Rate and Cost Analyst Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. PRC 04-25 Department Postal Regulatory Commission
Salary $75,329.00 to $128,956.00 Grade 2 to 3
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 11/7/2024 Close Date 11/24/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

The Postal Regulatory Commission has an exciting employment opportunity for a highly motivated and curious person with empirical skills and interest in data visualization and process automation.

Duties

A Rate and Cost Analyst PRC-2 in the Office of Accountability and Compliance (OAC) will have the responsibility of analyzing complex economic and financial data and providing recommendations to division and office leadership within the Compliance Division of OAC.
A Rate and Cost Analyst PRC-2 is responsible for:

  • Analyzing data related to Postal Service costing, pricing, and rate design
  • Verifying the mathematical accuracy of pricing, costing, economic, marketing, and statistical statements submitted by the Postal Service
  • Assuring that price adjustments, contracts, and other proposals comply with applicable law or regulation
  • Assuring that discounts accurately reflect the costs saved by outsourcing work
  • Analyzing technical components of documents submitted to the Commission
  • Assisting in the replication and audit of quantitative analyses of financial data and providing recommendations to senior staff based on findings
  • Reviewing data for source accuracy and refining into useable format. Identifying and substantiating reporting disparities regarding changes, trends, or circumstances not readily evident from the data retrieved
  • Investigating and assessing arguments related to pricing and costing made by the Postal Service, mailers, and the general public
  • Preparing and reviewing written and oral reports based on analyses, including Commission orders, special studies, and/or information requests from Congress, USPS, or other stakeholders
  • Using coding languages, software, or other tools to identify opportunities to streamline or automate processes
  • Developing graphic representations of data and analysis
A Rate and Cost Analyst PRC-3 in the Office of Accountability and Compliance (OAC) will have the responsibility of analyzing complex economic and financial data and providing recommendations to division and office leadership within the Compliance Division of OAC. This level requires a higher degree of independent work than the same position at a PRC level 2.
A Rate and Cost Analyst PRC-3 is responsible for:
  • Analyzing data related to Postal Service costing, pricing, and rate design
  • Verifying the mathematical accuracy of pricing, costing, economic, marketing, and statistical statements submitted by the Postal Service
  • Assuring that price adjustments, contracts, and other proposals comply with applicable law or regulation
  • Assuring that discounts accurately reflect the costs saved by outsourcing work
  • Analyzing technical components of documents submitted to the Commission
  • Assisting in the replication and audit of quantitative analyses of financial data and provide recommendations to senior staff based on findings
  • Reviewing data for source accuracy and refining into useable format. Identifying and substantiating reporting disparities regarding changes, trends, or circumstances not readily evident from the data retrieved
  • Investigating and assessing arguments related to pricing and costing made by the Postal Service, mailers, and the general public
  • Preparing and reviewing written and oral reports based on analyses, including Commission orders, special studies, and/or information requests from Congress, USPS, or other stakeholders
  • Using coding languages, software, or other tools to identify opportunities to streamline or automate processes\
  • Developing graphic representations of data and analysis

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Citizenship Requirement: You must be a U.S. citizen or national to be eligible for this position.
  • Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Status: Exempt
  • e-Verify: All new hires must complete the I-9 form, this information will be processed through e-Verify to determine employment eligibility. If a discrepancy arises, you must take affirmative steps to resolve the matter.
  • Background Investigation Requirement: You must successfully pass a background investigation. Failing to pass the background check may be grounds for removal or legal action. If hired, you may be subject to additional investigations at a later time.
  • Direct Deposit: You will be required to have all federal salary payments electronically deposited into a bank account with a financial institution of your choice.
  • Selective Service Registration: All applicants born male, on (or after) 12/31/1959, must be registered with the Selective Service System OR have an approved exemption. Visit www.SSS.gov for more info.
  • This position may require you to submit a Public Financial Disclosure Report (OGE 278) upon entry and annually thereafter.
  • You will be required to serve a probationary period of 1 year.
  • Relocation expenses are not authorized.

Qualifications

To be eligible for consideration, candidates must have experience or education that has equipped them with the ability, skill and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position. Typically, experience is related to this line of work and at a level similar to this position. Applicants must meet the mandatory technical qualifications described below. Please describe experience relative to each mandatory and desired technical qualification.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): Applicants will be evaluated and ranked based on evidence of ability to successfully perform the duties of the position by assigning up to 10 points for each of the following criteria:

The following qualifications must be demonstrated in your resume:
  • Knowledge in quantitative fields, such as Statistics, Economics, and Finance
  • Investigative/research skills
  • Demonstrated experience or education in modeling or auditing and analyzing costs and prices using Excel. Advanced proficiency with Excel and experience with SAS and/or STATA desired
  • Knowledge of data visualization techniques
  • Ability to develop procedures to measure reliability and accuracy of data
  • Ability present and explain analytical results to groups of people
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Knowledge of or experience with coding language or other software tools (e.g. Python, excel macros) desired
  • Prior knowledge of postal pricing, operations, products, and US Postal laws or work in network industries desired, but not necessary
Successful candidates at the PRC-3 level will have the following qualifications:
  • Knowledge and some work experience in quantitative fields, such as Statistics, Economics, and Finance
  • Investigative/research skills
  • Demonstrated experience and education in modeling or auditing and analyzing costs and prices using Excel. Advanced proficiency with Excel and experience with SAS and/or STATA desired
  • Knowledge of data visualization techniques
  • Ability to develop procedures to measure reliability and accuracy of data
  • Ability present and explain analytical results to groups of people
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Experience with coding language or other software tools (e.g. Python, excel macros) desired
  • Prior knowledge of postal pricing, operations, products, and US Postal laws or work in network industries desired, but not necessary
To be eligible for consideration, your application materials must demonstrate that you have experience that has equipped you with the ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of the position described above. Typically, experience will be related to legal or regulatory work at a level similar to this position and may encompass 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.

Education

A. Successful completion of a course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in economics or a quantitative field (e.g., mathematics, economics, finance, accounting) that included higher level courses in quantitative analysis,

DESIRABLE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE

B. Two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Master's degree or equivalent graduate degree in economics, finance or a related field; Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) credentials

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.

Additional information


Ethics Requirements: The Commission is committed to government ethics. As a Commission employee, you will be subject to the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch and the criminal conflict of interest statutes. Commission employees are also subject to Commission-specific ethics rules (39 C.F.R. subpart A of part 3001 and supplemental standards of ethical conduct [5 C.F.R. part 5601]). The supplemental standards prohibit Commission employees, as well as their spouses and dependent children, from owning any securities issued by entities that are identified on the Commission's annually published prohibited securities list. As an employee of the Commission, you must complete initial ethics training within three months of your appointment and, depending on your position, complete required financial disclosure forms within 30 days of your appointment.

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. The Commission may offer Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

Work Environment: This position is in the Office of Accountability and Compliance (OAC). This Office is responsible for promoting United States Postal Service transparency and accountability by establishing and maintaining a modern system to regulate rates, ensuring Postal Service compliance with the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA), making recommendations based on the analysis of financial reports from the Postal Service, and by preparing annual and periodic reports to Congress. The Office of Accountability and Compliance serves the Commission and Commissioners, the Postal Service, mailers, the U.S. Department of State, and the American public. This position is eligible for telework.

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.

You will be evaluated by a screening panel based on evidence of your ability to successfully perform the duties of the position according to the qualifications outlined in this announcement. The panel will forward the appropriate candidates to the Director of Accountability and Compliance for further consideration and possible interview.

Required Documents

In order for your application to be considered complete, the following documents must be submitted:

  1. Cover Letter (no more than two pages)
  2. Resume: For each position listed on your resume, youmust specify the following information:
    1. Start and end dates (month/year)
    2. Description of duties
    3. If the position was Federal, you must include the grade and step for each
    4. education
  3. Current and former Federal employees:
    1. Submit a copy of your most recent non-award SF-50, "Notice of Personnel Action" to indicate your current federal status. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate that you possess the years of experience required for this vacancy. You must provide additional SF-50s that clearly demonstrate that you meet the years of experience required for this vacancy.
    2. The SF-50 must show your tenure, grade and step, and type of position occupied. [i.e., Excepted or Competitive] Performance award, Realignment, and Detail SF-50's will not be accepted as proof of grade or tenure.
  4. Veterans: If claiming Veteran's Preference, you must submit a Member-4 copy of your DD-214
    1. Disabled Veterans Disabled Veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must submit:
      1. SF-15 Application for 10 Point Veterans Preference
      2. Member-4 DD-214
      3. disability rating letter (if applicable)
    2. If you are currently on active duty to be released within 120 days, you may submit an armed forces certification in lieu of a Member-4 DD-214
Failure to provide this documentation will result in your application not receiving 10-point preference.
  1. Military spouse of an Active-Duty Military Member:
    1. Marriage license
    2. A copy of your spouse's active military orders
  2. Military Spouse of Separated Veteran:
    1. A copy of your marriage license
    2. A copy of the Member-4 DD-214
    3. A copy of your spouse's 100% service-connected disability letter OR document of death during active duty
You are not eligible for Military Spousal benefits if you were not married to the veteran at the time of death or have since remarried. Failure to provide required documentation will result in your application not receiving preference.
  1. Schedule A, Persons with Disabilities:
    1. Submit a copy of your Schedule A letter from a physician, local, state or federal rehabilitation office citing your eligibility under 5 CFR 213.3102 (u).
For more information on your eligibility, please visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/individuals-with-disabilities/

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

Applicants must apply through the online application system USAJOBS.gov. Follow the prompts to register, answer the application questionnaire and assessment, and submit all required documents.

If you already have a USAJOBS account, click "Apply Online" and follow the prompts to attach any additional documents that may be required.

Application packages will NOT be accepted via email, mail, or fax.All applications must be received by 11:59 pm on the closing date.

This vacancy announcement will be open from November 7, 2024, through November 28, 2024, or until 150 applications have been received, whichever occurs first. Complete application packages must be submitted at the time that you apply to receive consideration. Additional documents will not be accepted after the vacancy closes.

Agency contact information

HR Office
Address
Postal Regulatory Commission
901 New York Ave NW
Washington, DC 20268
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive the application package (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. Please ensure that your application includes all required documents as we will not process applications missing a cover letter, etc. After the review is complete, the best qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. Applicants will be notified of their status by email, referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants will receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.


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


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