Organization: US Agency for International Development
Country: United States of America
Closing date: 06 Jul 2015
The OTI Financial Management Specialist is a full-time Personal Services Contract (PSC) position at the GS-9/GS-11/GS-12 equivalent level and is located in Washington, DC. Applications for this position are due no later than July 6, 2015 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. For full information about this position, as well as instructions on how to apply, please read the entire solicitation at www.OTIjobs.net.
INTRODUCTION:
The Financial Management Specialist reports directly to the OTI Finance Team Leader. The incumbent of the position is OTI’s financial expert and must possess knowledge of financial systems, especially those employed by USAID, to support OTI’s transition programs. As the OTI financial expert, the Financial Management Specialist is the office’s financial analyst and budget professional, and must have the presence and ability to identify and articulate financial issues that impact OTI programs to counterparts. The Financial Management Specialist will efficiently manage all OTI financial resources, ensuring that program funding for OTI activities is readily available. Approximately 95% or more of OTI’s resources are program funds, and 5% or less are operational expenses. The Financial Management Specialist must be able to quickly master OTI and USAID budget and finance systems, and be able to guide program and operations staff, including senior management, in their use when required. The Financial Management Specialist must be readily available to advise and train OTI/Washington, field staff, and implementing partner staff on financial issues.
OTI is a fast-paced office with frequently changing priorities, and staff must be able to multitask and move quickly from one activity to another. Effective organizational skills, attention to detail, and understanding of financial management systems and processes are required. Ledgers, records and relevant financial documentation must be current and accurate. This is a key position in a very demanding office that responds rapidly to numerous complex activities and provides OTI staff with financial services and support, including training. The demands of this position require a Financial Management Specialist with a superb customer service and work ethic, and with the ability to operate independently and anticipate the needs of a complex organizational unit.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
At the GS-9 Level:
- Support program budgets and assist with financial planning, management and reconciliation;
- Provide general administrative support such as scheduling and facilitating meetings, drafting meeting minutes, drafting and tracking memos, ensuring that action items are followed up, filing, correspondence control, and other administrative services as required;
- Maintain the DCHA/OTI official accounts for OTI program funds, including commitments and obligations for the current year and carryover funds. Monitor prior year obligation balances. Perform regular account reconciliation and determine necessary adjustments to balance accounts accordingly;
- Provide support to the development and maintenance of DCHA/OTI’s budget and finance database;
- Maintain continuous liaison and effective working relationships with OTI teams, particularly OTI’s Program Office budget team;
- Maintain continuous liaison and effective working relationships with Agency counterparts such as the DCHA Bureau Controller, PPC, M/OAA, M/FM, and USAID Missions overseas on matters relating to procurement, financial issues, obligations and de-obligations of program-funded activities. [Note: 95% or more of OTI funding is from program funding sources, and 5% or less of OTI funding is from operational expense funding];
- Maintain accurate records of all DCHA/OTI budget and finance activities supporting transition programs;
- After an initial learning period, provide orientation, training, and mentoring for new staff that have since on-boarded as delegated; communicate with supervisor to recognize good performance and communicate where performance needs to be improved;
- If required, serve on short-term assignments with other USAID offices or bureaus in support of OTI programs. These placements shall not exceed three months;
- Perform all other duties assigned by the supervisor.
At the GS-11 Level:
- Prepare accurate financial and budget reports. Conduct regular and special financial analyses that cover reimbursements and special appropriations;
- Prepare and monitor financial reports for program-funded activities. Monitor OTI"s resource availability, prepare reports on disbursements and use of funds and manage the obligation/de-obligation process to maximize use of available funds;
- Manage program funds for the Office. Control the allocation of approximately $50 million of OTI funds as well as additional program funds from other sources per year (ranging from $15 million to $200 million or more). Coordinate and work closely with the DCHA Bureau controller’s office, as well as with other Bureaus when additional funds are received or transferred to OTI for OTI managed programs;
- Conducts the day-to-day operation and maintenance of OTI program financial accounts. These statements are required under legislation to assure compliance with laws and regulations affecting the expenditure of funds, control of the budget, and reports on the status of obligations and expenditures;
- Review financial proposal to adhere to financial procedures, conformance to agency requirements and/or limitations to generally accepted accounting principles and standards. Assure approved documents are within established guidelines and are readily retrievable from country or project files;
- Utilize funding analysis to recommend program budget and staffing levels based on management decisions and/or changes in the program goals, objectives, and priorities and as back-up material for requests for budget increases/decreases;
- Prepare funding requirements for inclusion in a variety of budgetary and programmatic submissions, e.g., Annual Budget Submission, Congressional Budget Justification, Quarterly Accrual Reports, Monthly reports to OMB, Annual Report, etc.
- Advise country team program managers on the preparation of budget requests; consolidate supporting budget data and justifications;
- Maintain continuous liaison and effective working relationships with OTI teams, particularly OTI’s Program Office budget team;
- Perform Section 1311 Review of Unliquidated Obligations for all years, e.g., contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, inter-agency agreements (ICASS), CNs and MOUs. This process results in making a determination regarding the retention or de-obligation of remaining program funds. Ensure that required documentation supports the analysis and determination. Work with FM and DCHA/PPM to help ensure that program funds de-obligated are immediately reprogrammed and available for other program priorities;
- Provide orientation, training, and mentoring for new staff that have since on-boarded as delegated; communicate with supervisor to recognize good performance and communicate where performance needs to be improved;
- If required, serve on short-term assignments with other USAID offices or bureaus in support of OTI programs. These placements shall not exceed three months;
- Perform all other duties as assigned by supervisor.
At the GS-12 Level:
- Prepare accurate financial and budget reports. Conduct regular and special financial analyses that cover reimbursements and special appropriations;
- Prepare and monitor financial reports for program-funded activities. Monitor OTI"s resource availability, prepare reports on disbursements and use of funds and manage the obligation/de-obligation process to maximize use of available funds;
- Manage program funds for the Office. Control the allocation of approximately $50 million of OTI funds as well as additional program funds from other sources per year (ranging from $15 million to $200 million or more). Coordinate and work closely with the DCHA Bureau controller’s office, as well as with other Bureaus when additional funds are received or transferred to OTI for OTI managed programs;
- Conducts the day-to-day operation and maintenance of OTI program financial accounts. These statements are required under legislation to assure compliance with laws and regulations affecting the expenditure of funds, control of the budget, and reports on the status of obligations and expenditures;
- Review financial proposal to adhere to financial procedures, conformance to agency requirements and/or limitations to generally accepted accounting principles and standards. Assure approved documents are within established guidelines and are readily retrievable from country or project files;
- Utilize funding analysis to recommend program budget and staffing levels based on management decisions and/or changes in the program goals, objectives, and priorities and as back-up material for requests for budget increases/decreases;
- Prepare funding requirements for inclusion in a variety of budgetary and programmatic submissions, e.g., Annual Budget Submission, Congressional Budget Justification, Quarterly Accrual Reports, Monthly reports to OMB, Annual Report, etc.;
- Advise country team program managers on the preparation of budget requests; consolidate supporting budget data and justifications;
- Maintain continuous liaison and effective working relationships with OTI teams, particularly OTI’s Program Office budget team;
- Perform Section 1311 Review of Unliquidated Obligations for all years, e.g., contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, inter-agency agreements (ICASS), CNs and MOUs. This process results in making a determination regarding the retention or de-obligation of remaining program funds. Ensure that required documentation supports the analysis and determination. Work with FM and DCHA/PPM to help ensure that program funds de-obligated are immediately reprogrammed and available for other program priorities;
- Act as the OTI expert on OTI and USAID financial operating systems in support of OTI program funding (e.g. OTI’s TOMAS program budget/finance database, Phoenix, GLAAS, etc.). Provide reports, advice, guidance, instructions and training to OTI staff, including senior managers, in preparing, executing and tracking a wide variety of program funded procurement actions;
- Mentor and train at least one financial backstop ensuring that the backstop will be able to provide OTI with full finance services in the absence of any Finance Team member;
- Provide orientation, training, and mentoring for new staff that have since on-boarded as delegated; communicate with supervisor to recognize good performance and communicate where performance needs to be improved;
- When required serve as Acting Team Leader for the OTI Finance Team in his/her absence;
- If required, serve on short-term assignments with other USAID offices or bureaus in support of OTI programs. These placements shall not exceed three months;
- Perform all other duties as assigned by supervisor.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION
(Determines basic eligibility for the position. Applicants who do not meet all of the education and experience factors are considered NOT qualified for the position. See detailed instructions for demonstrating Education/Experience under "Applying")
At a minimum, the applicant must have:
At the GS-9 level:
- Bachelor’s degree with two (2) years of work experience in finance;
AND
- Demonstrated experience developing and maintaining financial management and information systems;
- Demonstrated experience with U.S. Government rules and regulations pertaining to budget and financial resources.
At the GS-11 level:
- Bachelor’s degree with three (3) years of work experience in finance;
AND
- One (1) yearof experience developing and maintaining financial management and information systems;
- Demonstrated experience with U.S. Government rules and regulations pertaining to budget and financial resources.
At the GS-12 level:
- Bachelor’s degree with four (4) years of work experience in finance;
AND
- Two (2) yearsof experience developing and maintaining financial management and information systems;
- Demonstrated experience with U.S. Government rules and regulations pertaining to budget and financial resources.
SELECTION FACTORS
(Determines basic eligibility for the position. Applicants who do not meet all of the selection factors are considered NOT qualified for the position.)
- Applicant is a U.S. Citizen;
- Complete resume submitted. See cover page for resume requirements. Experience that cannot be quantified will not be counted towards meeting the solicitation requirements;
- Supplemental document specifically addressing how the candidate meets each of the Evaluation Factors submitted;
- Ability to obtain a SECRET level security clearance (NOTE: Dual citizens may be asked to renounce second-country citizenship);
- Satisfactory verification of academic credentials.
A USAID Secret level security clearance is required prior to issuance of the contract for this position.
NOTE: If a full security investigation package is not submitted by the selected within 30 days after it is requested, the offer may be rescinded. If a security clearance is not able to be obtained within four months after the selected submits the initial security clearance documentation, the offer may be rescinded.
Due to anticipated program needs, individuals should be able to travel to post within 60 days after a contract is awarded.
Please direct questions about this position or the application process to the OTI Recruitment Team at otijobs@usaid.gov.
How to apply:
For full information about this position, as well as instructions on how to apply, please visit www.OTIjobs.net.
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