Summary
The Western District of Arkansas is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Financial Analyst. This position is a shared position with the U.S. District Court and U.S. Probation Office and reports directly to the Financial Administrator. The Financial Analyst assists in performing and coordinating administrative, technical, and professional work related to financial and accounting activities of the court, including compliance with appropriate guidelines, policies, and internal controls.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
Open until filled; preference given to applications received by Friday, October 18, 2024.
Duties
- Assist in establishing, maintaining, and analyzing accounting records, consisting of a cash receipt's journal, deposit funds, as well as subsidiary ledgers for criminal case records to properly account for case receipts and disbursements.
- Assist in the preparation, update, examination, and analysis of a variety of regular and non-standard reports as requested by court units, Administrative Office, U.S. Treasury, financial institutions, or other organizations and agencies.
- Process victim restitution payments, including processing incoming checks, compiling necessary information, creating payments, maintaining ledger of restitution payments, and processing returned checks.
- Responsible for answering phone calls and emails within the finance office. Respond to inquiries related to cases. Provide customer service to victims and their representatives. Direct callers to the appropriate individual within the office or the court.
- Reconcile case balances with U.S. Attorney's Office and U.S. Probation Office.
- Review case ledgers for monies eligible for transfer to unclaimed fund accounts and make transfers as necessary.
- Assist the Financial Manager in the daily creation of criminal cases, upload criminal Pay.gov receipts, process Prisoner Litigation Reform Act (PLRA) batch reports, as well as research victim and defendant addresses to be updated.
- Assist in monthly reconciliation process and report preparation.
- Run daily, monthly, and annual reports and reconciliations. Reviews, reconciles, and processes Department of Corrections payments, Bureau of Prisons payments, and Treasury Offset payments monthly.
- Procure supplies and equipment from government and non-government sources through new contracts, competitive bids, or existing government contracts.
- Evaluate and monitor contract performance to ensure compliance with contracted obligations; assist with clarifying contract requirements and resolving any conflicts.
- Review invoices from suppliers and prepare payment vouchers for approval.
- Review and process travel vouchers. Check figures, postings, and documents for correct entry, mathematical accuracy, and proper codes. Communicate with individuals in court units to respond to questions, problems, or insufficiencies with voucher submissions and the status of payment of vouchers.
- Assist with oversight of financial operations to ensure compliance with internal controls, policies, and procedures.
- Assist with internal control annual self-assessments and cyclical audits, including audit or document requests and submissions.
- Prepare spreadsheets and maintain databases to track expenditures.
- Answer policy and procedure questions for judges and court staff. Provide customer service and resolve difficulties while complying with regulations, rules, and procedures.
- Special projects and other duties as assigned.
- Some travel is required.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or be eligible to work in the United States. The applicant selected will be subject to an FBI fingerprint check and background investigation and will be subject to periodic updates. An individual may be hired provisionally pending successful completion of the necessary records checks. The position is subject to mandatory electronic fund transfer (direct deposit) for salary payment (bi-weekly). Employees of the United States District Court are appointed in the excepted service, are considered "at-will" employees, and serve at the pleasure of the Court. Employees are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees, which can be found at https://www.uscourts.gov/.
Qualifications
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- High school graduate or equivalent. A bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or related field is preferred.
- Two years of specialized experience in the financial or business field that provided a knowledge of the rules, regulations, practices, and principles of financial administration and/or accounting, and involved the routine use of automated financial and accounting systems or other computer-based systems and applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, or databases.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, both oral and written.
- Possess the ability to initiate, manage, prioritize, and follow through on multiple high impact projects and priorities within strict deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
- Self-starter with demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills and ability to exercise sound judgment.
- Must possess outstanding attention to detail and accuracy.
- Be innovative and creative and contribute to a positive work environment.
- Candidates must be highly organized, possess tact, good judgement, a strong work ethic, and always maintain a professional appearance and demeanor.
- This position requires exceptional ability to communicate, articulate, and relate to coworkers and others with professionalism and integrity.
- Demonstrated proficiency in problem solving, troubleshooting, and identifying alternative solutions.
- Demonstrated ability to make timely and effective decisions.
- The successful candidate must be a team player and exhibit the highest standards of excellence and integrity, and display always and to all persons, a courteous, professional, and cooperative attitude.
- Proficiency using Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, and Adobe Acrobat.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- A bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or related field is preferred.
- Knowledge of government policies, practices, and terminology related to administration of financial reporting, procurement processes, and financial transactions.
- Previous experience in a court or legal environment.
- Previous government financial and/or procurement experience.
- Extensive knowledge of financial systems and how to use automated systems to perform day-to-day activities.
Education
Please read the "Qualifications" section.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Please read the "Next steps" section for more information.
Required Documents
Please read the "How to Apply" section.
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
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
Qualified applicants should submit a complete packet consisting of:
- Letter of interest that clearly outlines how your skills, education, and experience as it relates to the job duties.
- Current and detailed resume.
- Names and contact information of three professional references.
- Completed Application for Judicial Branch Federal Employment (Form AO-78). This form may be downloaded from the U.S. Courts website: https://www.uscourts.gov/forms/human-resources-forms/application-judicial-branch-federal-employment.
Only qualified applicants will be considered for this position. Applicants selected for interviews must travel at their own expense. References will be contacted for finalists only after permission is obtained from candidates. Email your complete packet to: jobs@arwd.uscourts.gov (single PDF document preferred). Please reference the vacancy announcement number and title in the subject of the email. Incomplete packets will not be considered.
Next steps
The court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement or withdraw the announcement, which may occur without prior written or other notice. If a subsequent vacancy of the same position becomes available within a reasonable timeframe of the original announcement, the Clerk of Court may elect to select a candidate from the original qualified applicant pool.
The United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and values diversity in the workplace.
https://www.arwd.uscourts.gov/.
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