of Experience and Education: Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the GS-07 grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grades GS-09. Therefore, only education in excess of 1 full year of graduate level education may be used to combine education and experience.

TRANSCRIPTS are required to verify satisfactory completion of the educational requirement related to substitution of education for experience and combination of experience and education. Please see "Required Documents" section below for what documentation is required at the time of application.

In order to qualify for the GS-11, you must meet the following: You must demonstrate in your resume at least one year (52 weeks) of qualifying specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal government, obtained in either the private or public sector), to include:(1) applying knowledge of accounting principles, practices, methods and techniques to formulate a variety of financial reports; (2) monitoring expenditures or grant estimates for a healthcare organization with complex accounting systems; AND (3) conducting financial reviews or audits or recommend ways to correct deficiencies.

– OR –

Substitution of Education for Experience: You may substitute education for specialized experience at the GS-11 level by possessing 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or LL.M., if related to the position being filled.

– OR –

Combination of Experience and Education: Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the GS-09 grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grades GS-11. Therefore, only education in excess of a master’s or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, may be used to combine education and experience.

TRANSCRIPTS are required to verify satisfactory completion of the educational requirement related to substitution of education for experience and combination of experience and education. Please see "Required Documents" section below for what documentation is required at the time of application.

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.

Education Requirement: In addition to meeting the qualification requirements, all candidates must have the following educational requirements:

A Bachelor’s degree in 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

A 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.

TRANSCRIPTS are required to verify satisfactory completion of the educational requirement listed above. Please see "Required Documents" section below for what documentation is required at the time of application.

Bargaining Unit Position: Yes 2268

Tour of Duty: Flexible

Recruitment Incentive: Not Authorized

Financial Disclosure: Not Required

Salary Range:

Denver: $55,027 – $86,553

Kansas City: $50,918 – $80,089

Philadelphia: $54,641 – $85,946

San Francisco: $61,084 – $96,080

CMS employees currently participating in 100% Full-Time Telework Program may be eligible to remain in the program. If an employee in this program is selected, the pay will be set in accordance with the locality pay for the applicable duty station. The listed salary range reflects the locality pay assigned to the duty location(s) listed in the vacancy announcement. For more information about pay based on locality, please visit the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Salaries & Wages Page .

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced federal employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit the required documentation and be rated well-qualified for this vacancy. Click here for a detailed description of the required supporting documents . A well-qualified applicant is one whose knowledge, skills and abilities clearly exceed the minimum qualification requirements of the position. Additional information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM’s Career Transition Resources website at www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp .

Additional Forms REQUIRED Prior to Appointment:

• Optional Form 306, Declaration of Federal Employment and the Background/Suitability Investigation – A background and suitability investigation will be required for all selectees. Appointment will be subject to the successful completion of the investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements may be grounds for appropriate personnel action. In addition, if hired, a reinvestigation or supplemental investigation may be required at a later time. If selected, the Optional Form 306 will be required prior to final job offer. Click here to obtain a copy of the Optional Form 306 .
• Form I-9, Employment Verification and the Electronic Eligibility Verification Program – CMS participates in the Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify). E-Verify helps employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers. If selected, the Form I-9 will be required at the time of in-processing. Click here for more information about E-Verify and to obtain a copy of the Form I-9 .
• Standard Form 61, Appointment Affidavits – If selected, the Standard Form 61 will be required at the time of in-processing. Click here to obtain a copy of the Standard Form 61 .

Additional selections may be made from this announcement for similar positions within CMS in the same geographical location. For Central Office vacancies, the "same geographical location" includes Baltimore, Maryland; Bethesda, Maryland; and Washington, D.C.

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

If you meet the minimum qualifications and education requirements for this position, your application and responses to the online occupational questionnaire will be evaluated under Category Rating and Selection procedures for placement in one of the following categories:

• Best Qualified – for those who are superior in the evaluation criteria
• Well Qualified – for those who excel in the evaluation criteria
• Qualified – for those who only meet the minimum qualification requirements

The Category Rating Process does not add veterans’ preference points or apply the "rule of three" but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans’ preference eligibles who meet the minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent will be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of professional or scientific positions at the GS-09 level or higher).

Once the announcement has closed, your online application, resume, and CMS required documents will be used to determine if you meet eligibility and qualification requirements listed on this announcement. If you are found to be among the top qualified candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

• Accounting
• Analysis
• Oral Communication
• Written Communication

This is a competitive vacancy announcement advertised under Delegated Examining Authority. Selections made under this vacancy announcement will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Current civil service employees would therefore be given new appointments to the civil service; however, benefits, time served and all other Federal entitlements would remain the same.

Background checks and security clearance

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time, or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.