Accountant

About

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) is the world leader in Geospatial Intelligence. We analyze imagery and data from many sources and incorporate it into visual displays of essential information for use in national defense, homeland security and safety of navigation. The extraordinary talents and skills of our teams of analysts and other professionals are vital to our success as the worldwide provider of GEOINT.

Know the World, Show the Way...from Seabed to Space!

Assignment Description

Accountants perform accounting and financial processes and transactions related to recording and reporting NGA's financial activity. They implement and establish procedures that align with federal accounting standards and policies. They also review financial and accounting results to ensure quality, accuracy, and compliance with appropriate legal, regulatory, and procedural requirements to produce auditable financial statements. They prepare reports, may correct cost discrepancies, create and improve consistent accounting procedures, work directly with auditing teams to complete all auditing tasks as necessary, and may also perform budgeting tasks.

Promotion Opportunity

Promotion opportunities allow applicants at all band levels to be considered. Qualifications for NGA positions do not include specific time-in-band requirements. NGA will emphasize quality of experience, rather than duration, and assess how the quality of the experience demonstrates possession of the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies necessary for successful job performance in the NGA occupational structure.

Additional Information

This Open Continuous Job Announcement is used in building a pool of qualified applicants. There is no immediate job opening. Applications will be reviewed only when staffing needs arise.

The Financial Management Directorate - Comptroller Office (FMC) coordinates, facilitates, and responds to financial statement auditor requests; facilitates requests related to other NGA OIG/DoD audits or reviews; and serves as the primary leader/coordinator for all NGA audit activities. The division also supports FM process owners with implementing targeted process/system improvements to resolve audit findings; monitors agency-wide financial statement audit corrective action plans; and prepares and manages communications on financial statement audit metrics/progress for all stakeholders.

The incumbent will coordinate agency-wide financial related activities to meet the requirements of NGA's annual full-scope financial statement audits and other financial related audits or reviews by oversight organizations (e.g., DoD IG, GAO, etc.) or the NGA Office of Inspector General, as needed. Additionally, the incumbent will facilitate implementation of activities to remediate financial statement audit findings as approved by NGA senior management.

The incumbent will also advise, monitor, and report on corrective action plans; engage with process owners to address impediments or concerns; and communicate agency audit status to oversight and stakeholders, and ensure accurate communication with auditors and NGA stakeholders on audit requirements such as prepared by client materials; response to auditor questions; and validate auditor-identified testing exceptions.

The incumbent will be required to obtain DoD Financial Management Certification Level 2, or an alternative professional certification, within two years of assignment to the position in accordance with DoD policy.

Qualifications Mandatory

MANDATORY QUALIFICATION CRITERIA:

For this particular job, applicants must meet all competencies reflected under the Mandatory Qualification Criteria to include education (if required). Online resumes must demonstrate qualification by providing specific examples and associated results, in response to the announcement’s mandatory criteria specified in this vacancy announcement:

• Experience applying general analytical and evaluation techniques to review financial data, provide data analysis and provide recommendations.
• Experience analyzing Accounting Standards and procedures to ensure compliance.
• Experience analyzing documents, records, and processes to improve workflows and efficiencies compliance.
• Experience reconciling financial data with internal and external customers

EDUCATION REQUIREMENT:

A. Education: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Accounting, Business Administration, Finance, Public Administration, or a related field that included, or was supplemented by, at least 24 semester hours of coursework in Accounting. The 24 semester hours may include up to 6 semester hours of credit in business law. -OR- B. Combination of Education and Experience: A minimum of 24 semester hours of coursework in any area listed in option A, or a certificate as a Certified Public Accountant or Certified Internal Auditor, obtained through written examination, -PLUS- experience that demonstrates the ability to successfully perform the duties associated with this work. As a rule, every 30 semester hours of coursework is equivalent to one year of experience. Candidates should show that their combination of education and experience totals 4 years. -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 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.

Qualifications Desirable

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATION CRITERIA:

In addition to the mandatory qualifications, experience in the following is desired:

• Experience assisting stakeholders on accounting issues and recommending solutions.
• Experience explaining accounting programs, policies, procedures, technologies, and/or requirements to customers.
• Experience applying auditing standards to determine compliance with regulations.
• Experience consolidating and analyzing financial data.
• Experience reviewing and reconciling financial statements and/or reports to ensure accuracy and completeness.

Special Info External

As a condition of employment at NGA, persons being considered for employment must meet NGA fitness for employment standards.

• U.S. Citizenship
• Security Clearance - Top Secret /Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI)
• Polygraph & Drug Test
• Direct Deposit
• Trial Period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. We may consider: performance conduct; needs and interests of the agency; and whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government and the efficiency of the Federal service

Applicant Evaluation Process

APPLICANT EVALUATION PROCESS:

Applicants will be evaluated for this job opportunity in three stages:

1. All applicants will be evaluated using the Mandatory Qualification Criteria,
2. Qualified applicants will then be evaluated by an expert or panel of experts using a combination of qualification criteria to determine the best-qualified candidates,
3. Best-qualified applicants may then be further evaluated through an interview process.

Military retiree applicants, if selected, may be impacted by the 180-day appointment restrictions of DODI 1402.01. HD personnel will provide additional information if applicable.

Applicants are encouraged to carefully review the Assignment Description, Additional Information Provided By the Selecting Official, and the Qualification Requirements; and then construct their resumes to highlight their most relevant and significant experience and education for this job opportunity. This description should include examples that detail the level and complexity of the performed work. Applicants are encouraged to provide any education or degree information referenced in the announcement that is relevant. If education is listed as a mandatory requirement, only degrees obtained from an institution accredited by an accrediting organization recognized by the Secretary, US Department of Education will be accepted.

In accordance with section 9902(h) of title 5, United States Code, annuitants reemployed in the Department of Defense shall receive full annuity and salary upon appointment. They shall not be eligible for retirement contributions, participation in the Thrift Savings Plan, or a supplemental or re-determined annuity for the reemployment period. Discontinued service retirement annuitants (i.e., retired under section 8336(d)(1) or 8414(b)(1)(A) of title 5, United States Code) appointed to the Department of Defense may elect to be subject to retirement provisions of the new appointment as appropriate. (See DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 300). Reemployed annuitants must meet additional selection criteria as outlined in the DODI 1400.25, v300.

All candidates will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, disability, or sexual orientation.

NGA provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Applications will only be accepted online. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify us at recruitment@nga.mil. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis.

DCIPS Statement

NGA utilizes all processes and procedures of the Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS). Non-executive NGA employees are assigned to five distinct pay bands based on the type and scope of work performed. The employee's base salary is established within their assigned pay band based on their unique qualifications. A performance pay process is conducted each year to determine a potential base pay salary increase and/or bonus. An employee's annual performance evaluation is a key factor in the performance pay process.

This position is a DCIPS position in the Excepted Service under 10 U.S.C. 1601. DoD Components with DCIPS positions apply Veterans' Preference to preference eligible candidates as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 USC, in accordance with the procedures provided in DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 2005, DCIPS Employment and Placement. If you are an external applicant claiming veterans' preference, as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 U.S.C., you must self-identify your eligibility.

Benefits

Pay is only part of the compensation you will earn working for the Federal Government. We offer a broad array of benefits programs and family friendly flexibilities to meet the needs of you and your family.

For more information on the array of benefits programs, please visit https://www.nga.mil/careers/Benefits_&_Pay.html.

How To Apply

Application submission involves applying using NGA's online application process at NGA Careers Portal. Additional information concerning NGA's hiring process can be found by visiting NGA Hiring Process.

All announcements close at 11:59PM EDT on the closing date listed. Be sure to complete and submit your application by that time in order to be considered.

ONLY ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

Both applicants for employment and current employees of NGA are entitled to request religious accommodations from generally applicable employment-related rules and requirements, so long as the accommodation requested would not result in an undue hardship to the conduct of NGA’s business.

What To Expect Next

After visiting the NGA Careers Portal and applying via NGA's online application process, applicants can follow their status via that same NGA online application functionality. Several other topics relating to what is involved in the hiring process and how long it takes can be found by visiting the NGA Hiring Process.

Special Requirements

You must be able to obtain and retain a Top Secret security clearance with access to SCI. In addition, you are subject to a Counterintelligence Polygraph examination in order to maintain access to Top Secret information. All employees are subject to a periodic examination on a random basis in order to determine continued eligibility. Refusal to take the examination may result in denial of access to Top Secret information, SAP, or unescorted access to SCIFs.

Employees with SCI access and who are under NGA cognizance are required to submit a Security Financial Disclosure Report, SF-714, on an annual basis in order to determine continued eligibility. Failure to comply may negatively impact continued access to Top Secret information, Information Systems, SAP, or unescorted access to SCIFs.