Summary
Contribute to the work of The Inter-American Foundation (IAF), a foreign assistance agency focusing on grassroots development in Latin America and the Caribbean. This position serves as the IAF Auditor and manager of the audit program, responsible for oversight of in-country contract auditors, and interpreting, monitoring, and reporting audit findings.
Duties at the GS-11 and GS-12 grade levels will be performed under closer supervision.
Duties
- Responsible for the integration of federal audit requirements with agency policies as they relate to the IAF's grant monitoring and oversight needs.
- Serves as the Contract Officer's Representative (COR), responsible for the oversight of the contracts of 12-15 audit firms that provide audit services to IAF throughout LAC. Ensures sufficient testing of a grantee's financial records, internal controls, and program activities, in accordance with the GAO "Yellow Book" and IAF's policy.
- Provides technical auditing advice and assistance concerning the conduct of the audit. Reviews audits reports prepared by contract auditors, addresses problems, and accepts or rejects audit reports. The Auditor disseminates reports internally and follows up with Foundation staff to ensure appropriate action is taken in a timely manner. Manages a system to identify, evaluate, and track findings identified in the compliance reports.
- Makes field visits to review the work of the contract auditors and to become knowledgeable of and acquainted with grantees, particularly if there are questions relating to compliance.
- Field work is normally conducted in Spanish, and much of the documentation in the day-to-day duties and responsibilities are in Spanish.
The ideal candidate for this position will hold one or more certifications, such as Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Contracting Officer (COR), etc. The incumbent is required to undertake continuing professional accreditation credits in order to maintain professional certification, per government standards.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- US Citizenship is required.
- Suitable for Federal employment, determined by background investigation.
- Direct Deposit of pay is required.
- Selective Service registration required for male applicants, unless exempt.
Qualifications
You must meet the Basic Qualification requirements to perform the duties of an Auditor, GS-0511-11/12/13. Applicants MUST have a degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience to meet the basic qualification requirements. You must submit transcripts to support that you possess a degree, if you do not meet the basic qualifications below you will be found ineligible for this position.
You must have a Degree in: accounting, auditing; or a degree including auditing courses 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.
OR
You must have 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: Twenty-four semester hours in accounting or auditing courses of appropriate type and quality. This can include up to 6 hours of business law; OR. 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.
In addition to the Basic Qualifications above you must meet the following:
For the GS-11 level:
You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-09) in the Federal Service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties the position. Specialized experience includes: apply auditing principles and procedures to conduct a basic audit or portions of a larger audit of financial records, reports, and/or internal controls and practices in accordance with directives and policies; examine program documents as well as previous audit reports to verify compliance with governing regulations; identify noncompliant or unusual practices; and draft reports explaining audit findings.
OR
You must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or a LL.M., if related (e.g., PhD. in Business, Management, or relating). (Note: Applicants who select this response must provide transcripts as verification of their education).
OR
You must have a combination of specialized experience as described in A and education as described in B, such that the total equals 100%. For example, I have 6 months of experience and half of the degree requirements for a Ph.D. (Note: Applicants who select this response must provide transcripts as verification of their education).
For the GS-12 level:
You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-11) in the Federal Service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties the position. Specialized experience is that which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience for this position includes: plan and conduct audits of accounting and financial systems; develop position papers or reports that interpret audit findings; draft or update audit or accounting policies and procedures for an organization; and utilize accounting and auditing theories to develop appropriate recommendations to resolve audit findings.
For the GS-13 level:
You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-12) in the Federal Service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties the position. Specialized experience is that which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience for this position includes: interpret and apply federal regulations, best practices and agency policies and procedures to manage an agency or organization's audit program; develop and oversee risk assessment processes; and develop plans, new methods or innovative solutions to resolve audit problems and address trends identified in audits.
This position contains a selective placement factor (SPF) that is part of the minimum requirement of the position. If you do not meet the SPF, you are ineligible for further consideration. The SPF for this position is Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing in English and Spanish; Portuguese and French (preferred). If you do not meet the Selective Placement Factor, you are ineligible for further consideration.
If selected for an interview, there may be a writing exercise, including Spanish language documents, and portions of the interview may be conducted in Spanish.
Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.
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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Education
If qualifying based on EDUCATION you MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.
Only education from institutions which are accredited or preaccredited/candidate for accreditation may be used to meet education requirements.
FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
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.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
For Category Rating: Once the application process is complete, qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position. The categories for this announcement are defined as: Best-Qualified and Qualified. Your resume and supporting documentation will then be used to determine if you are qualified for this job. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration. 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 eligible within each category. Preference eligibles who meet the minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent must be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-09 level or higher).
You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment(s) required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):
Note: Duplicative competencies indicate that the competency is being assessed in both the Assessment Questionnaire and USA Hire Competency Based Assessment.
- Accountability
- Analytical Thinking
- Arithmetic/Mathematical Reasoning
- Attention to Detail
- Decision Making
- Flexibility
- Integrity/Honesty
- Interpersonal Skills
- Learning
- Oral Communication
- Reasoning
- Self-Management
- Stress Tolerance
- Teamwork
- Technical Competency – Accounting
- Technical Competency – Auditing
- Written Communication
In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online USA Hire Competency Based Assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Your Resume listing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment mm/yy and duties performed. If multiple resumes are submitted, only the most current resume will be reviewed for qualifications.
2. Other supporting documents:
- College transcript(s), if qualifying based on education or if this position has a basic education requirement
- Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable (e.g. DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service, SF-15 Form and related documentation, VA letter, etc.)
- Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program Documentation: If you are applying under CTAP or ICTAP, you MUST submit proof of eligibility under 5 CFR 330.602(a) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible
- Cover Letter, optional but highly recommended
If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility. If applicable, you must also submit an SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" plus the proof required by that form. Failure to provide this documentation may result in a non preference determination. For more information on veterans' preference (see https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/veterans-employment-initiative/vet-guide/).
Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc.
Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.
It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted prior to the closing date of the announcement.
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.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section of this vacancy.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online assessment and submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section of this vacancy.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
- To begin the application process, click Apply Online button.
- Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. You may preview the Application Questionnaire at:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12563222
- Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
- Read the Eligibility questions carefully. The questions address if you are eligible to apply to this JOA. Your responses will affect your consideration for the position. You may qualify for more than one eligibility, so please choose carefully. You will only be considered under the options you have selected. If you respond that you do not meet any of the eligibility questions, you will not be considered for this position.
- After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessment through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you via email notification. The email may be routed to your "Spam" or "Junk" folder.
- If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessment. Click here for Computer System Requirements.
- Note, set aside at least 3 hours to take the assessment; however, most applicants complete the assessment in less time. If you need to stop the assessment and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found on the Additional Application Information page that can be located in the application record in your USAJOBS account.
This position is being advertised concurrently with vacancy announcement # IAF-23-MP-12563223CPO using Merit Promotion procedures. If interested, refer to that announcement to determine if you meet merit promotion requirements and can apply to that announcement. NOTE: You must apply separately to each announcement in order to be considered under both.
To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account ( https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Update Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login . All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an Additional Application Information page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application, including the invitation to take the USA Hire assessment. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/.
Next steps
If you have questions about this job, please contact the HR Office representative listed in the "Agency Contact Info" section of this vacancy announcement.
Online Assessment Helpdesk - If you have any questions about the assessments, please submit a help desk ticket here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/HelpTicket
For status updates on your application, please follow the directions listed above in the How to Apply section. Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. If you are selected for an interview for this position, you will be contacted directly. A final job offer for this position is typically made within several weeks after the closing date of the vacancy announcement. After confirming a job offer, all other applicants will be notified of their non-selection.
Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.
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