Financial Management Specialist (Open to both U.S. Citizens and Federal Employees) Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. FRA.CFO-2025-0002 Department Federal Railroad Administration
Salary $68,405.00 to $88,926.00 Grade 09 to 09
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 12/9/2024 Close Date 12/23/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

This position is located within FRA's Office of the Chief Financial Officer (RCFO) in Washington, D.C. The RCFO mission is to coordinate FRA's budget, financial, and accounting activities. As experience and knowledge in the position are gained and competency is demonstrated, the candidate is relied upon to make more independent judgments and decisions related to variety of activities associated with FRA's complete IAA processes contingent upon career ladder progression to the GS-11 grade.



Duties

The Financial Management Specialist:

  • Provides help desk support to assist with G-Invoicing and Delphi-GINV application system users with questions on system functionality and problems and is expected to utilize knowledge of inter-governmental business and federal financial systems (G-Invoicing and Delphi) to perform a variety of activities associated with FRA's complete IAA processes. 
  • Works with the designated accountant to generate, review, and analyze the IAA’s reports/reconciliations to ensure obligation, disbursement, and advance payment transactions are complete, accurate and comply with financial regulations.
  • Analyzes findings and makes recommendations to improve the accuracy and efficiency of accounting operations.
  • Works with designated accountant on providing guidance on how to create a requisition in Delphi with the customer, how to create an order in Delphi with the customer, and to monitor G-Invoicing groups, roles, and responsibilities in compliance with the Treasury and DOT requirements.
  • Provides guidance on how to create a GT&C in G-Invoicing, the Line of Accounting (LOA) elements, and how to review performance and fund settlement.

The ideal candidate: The ideal candidate for this position is a lower-level professional that possesses a high degree of energy, passion for the job, and is willing to do what is necessary to achieve organization goals and skill in providing help desk support to the G-Invoicing and Delphi (Oracle)-GINV application systems users in collaboration with accountants, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)/Enterprise Services Center (ESC), and the Department of Transportation (DOT) with knowledge of the Intra/Interagency agreement (IAA) and the ability to construe and apply laws, decisions, and regulations to the IAA problems.

PLEASE NOTE: This announcement establishes an open continuous (60 days) vacancy announcement.   Given our continuing need for top professionals in this field, we will review applications after the first 14 days of the vacancy opening for early consideration. Then after, applications will be reviewed on an as needed basis. 

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S.Citizen and eligible for consideration.
  • Required documents must be submitted by the closing date.
  • Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

  • SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
  • POSITION SENSITIVITY AND RISK: Varies by position and will be based on the position to which appointed.
  • SECURITY CLEARANCE: Varies by position.  If applicable, you must be able to obtain and maintain the appropriate security clearance of the position to which appointed.
  • BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: You may be required to complete a background/security investigation and meet preliminary requirements prior to onboarding.
  • DRUG TESTING: Varies by position. Individuals tentatively selected for drug testing designated positions will be required to complete testing prior to appointment or placement.
  • GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: Travel will vary by position. If the position requires travel, a government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
  • FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE: Varies by position.  If applicable,  the applicant selected is required to submit a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days of appointment and annually thereafter.
  • PROBATIONARY PERIOD: Varies by position and is determined by the hiring agency.  If selected, a one-year or two-year probationary period may be required.
  • SUPERVISORY PROBATIONARY PERIOD: This announcement may be used to fill Supervisor or Manager positions. Management Level and grade will be determined by the appointing agency.
    If selected, you must complete a one-year supervisory probationary period (unless already completed). 
  • FOR DIRECT HIRE CANDIDATES: You must complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
  • FOR GOVERNMENT CANDIDATES:  Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade in the competitive or excepted service in the executive branch to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions contained in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.

Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must (1) meet the Education Requirement for the series, (2) provide a copy of transcripts for verification, AND (3) meet either the education or experience qualifications for the grade at which you are requesting consideration.

To qualify for the GS-09 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-07 it must include:

  • Experience in inter-governmental business and federal financial systems (G-Invoicing and Oracle) to provide support and training to the program and administrative offices in the use of the G-Invoicing and Delphi-GINV application used for Intra/Inter-Agency Agreements (IAAs). 
  • Experience examining the reports and reconciliating to ensure commitment, obligation, disbursement, and advance payment transactions are complete, accurate and comply with financial regulations. 
  • Experience reviewing the Undelivered Orders (UDOs) report to work in conjunction with the program office to close out of IAAs after the Period of Performance (POP) has ended and before the funds are cancelled.

To qualify for the GS-09 on Education alone, you must have 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or have been awarded a master's or equivalent graduate degree. You can also qualify based on a combination of graduate education and experience. This must be fully supported by your resume and transcripts, provided with your application.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:

  1. Problem Solving: Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations. 
  2. Technical Competence - Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on-the-job experience to perform one's job; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues.
  3. Oral Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.

For all types of consideration, 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

For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/frequently-asked-questions/employment-faq/federal-hiring/how-do-i-apply-for-federal-jobs/

Students enrolled in a qualifying degree program can apply if the anticipated graduation date is within six months of closing date of the announcement. Graduation transcript must be received before start date.

Other applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Additional information

ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

REMOTE WORK: This position may be eligible for Remote Work.  Remote work is an arrangement in which an employee works at an alternative worksite (e.g., from home) and is not expected to report to the office to work. Remote work location will be determined upon/after selection and may affect locality pay. If selected as a remote work position, must have access to high speed internet and cell phone service meeting current Agency standards from the approved work location within the Contiguous United State and sign a remote work agreement.  The difference in salary is determined by the locality pay in each location. Salaries for all areas are available on the OPM website at:  https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2022/general-schedule/

TELEWORK ELIGIBILITY:  Telework availability will be based upon the mission requirements and supervisory determination.  If approved for occasional telework, you will be required to report to the office on a regular basis. The number of telework days approved is determined by the agency policy, emergency situations, the approval of your immediate supervisor, and if applicable, approval of additional officials.

FOREIGN EDUCATION must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education program. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website.

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Transportation by email at, FairChanceAct@dot.gov. To learn more, please visit our page at: The Fair Chance to Compete Act | US Department of Transportation

This announcement may be used to fill additional Merit Promotion positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

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.

PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume/application does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s). Your resume must contain sufficiently detailed information upon which to make a qualification determination. Please ensure that your resume contains specific information such as position titles, beginning and ending dates of employment for each position, average number of hours worked per week, and if the position is/was in the Federal government, you should provide the position series and grade level. 

DIRECT HIRE: All applications will be reviewed to determine if they meet the basic qualifications for this position, specifically the educational and specialized experience requirements. Applicants will not be rated or ranked.  Veteran's Preference does NOT apply. All applications that are verified to meet the basic qualifications will be referred to the selecting official. Applications received under direct hire public notice may or may not result in a referral or selection. Management has the prerogative to select at any grade level.

GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES: If you meet the qualification requirements, your application will be placed in one of two categories: Qualified and Well Qualified which is based upon your responses to the vacancy questions. Within these categories, the top rated applications will be reviewed for the quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the position. If referred, all relevant documents including performance appraisals and awards submitted with your application package will be forwarded to the hiring official for review. Eligible Federal employees also seeking consideration for noncompetitive reassignment for this position, must indicate interest in the assessment. Noncompetitive federal candidates must have competitive status on a SF-50, meet minimum qualifications, have served at the same grade or higher, and held or exceeded the promotion potential of this position.

Applicants who apply for Merit Promotion (Federal Government) consideration will also receive consideration under Direct Hire.

ALL APPLICANTS:

Your application will be rated on the extent and quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the position. The answers you select in the on-line process must be substantiated in your application package.  If upon review, it is determined that your described work history, competencies, and/or supporting documents do not support your answer choices, your application may be updated on your behalf or you may not be referred to the selecting official. The Automated Staffing Office is ultimately responsible for determining your final rating.


You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Required Documents

RESUME - All applicants must provide a resume created within USA Jobs Resume Builder, that shows relevant experience, education and support the required specialized experience. Formatted resumes can by uploaded later in the application process.

WRITING SAMPLE: Varies by position and supervisory determination.  You may be asked to provide a writing sample. 

PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS/INCENTIVE AWARDS: If applicable, performance appraisals and/or Incentive award documentation may be submitted and forwarded to the selecting official in consideration of your application. To receive credit, submit a recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable (do not submit a performance plan) and/or incentive award documentation dated within the last 18 months (i.e. performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increases, etc.).

FEDERAL APPLICANTS: You must submit SF-50(s) that verify your highest competitive grade, full performance level, and eligibility as a federal applicant.  DO NOT submit an award SF-50 as these often do not verify grade or eligibility. For consideration for a promotion, Box 4 of the SF-50 must show a date that is at least 52 weeks prior to the job announcement closing. We recommend submitting your last promotion SF-50 or within-grade increase SF-50.  Pay adjustment raise SF-50s for the current year will not support the 52 weeks’ time-in-grade requirements. https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/service/SF-50/

NON COMPETITIVE APPLICANTS: If requesting concurrent consideration for Non-competitive (NC) appointment eligibility, you must provide the appropriate SPECIAL APPOINTING AUTHORITY DOCUMENTS, such as PCS orders (military spouse) describing move & marriage certificate; letter from VA or DD214 describing 100% disability of spouse; letter from State Vocational Office certifying disability (schedule A), etc. For more information, visit military spouse NC appointments or Persons with Disabilities NC appointments.

DISPLACED EMPLOYEES: If requesting consideration under the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency CTAP program (ICTAP), you must meet the well qualified standards for this vacancy (meeting minimum requirements for position and scoring at least an 80) and provide all of the following documents:  

  • your most recent performance appraisal,
  • the proof of eligibility letter from the Agency, and
  • your most current SF-50, displaying current series and grade.

Displaced employees may be eligible for ICTAP or CTAP priority consideration. For more information, please review the OPM Employee's Guide to Career Transition.

Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing date of the vacancy will result in your removal from consideration for this position. Please review your application prior to final submission and ensure you have submitted all appropriate documents. Uploading documents to USA Jobs does NOT ensure inclusion with your application to our system.  You must verify that the documents are in the system with your application prior to final submission.

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

You must submit a complete application package (including resume, vacancy questions and supporting documents) no later than 11:59 (EST) on the closing date of the announcement.

  • To begin, click the "Apply Online" button on the job announcement posting.
  • Follow the directions to register, submit all required documents and complete the assessment questionnaire.
  • You may review your saved application(s) at https://my.usajobs.gov.

If you are having difficulty applying online, please contact the DOT Automated Staffing Office via email at:  Transjobs@dot.gov

Agency contact information

DOT Automated Staffing
Address
DOT, FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION
Submit Application and Documents Online
1200 New Jersey Ave SE
Washington, District of Columbia 20590
United States
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

You may check your application status by logging into USAJobs.com. (Select "My USAJOBS" and click "Applications"). Within two weeks of the closing date, a Human Resources Specialist will evaluate your application. Ratings will be determined based on the documents and information received by the closing date. Qualified candidates will be assigned a category, not including points that may be assigned for veterans' preference. If the vacancy is advertised under status, your application will be scored on a scale between 70 - 100.  The most highly qualified candidates are then referred to the hiring manager for further consideration. If the vacancy was advertised under category rating, then the appropriate veteran's preference will be applied.  If you are selected for an interview, the hiring agency will contact you directly. Once the position is filled, we will notify all applicants of their final status.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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