What are the responsibilities and job description for the Accountant position at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs?
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.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 09/24/2026. 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. In addition to meeting the basic requirement above - to qualify for this position - you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below: GS-09 Minimum Qualifications: 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). GS-11 Minimum Qualifications: 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) For more information on these qualification standards - please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Physical Requirements: You may be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. The work is primarily sedentary. No special physical effort or ability is required. Work Environment: Work is performed in an office setting that is adequately lighted - heated - and ventilated.
Duties
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.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 09/24/2026. 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. In addition to meeting the basic requirement above - to qualify for this position - you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below: GS-09 Minimum Qualifications: 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). GS-11 Minimum Qualifications: 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) For more information on these qualification standards - please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Physical Requirements: You may be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. The work is primarily sedentary. No special physical effort or ability is required. Work Environment: Work is performed in an office setting that is adequately lighted - heated - and ventilated.
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
- Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory - qualification - and performance requirements are met
- Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level
- Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 7:00am - 3:30pm (Hours may be further discussed during interview.) Telework: This position may be authorized for ad-hoc telework
- Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process
- Virtual: This is not a virtual position
- Position Description/PD#: Accountant/PD23480A and PD23478A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized The VA Midwest Health Care Network 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.
Salary : $61,722 - $98,058