Accountant

Summary

The Accountant is responsible for the detailed and efficient operation and control of day to day fiscal activities for the Nebraska Western Iowa Health Care System. An Accountant must be experienced in applying professional accounting concepts and methodologies as well as knowledgeable in accounting functional program characteristics and requirements.

Duties

**Please be advised this occupation is may be required to undergo a classification consistency review that may result in a change in title, series, and/or grade if determined by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). A "consistency review" is the process that involves a classification review of positions performing work that is identical, or related to an OPM appeal to ensure they are classified consistently and in accordance with OPM standards. If a reduction in grade occurs, you could be eligible for grade and/or pay retention.**
The Accountant actively supports the Finance Officer by performing the following duties:

• The incumbent will review and evaluate information and make authoritative recommendations. In addition, the incumbent is expected to be creative and use his/her background and technical knowledge to problem-solve using various analytical techniques.
• Employee is responsible for assisting all customers with any technical issues encountered in any electronic system related to finance and/or accounting.
• Employee must be proficient in the following Microsoft Office or equivalent programs - Outlook, Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
• Analyzes data trends in accounting operations supporting the preparation and execution of finance and other committee meetings.
• Researches laws, regulations, and policies related to accounting and fiscal management displaying knowledge of health care system operations.
• Participates on project teams in lead or support roles identifying and improving operational processes impacting services of the VA health care system as related to finance and accounting.
• Reviews and reports on facility policies in preparation for surveys, audits, and inspections.
• Performs research to address costing and processing problems within the finance and accounting section.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required.
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/12/2026.
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-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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.
Basic Requirement for Series 0510:
A. Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher) 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. 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:

• 24 semester hours in accounting or auditing courses of appropriate type and quality. This can include up to 6 semester hours of business law; or
• 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.

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level that equipped me with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is in or related to the work of Accountant in the normal line of progression. Specialized experience includes: Drafting simple instructions to describe internal accounting procedures; Providing systems analysis, advice, & design regarding financial management and accounting systems; Taking corrective action on financial system issues or reporting errors; Analyzing general ledger accounts to ensure accuracy of reports. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have two (2) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree. Qualifying graduate education must still reflect the Basic Requirement education to be acceptable. (Transcript Required). OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond graduate level education to meet the total experience requirements. *Note Only education in excessive of one year graduate level education will be considered when combining. (Transcript Required).

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the federal service that has equipped me with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and is in the normal line of progression for this occupation. Qualifying specialized experience includes: applying established principles, techniques, and theories of accounting; analyzing financial data to assure compliance with applicable laws; providing technical advice on all accounting matters; performing financial audits; preparing financial reports; researching and resolving problems associated with financial transactions, statements, or reports; and utilizing various automated systems to extract or record financial data. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have three (3) years of progressively higher graduate level education leading to a Ph.D. degree, or Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree. (Transcript Required) OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond graduate level education (beyond what is required for a master's degree, i.e., more than 36 semester hours leading to a Ph.D.). (Transcript Required)

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced 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 http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

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.

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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.