Duties
Job Summary:
The Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) provides operations support services and business solutions to the community of 10,000 House Members, Officers and staff. The CAO organization comprises more than 800 technical and administrative staff working in a variety of areas, including information technology, finance, budget management, human resources, payroll, child care, food and vending, procurement, logistics and administrative counsel.
The staff accountant supports the core operations of the accounting department by managing financial transactions, maintaining the accuracy of accounting records, and ensuring compliance with House accounting policies, appropriation law, and USSGL standards. This position processes a variety of financial activities, contributes to reconciliations and analysis across multiple funds and operational areas, and collaborates with internal offices to maintain strong financial controls. The staff accountant also assists senior accountants and management with the preparation of the House’s annual financial statements and other recurring reporting requirements, while providing financial insights, trend analyses, and support for policy and procedure implementation.
The position does not have day-today supervisory/managerial responsibilities.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Process financial transactions, manage payment workflows, and ensure accurate recording of accounting entries.
- Support daily paycycle operations, including electronic funds transfers, secure payment transactions, accounts receivable, cash receipts, OTCnet deposits, and administration of advances and prepayments.
- Monitor purchase orders and support supply/resource coordination to maintain operational efficiency.
- Maintain smooth interaction with internal systems such as telecom, media services, and other financial interfaces.
- Perform reconciliations, account analyses, and financial reviews across assigned funds, revolving accounts, and cost areas.
- Support payroll functions, including accruals, reclassifications, activity reporting, and review of exception reports.
- Assist senior accountants and management with preparation of annual financial statements and recurring financial reporting.
- Verify financial data, conduct trend analyses, interpret financial results, and support policy and procedure updates.
- Performs other official duties and special projects as assigned.
Requirements
Conditions of employment
- USAJobs Conditions of Employment
Qualifications
Qualifications:
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business Administration required.
- A minimum of 3 years of relevant accounting\auditing experience; federal financial system experience required.
- Minimum 2 years of specific experience with ERP and/or federal accounting.
- Strong computer proficiency, including advanced skills in Microsoft Excel.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Minimum of 3 years of relevant federal experience preferred.
Knowledge, Skill, and Ability (KSA) and Competency Requirements:
- Knowledge and understanding of generally accepted accounting standards and procedures.
- Working knowledge of various automated office systems and state of the art accounting software programs.
- Ability to interpret laws and regulations governing the House.
- Ability to enter and reconcile data and maintain accuracy and attention to detail to ensure data integrity.
- Critical thinking skills.
- All employees within CAO are expected to demonstrate the following general competencies: Accountability, Adaptability, Collaboration, Communication, Customer Orientation, Priority Management, and Problem Resolution.
Certifications:
- Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM), preferred.
Continued employment is contingent upon satisfactorily completing a criminal history records check (or other applicable security clearance) and a pre-employment drug-test (pre-identified position only).
Additional information
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
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.
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 using a structured interview process.