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LEAD ACCOUNTANT

Department of Defense
Defense Finance and Accounting Service
DFAS - ACCOUNTING OPERATIONS - COLUMBUS
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Who may apply: Current permanent DFAS employees in the competitive service, eligible DoD PPP Military Spouse preference applicants, and current DFAS VRA employees.

Salary range for GS-11 is $77,154 - $100,295. Salary range for GS-12 is $92,495 - $120,222.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
07/02/2025 to 07/09/2025
Salary
$77,154 to - $120,222 per year

GS-11 $77,154 - $100,295; GS-12 $92,495 - $120,222

Pay scale & grade
GS 11 - 12
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Whitehall, OH
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - There is no regular or recurring travel required for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
Yes
Announcement number
CO-12754958-25
Control number
839997400

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to current, permanent DFAS employees in the competitive service, Eligible DoD PPP Military Spouse preference applicants and current DFAS VRA employees.

Duties

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  • Lead a team of accountants supporting the Accounts Maintenance and Control missions for Military Services and Defense Agency customers.
  • Provides professional accounting services in the interpretation and application of accounting and/or financial management principles, policies, and procedures.
  • Responsible, individually and/or as a team leader, for overseeing daily operations, providing analyses, guidance and recommendations related to the more complex accounting issues.
  • Responsibilities involve operating in DoD Accounting systems and supporting system applications, General Ledger Accounting, Fund-Balance w/Treasury, undistributed reconciliation, and/or metric reporting.
  • Applies a comprehensive knowledge of analysis/reporting requirements, work processes, accounting systems structure, interfaces of data from financial systems to accounting systems, and financial report data to resolve complex, accounting problems.
  • Reviews regulatory directives/instructions and takes action and/or makes recommendations, e.g., implements new or revisions to existing system functions, recommends to operating activities accounting reporting policy or procedure changes, etc.
  • For vacancies filled at less than the full performance level of the position, duties will be developmental in nature.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S Citizen or National
  • Registered for Selective Service (males born after 12-31-1959)
  • Suitable for Federal employment
  • Time after Competitive Appointment: Candidates must have served 3 months after latest competitive appointment in the Federal service.
  • This national security position, which may require access to classified information, requires a favorable suitability review and security clearance as a condition of employment. Failure to maintain security eligibility may result in termination.
  • Time in Grade Requirement - see the Qualifications field below for more details.
  • Obtain/Maintain Financial Management Certification
  • New employees to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-verify.gov.

Qualifications

This position has a positive education requirement. To qualify for this position you must meet one of the basic requirements described below:

(1) Completion of all requirements for a bachelor's degree in accounting from an accredited college or university; 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

(2) Candidates may also qualify through a combination of education and experience: at least 4 years of accounting experience or an equivalent combination of accounting experience, college-level education, and training that provided professional accounting knowledge AND 24 semester hours in accounting/auditing courses, which may include up to 6 hours of business law, OR a certificate as a Certified Public Accountant or Certified Internal Auditor.

You MUST send proof of education or of certification to be considered for this position. Click here for more information on who must submit documentation at the time of application and what documentation is acceptable: Transcripts and Certifications.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement, qualified applicants must possess "one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade" (GS-09 for GS-11, and GS-11 for GS-12 level) in the Federal service, which demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of the position.

For GS-11 - Specialized experience at the GS-09 grade level is defined as: Providing professional accounting services in the interpretation and application of accounting principles, policies, and procedures.

GS-11 Time-in-Grade: Current or former federal employees who have held a GS position in the preceding 52 weeks, must meet the time in grade requirement. Applicant must have served 52 weeks as a GS-09 or higher grade in Federal Service.

For GS-12 - Specialized experience at the GS-11 grade level is defined as: Providing professional accounting support that ensures the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the accounting operations by providing professional accounting services, advice, assistance, and information to an assigned area by applying accounting concepts, principles, and methods to the day-to-day accounting operations.

GS-12 Time-in-Grade: Current or former federal employees who have held a GS position in the preceding 52 weeks, must meet the time in grade requirement. Applicant must have served 52 weeks as a GS-11 or higher grade in Federal Service.

You may qualify for consideration if meeting time-in grade, specialized experience, education requirement, 90 days after competitive appointment requirement, and all other qualification requirements within 30 calendar days after the closing date of the announcement, unless otherwise indicated on the announcement.

Education

GS-11 Substitution of Education for Experience: Three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree may be substituted to meet the specialized experience requirement. Equivalent combinations of successfully completed higher-level graduate level education and experience may be used to meet total experience requirements. If you are using education to substitute for the specialized experience, you must submit transcripts at the time you apply. To be creditable, education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (http://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html).

GS-12 Substitution of Education for Experience: Education is not substitutable for specialized experience at this grade level.

Additional information

  • Moving expenses maybe paid.
  • The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 makes certain reimbursements/payments taxable. For information on these changes and the Relocation Income Tax Allowance (RITA), for which some appointees are eligible, click here.
  • For positions where relocation is paid (see Location block of vacancy announcement), you can learn more about relocation allowances and entitlements.
  • Telework availability is limited and will only be provided on a rare case-by-case basis during situations where Agency Leadership has determined that telework serves a compelling DoD need.
  • We may use this announcement to make a temporary promotion. For some positions, the temporary promotion may be made permanent without further competition.
  • Selections are subject to restrictions resulting from the DoD Program for Stability of Civilian Employment.
  • A one year probationary or trial period may be required.
  • We may use this announcement to fill additional vacancies within 120 days of the closing date.
  • This position is exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act.
  • Travel requirement is seldom.
  • This position is covered by a bargaining unit.
  • Priority Placement Program (PPP) Military Spouse Preference (MSP) eligible candidates will receive priority consideration at the highest grade level for which they have applied and been determined best qualified up to and including the full performance level.
  • Retired Civil Service Employee: Employment of retired Federal employees receiving an annuity is subject to the requirements of the Department of Defense (DoD) policy guidance. (See DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 300, here)
  • This position requires you to obtain and maintain a Level 2 Certification under the DoD Financial Management (FM) Certification Program as a condition of employment. If you are selected, you will have to obtain this certification within two (2) years of your entry on duty in the position unless you are already in a position that requires a Level 2 Certification in which case you must complete the certification within the original 2-year period. Failure to become certified within the required time-frame may be grounds for removal from the position and/or from Federal service. Information about the DoD FM Certification Program is available at http://www.dfas.mil/dam/dfas/careers/pdf/DoDFMCertificationProgram.pdf.
  • The Security Designation will vary and dependent upon position and may require a secret clearance or higher. Employment in this position requires a background investigation which may delay starting date. If you are selected and cannot obtain a favorable security determination within a reasonable period of time due to disclosed/undisclosed background issues, the employment offer may be withdrawn. Individuals selected are required to obtain/maintain a favorable security determination to occupy a sensitive position within the agency as a condition of employment. Failure to maintain eligibility to occupy a sensitive position may result in termination. For more information see the security section of Understanding Vacancy Announcements.
  • Criminal History Inquiries- For some positions, criminal history inquiries may not take place before you receive a conditional job offer. Please see Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act of 2019 (dfas.mil) for more information on The Fair Chance to Compete Act, exceptions, and DFAS contact information.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IMPORTANT NOTE - YOU MUST FOLLOW ALL APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY. ERRORS OR OMISSIONS MAY AFFECT YOUR RATING.

All information included in the resume and Occupational Questionnaire is subject to review and verification. HR will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. Applicants meeting the minimum requirements will be further evaluated based upon information you provided in the Occupational Questionnaire. If a determination is made that the work experience described in your submitted resume does not support your responses to the self-assessment questionnaire, your score may be reduced, and you may lose consideration for this position. If you are already a DFAS employee, you may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including removal from Federal service, if you are found to have exaggerated, embellished, inflated, mischaracterized, or falsified your resume or qualifications.

The Assessment Questionnaire takes approximately 15 minutes to complete and collects information on your education, training and experience related to the following critical competencies:

  • Communication
  • Concepts, Policies, and Principles of Accounting
  • Decision Support
  • Financial Management Systems
  • Financial Reporting


You can preview the Assessment Questionnaire here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12754958

DFAS recognizes the value of competencies gained through formal education and professional certifications. To ensure that consistent credit is given for these credentials in the selection process, DFAS has developed standard selection criteria to be used when filling positions in professional and administrative series. Selections for professional and administrative positions will be based on four categories of selection criteria: Experience, Other, Education, and Certifications.

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