Basic Requirements: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Individual Occupational Requirements (IORs) for the Accounting, 0510 series are as follows:
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
2.
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.
For GS-12: One (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-11 grade level or equivalent performing duties such as:
- Review regulations and guidelines to ensure that transactions are accurately recorded;
- Provides support for audit related inquires;
- Assist in the coordination of computer software and programming support in applying accounting principles and policies; and
- Provides documentation to management in support of changes to system operations.
For GS-13: One (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-12 grade level or equivalent performing duties such as:
- Manages, responds to and provides support for audit related inquiries to the supported system;
- Provides program management support for system enhancements and regulatory support;
- Leads the evaluation and maintenance of accounting finance reporting systems to meet all applicable federal government requirements and needs of the organization;
- Coordinates with computer specialists in the application of accounting principles and policies to revise existing systems and tools; and
- Analyzes financial information for the purpose of recommending efficient use of resources to provide strategic recommendations and maintain solutions to business and financial problems.
Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Qualification claims will be subject to verification.
National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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.
Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.
The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR 315.707.
Veterans,
Peace Corps,
VISTA volunteers, and
persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.
