ACCOUNTANT

U.S.-Customs-and-Border-Protection; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 52,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, an agency of the Department of Homeland Security, is seeking an accounting position in Indianapolis, IN.

The role involves entering and verifying routine accounting transactions, reviewing invoices and vouches, and compiling financial data across systems. The qualifications include a degree in accounting with 24 hours in accounting or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Qualifications

• Degree in accounting or related field with 24 semester hours in accounting.
• Combination of education and experience with 4 years of accounting knowledge.
• GS-7: 1 year specialized experience or education substitution.
• Education substitution: 1 year of graduate education may substitute; SAA also possible.
• GS-9: 1 year specialized experience at next lower grade level.

Responsibilities

• Entering and verifying routine accounting transactions in an accounting/financial management system.
• Reviewing invoices, vouchers, receipts, or transaction records to confirm required information.
• Compiling financial data from accounting systems.
• Comparing account balances, transaction listings, or system reports to supporting records.
• Responding to routine requests for transaction status, payment information, account documentation, or report data.
• GS-9: Reviewing and analyzing recurring accounting transactions.
• GS-9: Performing account reconciliations while researching and resolving routine differences.
• GS-9: Preparing recurring financial reports by extracting and validating data from multiple accounting systems.
• GS-9: Identifying recurring errors and coordinating corrective actions.
• GS-9: Working with program offices to obtain missing documentation, clarify transaction details and correct.

Education

Degree in accounting or related field with 24 semester hours in accounting

Job description

Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Finance, Financial Operations, Accounting Division, Indianapolis, IN.

Additional selections may be made for other organizational divisions and/or units within the duty location(s) listed above.

Basic Requirements

1. Degree: in accounting; or a degree in a related field such as business administration, finance, or public administration that included or was supplemented by 24 semester hours in accounting. The 24 hours may include up to 6 hours of credit in business law. (The term "accounting" means "accounting and/or auditing" in this standard. Similarly, "accountant" should be interpreted, generally, as "accountant and/or auditor.")

   OR

2. Combination of education and experience: at least 4 years of experience in accounting, or an equivalent combination of accounting experience, college-level education, and training that provided professional accounting knowledge. The applicant's background must also include one of the following:
   1. Twenty-four semester hours in accounting or auditing courses of appropriate type and quality. This can include up to 6 hours of business law;
   2. A certificate as Certified Public Accountant or a Certified Internal Auditor, obtained through written examination; or
   3. Completion of the requirements for a degree that included substantial course work in accounting or auditing, e.g., 15 semester hours, but that does not fully satisfy the 24-semester-hour requirement of paragraph A, provided that (a) the applicant has successfully worked at the full-performance level in accounting, auditing, or a related field, e.g., valuation engineering or financial institution examining; (b) a panel of at least two higher level professional accountants or auditors has determined that the applicant has demonstrated a good knowledge of accounting and of related and underlying fields that equals in breadth, depth, currency, and level of advancement that which is normally associated with successful completion of the 4-year course of study described in paragraph A; and (c) except for literal nonconformance to the requirement of 24 semester hours in accounting, the applicant's education, training, and experience fully meet the specified requirements.

You qualify for this position if you meet the basic requirement listed above AND possess the experience or substitution of education, if applicable, as described below:

Experience: You qualify for the GS-7 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:

• Entering and verifying routine accounting transactions in an accounting/financial management system.
• Reviewing invoices, vouchers, receipts, or transaction records to confirm required information were present before processing.
• Compiling financial data from accounting systems.
• Comparing account balances, transaction listings, or system reports to supporting records.
• Responding to routine requests for transaction status, payment information, account documentation, or report data.

Education Substitution: Successful completion of one year of full-time graduate education from an accredited college or university may substitute for the experience required at this level. This education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. Check with your school to determine how many credit hours comprise a year of graduate education. If that information is not available, use 18 semester or 27 quarter hours OR Superior Academic Achievement GS-07 may also substitute for the experience required. Review Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) to see if you qualify under this provision.

Experience: You qualify for the GS-9 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:

• Reviewing and analyzing recurring accounting transactions.
• Performing account reconciliations while researching and resolving the routine differences.
• Preparing recurring financial reports by extracting and validating data from multiple accounting systems.
• Identifying recurring errors while also researching the cause and coordinating corrective action for routine issues.
• Working with program offices to obtain missing documentation, clarify transaction details and correct