Financial Reporting and Accounting Unit Accountant

Securities and Exchange Commission; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The Securities and Exchange Commission seeks a Staff Accountant in the Division of Enforcement, Financial Reporting and Accounting Unit. You will investigate potential violations of accounting and auditing standards and federal securities laws, and assist with litigation-related tasks and high-quality reporting.

Responsibilities include analyzing evidence, drafting requests, interviewing auditors and executives, and coordinating with Division attorneys and other regulators to synthesize complex

Qualifications

• 4+ years of accounting experience.
• 24 semester hours in accounting or auditing.
• CPA, CIA, or equivalent advanced accounting coursework or degree with related experience.

Responsibilities

• Conduct complex investigations into potential violations of federal securities laws and accounting/auditing standards.
• Develop and execute investigative and litigation strategies with evidence analysis.
• Draft subpoenas, document requests, and conduct witness interviews; prepare litigation documents.

Skills

Analytical skills

Attention to detail

Legal/compliance understanding

Education

Accounting degree with 24 semester hours in accounting

CPA or CIA certification

Job description

Summary The Division of Enforcement, Financial Reporting and Accounting Unit ("FRA Unit") is seeking a Staff Accountant (Financial Reporting and Accounting Unit Accountant). As a Financial Reporting and Accounting Unit Accountant you will investigate potential violations of accounting and auditing professional standards, public company financial disclosures, and related provisions of the federal securities laws.

• Conducting complex investigations involving potential violations of the federal securities laws, which may include public company financial reporting violations, accountant and auditor failures, violations of Sarbanes-Oxley standards, auditor independence violations, and fundamental audit quality failures, as well as public company accounting and financial disclosures under the federal securities laws.
• Developing and executing investigative and litigation strategies, including identifying and marshalling relevant evidence, assessing auditor, accountant, and company conduct, and evaluating compliance with relevant professional auditing and accounting standards.
• Working alongside Division of Enforcement and Unit attorneys to draft subpoenas and document requests; questioning witnesses - including auditors, audit committee members, and company executives - through interviews, testimony, or depositions; analyzing documentary and testimonial evidence to assess potential violations; and preparing litigation-related documents as needed.
• Preparing high-quality work product demonstrating command of relevant accounting and auditing standards, and the federal securities laws, including using sound judgment to evaluate evidence, identify patterns of audit or accounting failure or disclosure misconduct, and synthesize complex financial and legal information to reach well-supported conclusions.
• Collaborating effectively with Commission staff, Division attorneys and accountants, both the Commission's and the Division of Enforcement's Offices of the Chief Accountant, and other regulatory bodies, as well as communicating with courts, opposing counsel, and private industry representatives.
• Managing multiple complex investigations simultaneously, setting priorities, and developing innovative legal strategies to address novel questions of accounting, auditing, and financial disclosure law.

• Requirements Help Conditions of employment
• CITZENSHIP: You must be a US Citizen.
• SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/)
• SECURITY CLEARANCE: Entrance on duty is contingent upon completion of a pre-employment security investigation. Favorable results on a Background Investigation may be a condition of employment or selection to another position.
• DRUG TESTING: This position may be subjected to drug testing requirements.
• PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION (PCS): Moving/Relocation expenses are not authorized.
• DIRECT DEPOSIT: All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
• PROBATIONARY PERIOD: This appointment may require completion of a one-year probationary period.
• The selectee is required to report to the duty station(s) listed.
• Qualifications Time-in-grade for this announcement is one year at the GS/SK-13 level. Applicants are responsible for confirming all required materials are submitted by the closing date of the announcement. Please check the HowYou Will Be Evaluated and Required Documents sections carefully, as missing documents will render the application incomplete and ineligible for review. Qualifying experience may be obtained in the private or public sector. 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. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
• BASIC REQUIREMENT: A. Degree: 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 B. 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:

• Twenty-four semester hours in accounting or auditing courses of appropriate type and quality. This can include up to 6 hours of business law;
• A certificate as Certified Public Accountant or a Certified Internal Auditor, obtained through written examination; or
• 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.

Education

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs. For more information, click here. Applicants may also find the following helpful: National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) is an association of 19 credential evaluation services with admission standards and an enforced code of good practice. Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE) is an association of 10 credential evaluation services with a board of advisors and an enforced code of ethics. Additional information Supplementary vacancies may be filled in addition to the number stated in this announcement and may be filled from any division or office within the agency.

SEC COMPENSATION PROGRAM

Total salary (base pay + locality) is dependent upon duty location. The overall salary range listed above is provided for informational purposes; a selectee's initial pay will be established below the maximum rate of the range. The pay for current SEC employees will be determined according to the procedures specified in the agency's policy. Please visit the agency's Compensation Overview page for more information.

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.