Financial Specialist Job in Lakewood, CO

Vacancy No. IBC-25-DE-12642087AB Department Office of the Secretary of the Interior
Salary $54,505.00 to $86,670.00 Grade 7 to 9
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 12/17/2024 Close Date 12/23/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Lakewood, CO


Summary

This position is part of the Interior Business Center (IBC), Financial Management Directorate (FMD), IBC FMD Accounting Operations Division. The incumbent will be responsible for assisting higher graded financial analysts, accountants and other bureau financial management employees in providing accounting and financial management services to the bureau.

Duties

  • Examines and enters multiple types of transactions into various financial systems along with training other team members and client personnel on the operation of the financial system.
  • Records domestic and foreign payment entries as a Data Entry Operator (DEO) into multiple systems which include the Secured Payment System (SPS) and International Treasury System (ITS).
  • Gathers financial and program data to evaluate and present alternatives for recommended solutions.
  • Determines the propriety and legality of accounting transactions and their effect on the General Ledger.
  • Processes adjustments to correct or update reports and/or preparing straightforward reports and statements that contain timely, accurate, and essential financial management information.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. 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

At the GS-07 level, you must meet one of the following qualifications:
A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 level. Specialized experience is that which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience for this position includes experience entering, modifying, and retrieving information from a financial system; utilizing and applying financial or accounting rules or regulations to input, research, verify data and resolve errors; and interpreting and applying budget or other financial regulations, laws, and/or requirements to ensure compliance.
OR
B. One full year of graduate level education. (Note: Applicants who select this response must provide transcripts as verification of their education);
OR
C. A combination of specialized experience and education as defined above which equals 100%. For example, I have 6 months of specialized experience and 6 months of graduate level education. (Note: Applicants who select this response must provide transcripts as verification of their education);
OR
D. A bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement. (Superior Academic Achievement (SAA): If you are claiming SAA, you must submit documentation by the closing date of the announcement showing that you have successfully completed all requirements for a bachelor's degree AND meet one of the following requirements: 1. A grade point average of "B" (a GPA of 2.95 or higher out of a possible 4.0) for all completed undergraduate courses, or those completed in the last two years of undergraduate study. 2. A grade-point average of "B+" (a GPA of 3.45 or higher out of a possible 4.0) for all courses in your major field of study, or those courses in your major completed in the last two years of undergraduate study. 3. Rank in the upper one-third of your class in the college, university, or major subdivision. 4. Membership in a national honor society (other than freshman honor societies) recognized by the association of College Honor Societies. Note: If more than 10 percent of your courses were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim must be based on class standing or membership in an honorary society.)

At the GS-09 level, you must meet one of the following qualifications:
A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 level. Specialized experience is that which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience for this position includes experience entering, modifying, and retrieving information from large-scale accounting and/or financial systems such as Oracle and/or International Treasury System (ITS); utilizing and applying financial or accounting rules or regulations to input, research, verify data and resolve errors; interpreting and applying budget or other financial regulations, laws, and/or requirements to ensure compliance; experience processing foreign and/or domestic disbursements; providing technical expertise on complex regulations pertaining to vendor payments, travel, and/or collections; and providing training to team members on accounting or financial transactions in a financial system and/or writing user guides, training materials and accounting procedures.
OR
B. A master's or equivalent graduate degree; or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, if related in one of the following fields: finance and/or business administration; orLL.B. or J.D., if related (Note: Applicants who select this response must provide transcripts as verification of their education);
OR
C. A Combination of education and experience as listed above. (Note: Applicants who select this response must provide transcripts as verification of their education)

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. Note: PDF Portfolio documents will not be processed or accepted as they appear as a one-page document.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/

Additional information

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a RA for Online Assessments here.

Career Transition Assistance Programs: CTAP/ICTAP provides placement assistance to permanent Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated. To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, applicants must be well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), score at least 85 on the assessment questionnaire, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. Please refer to Required Documents section for additional details. For information on CTAP and ICTAP visit here.

Telework Suitability:
The duties of this position are suitable for occasional telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval and if they meet the eligibility criterion in the 2010 Telework Act.

Stipulations of Employment:
Selection may require completion of a 1-year probationary period.

Work Schedule:
This position allows for a flexible work schedule.

Miscellaneous:
This position is covered by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), Local 1114.

DOI uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify.

This vacancy announcement may be used to fill similar positions within 90 days.

If selection is made below the full performance level, promotion up to the full performance level may be made without further competition. However, promotion(s) will depend on the performance of the incumbent and are not guaranteed.

This position is being advertised concurrently with vacancy announcement #IBC-25-MP-12642086AB and IBC-25-PW-12642088AB using the Merit Promotion (MP) and Pathways Program procedures. If interested, refer to those announcements to determine if you meet the program requirements and MP requirements and can apply to those announcements. NOTE: You must apply separately to each announcement in order to be considered under the separate announcements.

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, Well-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 and competencies 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 (if applicable). 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
  • Arithmetic/Mathematical Reasoning
  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Legal, Government, & Jurisprudence
  • Oral Communication
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork
  • Teamwork
  • Technical Competency - Accounting Operations
  • Technical Competency - Automated Accounting & Business Related Systems
  • 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.

The assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

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
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. Note: A PDF Portfolio contains multiple files assembled into an integrated PDF unit. The files in a PDF Portfolio can be in a wide range of file types created in different applications. To ensure the document is not a PDF Portfolio document, open the document and if there are multiple different documents with a variety of extensions, it is a PDF Portfolio document and will not be processed.

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

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:
  1. To begin the application process, click Apply Online button.
  2. 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/12642087
  3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
  4. 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.
  5. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
  6. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
  7. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
  8. 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 your unique assessment link.
  9. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.

For more general information, system requirements, reasonable accommodation information, and to request assistance regarding the USA Hire Assessments, review the following resources: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=USA_Hire_Assessments

To update your application, including supporting documentation: 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 Edit Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To view the announcement status or your application status: Click on this: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.

Agency contact information

Amy Britt
Address
IBC FMD Accounting Operations Division
Interior Business Center
One Denver Federal Center, Building 48
Denver, CO 80225
US
Learn more about this agency

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.

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.


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


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