Accounting Technician - Chillicothe, United States - Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration

Description

Summary The Accounting Technician is located in Fiscal Service under the Accounting Department at The Chillicothe VA Medical Center.

The incumbent's primary responsibility is to perform clerical, assistant, or technician level work in support of a budget, accounting, auditing, fiscal and financial management function.

Responsibilities Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Examines, verifies, and maintains financial accounts and accounting data and classifies accounting transactions including the verification of the accuracy and completeness of the accounting data across multiple appropriations.

Receives and analyzes various types of documents to determine propriety, validity, budget, expenditure limitation, completeness and correctness of accounting data.

Reviews and classifies many types of financial transactions involving the operations of the Medical Center including journalizing corrective actions for erroneous conditions.

Audits or processes obligations, payments, adjustments, travel requests, travel vouchers, cost transfers, purchase card transactions, VRQ's (vendor change requests), accruals, deposits, bills of collection, Personal Funds of Patients (PFOP) postings, offsets, reconciliations, reviews, ad hoc reports, etc.

Reconciles accounting systems output with input for accountability. Maintains control of receipts, disbursements, and logs. Maintains control of funds obligated and funds expended. Analyzes documents for accuracy and authorization, such as the Financial Indicators Report, obligations and payments.

Determines proper cost centers, budget object codes (BOC), appropriations and fund control points to be entered into a computerized cost accounting system.

Documents financial transactions to assure a proper audit trail, including but not limited to proper and complete documentation of follow-up on reconciliations, and back-up documentation for accounts receivable.

Assigns transactions that will have the proper accounting effect.

Researches and resolves complex issues in a paperless system as more and more processes become automated, including, but not limited to vendor issues, missing payments, and rejects.

Coordinates, reviews, audits and reconciles government travel, convenience check, and purchase card transactions. Maintains PFOP accounts, following all laws and regulations concerning account balances, veterans' benefits, certifications, documentation, etc.

Incumbent has technical responsibility for the maintenance, auditing, and reconciliation of the general and subsidiary ledger accounts, for the preparation of accurate and timely reports, and for the control of funds.

Determines the nature of errors and makes adjustments in the correct appropriation to a variety of interrelated accounts. Ensures the timely preparation of reports for VISN, Department of Treasury, VA Headquarters, and local management.

Responsible for working with numerous different unrelated systems, such as Financial Management System (FMS), Integrated Funds Distribution, Control Point Activity, Accounting and Procurement System (IFCAPS), Veterans Information Systems Technology Architecture (VISTA), On-Line Certification System (OLCS), Federal Records System (FRS), Fed Traveler, Accounts Receivable, Microsoft Outlook, Excel and Office and Internet Explorer.

Performs audits as required by Fiscal Service regulations, including quarterly audits of Agent Cashier, Employee Accounts, Patient Funds, Voucher Audit and General Post Funds.

Completes all Agent Cashier functions in accordance with applicable Treasury Department rules, VA Regulations and VA Handbook 4010 in specific.

Monitors and makes input to current vendor file so that vendors may be paid promptly under the FMS system.


Work Schedule:
Monday through Friday, 8:00 am until 4:30 pm Telework: Ad-hoc telework only.

VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies.

This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.


Position Description/PD#:

Accounting Technician/PD Relocation/Recruitment Incentives:
Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

Financial Disclosure Report:
Not required Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP)

• See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 05/21/2024. Time-In-Grade Requirement:

Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials.

If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement.

In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.


Note:
Time-In

• Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

You may qualify based on your experience as described below:

Specialized Experience:

To qualify for the GS-07 grade level, you must have one year of specialized experience at the GS-06 grade level.

Specialized experience is experience that allows the candidate to perform successfully the duties and responsibilities of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled.

Examples may include, but are not limited to the following:

working with general ledger accounts, cost centers, budget object codes, fund control points and other accounting elements, including experience in properly categorizing and utilizing them, experience with Financial Management System (FMS) transactions codes, types, and other miscellaneous coding necessary to affect proper general ledger accounts and subsidiary ledgers and the skill to properly utilize them, experience working with single-year, two-year, and multi-year appropriations, revolving funds, suspense accounts, deposit funds, Treasury accounts, etc.

and the skill to properly utilize them, utilization of payroll budget object codes, analysis accounts, and an understanding of the inter-relationships among them, experience utilizing accounting principles, government accounting, fiscal law, and accrual basis double-entry accounting theory, using policy and procedural manuals, directives, handbooks, guides, Comptroller General Decisions, and many policy and procedure publications while possessing the skill and judgment necessary to interpret and apply this guidance to a vast array of accounting situations, communicating accounting information for the purposes of explaining, reporting, training, recommending accounting actions, or problem resolution including a comprehensive knowledge of personal computers, various automated systems, and a variety of software such as MS Word, Excel, Access, and Outlook , applying time management techniques and having a high degree of organizational skills necessary to complete projects and the work of this position.

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; religions; 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.


Note:
A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities.

Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements:
The work is mainly sedentary; however, there is some walking, bending, lifting and carrying of light objects


Work Environment:
Work is performed in a normal office setting.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at Education There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Additional Information The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies.

To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy.

To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job.

Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

Pursuant to VHA Directive , VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy).

VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations.

If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date.

The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

VA Healthcare System Serving Ohio, Indiana and Michigan (VISN 10) advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers.

This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest.

As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran.

This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community.

This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.