Job Listing: Accounting Technician

Duty Locations

 1 vacancy - Houston, TX

 

Vacancy Identification Number (VIN):  KL188511 (Include on all documents)

 

Be a member of a team providing compassionate healthcare to veterans.   

The Department of Veterans Affairs is an employer of choice as a center of excellence in patient care, education and research.  We value trust, respect, commitment, compassion, and excellence; we value you.  For more information on the Department of Veterans Affairs, go to http://www.va.gov . 

NOTE:  In order to view and/or print the entire announcement, please scroll to the bottom of this page and click on "Print Preview"; then "Print".  Otherwise, you may miss important instructions on how to apply for this position.

APPLICANT CHECKLIST:  Please use this checklist to ensure compliance with all application requirements.  We recommend that you print a copy of this checklist for reference while completing your application package.  Detailed instructions of the application process are included after the checklist.  Be sure to read and follow the instructions carefully.

_____ Responses to the Assessment Questionnaire. (see Step 1)

_____ Resume (see Step 2 for the information you should include on your resume) or Optional Application for Federal Employment (OF-612).

_____ If you are faxing your documentation, the United States Application Cover Page must be used in order to link your documents with your on-line questionnaire.  Failure to provide this cover page - or the use of a different cover page - will prohibit your documentation from being processed.  (see Step 3 for url)

_____ If a particular level of education/certification is required OR if you are asking us to qualify you based upon your education, you must submit a copy of your college transcript or an appropriate course listing. (see Step 3)

_____ Veterans must provide a legible copy of DD-214(s) showing all dates of service as well as character of service (honorable, general, etc.).  Note:  More than one DD-214 may be needed to show all dates of service. (see Step 3)

_____  Disabled veterans and other veterans eligible for 10-point preference must also submit an SF-15 (version December 2004) with required proof as stated on the form. (see Step 3)

Major Duties

Tour of Duty:  Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Major duties and responsibilities include:

Records deposits
Records accounts receivable charges and collections
Monitors revenue streams
Audits new bills, applies payments into automated system and answers questions 
Analyzes and corrects billing differences
Resolves accounts receivable analysis and statements problems
Answers inquiries
Processes refunds
Prepares write-offs and waiver requests
Records cash collections and enters deposit information into the automated systems
Assists with records disposal, files maintenance and other duties as assigned
Monitors aged accounts receivable and performs follow-up
Establishes and monitors repayment plans
Analyzes and prepares reconciliation between general ledgers and the accounts receivable subsidiaries - resolves and corrects any differences
Prepares reconciliation between accounts receivable and the automated system - resolves and corrects any differences
Prepares deposit reconciliations
Records and maintains deposit receipt log and submission
Processes expenditure transfers billing and deposits to/from the suspense account
Audits mail and documents and maintains log of transmissions
Prepares and submits locator requests
Audits and processes credit memos from vendors
Processes and maintains employee clearances
Teaches and trains on accounts receivable input into the automated system and maintaining accurate records
Performs work involving the collection, compilation and/or tracking of data and statistical information
Maintains and updates spreadsheets
Performs other duties as assigned 
***RELOCATION EXPENSES AND/OR INCENTIVES ARE NOT AUTHORIZED*** 

How to Apply

PLEASE NOTE: 

It is your responsibility to insure that all application materials are RECEIVED by 11:59 p.m. on the closing date of the announcement (Thursday, May 08, 2008) in order to be considered.  We cannot be responsible for incompatible software, illegible fax transmissions, interruptions in internet service, etc. 
You must submit a complete application package.  Failure to provide complete information may result in your not receiving consideration for this position.
You must submit your assessment questionnaire online (through Application Manager) or  on OPM Form 1203-FX (and faxed).  Do not send printouts of your Application Manager Questionnaire Answers.  If you fax your application and/or documentation, please keep a copy of your fax transmittal receipt for future verification, if necessary.
If you upload your documents using Application Manager, DO NOT FAX the same documents.  To verify that your uploaded documents have been processed, please wait one hour to ensure they have cleared the virus scann.  You can then verify that your uploaded documents are attached to your application by checking the "Details" tab of your Application Manager account (https://applicationmanager.org ) for this vacancy announcement.  Your documents will display under the "Details" tab in the Document area. 
You will not be contacted for additional information.  DO NOT contact our offices for verification of receipt or status reports - we do not provide this information.
Your application materials will not be returned.  Do not submit original documents that you may need in the future.
Your application must be completed on-line or faxed. This office does not accept applications by electronic mail (e-mail), regular mail, or in person. 

Applying for this position is as easy as 1, 2, 3...

Just by following three steps, you will submit a complete application package and receive consideration for this position.  Be sure to follow the steps carefully and complete all three.  Each step is described in detail below.

Your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire, (which may be completed electronically or on the OPM Form 1203FX and faxed), 
Your resume or OF-612  (which may be completed electronically, uploaded, or faxed), and
Other documents specified in this job announcement (which may be uploaded or faxed).

Use Application Manager for convenience and quickest processing.  Track your progress to a Complete Application Package using My Application Packages checklist and status displays in Application Manager.  Your Application Package status must be Complete by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, May 08, 2008.

STEP 1: 

Complete and submit the Assessment Questionnaire. The questionnaire must be completed and submitted in order to receive consideration for this position.

PLEASE NOTE:  We highly encourage you to complete the Assessment Questionnaire online as it is the most efficient way to process your responses.  Using paper application forms may delay the processing of your application.  If you are unable to complete the Assessment Questionnaire online, go to STEP 3 of this announcement and refer to the alternatives described under "Alternative Methods for Completing the Application Package" 

You must provide responses to all required questions. Be sure to double check your application before submission and click on "SUBMIT" when it is complete.  Your application is not transmitted to us until you submit it.

To complete your Assessment Questionnaire online, click the following link:

Online Questionnaire

or enter https://ApplicationManager.org  You can save your work and come back later.  To return to Application Manager at any time by simply going back to this web address. 

The Assessment Questionnaire must be completed and submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, May 08, 2008.

ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE

Social Security Number

Enter your Social Security Number in the space indicated.  Providing your Social Security Number is voluntary, however we cannot process your application without it.

Vacancy Identification Number

KL188511

 

1. Title of Job

Accounting Technician 

 

2. Biographic Data

3. E-Mail Address

Please enter your e-mail address in the space provided.  If you do not provide an e-mail address you may not receive a notice of your results. 

4. Work Information

If you are applying by the OPM Form 1203-FX, leave this section blank.

5. Employment Availability

If you are applying by the OPM Form 1203-FX, leave this section blank.

6. Citizenship

Are you a citizen of the United States?

7. Background Information

If you are applying by the OPM Form 1203-FX, leave this section blank.

8. Other Information

If you are applying by the OPM Form 1203-FX, leave this section blank.

9. Languages

If you are applying by the OPM Form 1203-FX, leave this section blank.

10. Lowest Grade

Enter the lowest grade (06) you will accept for this position.

06
11. Miscellaneous Information

If you are applying by the OPM Form 1203-FX, leave this section blank.

12. Special Knowledge

If you are applying by the OPM Form 1203-FX, leave this section blank.

13. Test Location

If you are applying by the OPM Form 1203-FX, leave this section blank.

14. Veteran Preference Claim

15. Dates of Active Duty - Military Service

16. Availability Date

If you are applying by the OPM Form 1203-FX, leave this section blank.

17. Service Computation Date

If you are applying by the OPM Form 1203-FX, leave this section blank.

18. Other Date Information

If you are applying by the OPM Form 1203-FX, leave this section blank.

19. Job Preference

If you are applying by the OPM Form 1203-FX, leave this section blank.

20. Occupational Specialties

The specialty code(s) for this position is (are):
001 Accounting Technician
21. Geographic Availability

The location code(s) for this position is (are):

 

0445 Houston, TX
22. Transition Assistance Plan

23. Job Related Experience

If you are applying by the OPM Form 1203-FX, leave this section blank.

24. Personal Background Information

If you are applying by the OPM Form 1203-FX, leave this section blank.

25. Occupational/Assessment Questions:

Select the appropriate answer to the following question based on your current level of experience that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position.

1. Do you possess one year of Specialized Experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 level?

Specialized Experience:  Working with accounts receivable; data gathering; accounting symbolization; ascertains the source of discrepancies in an automated system; data entry of accounts receivable information into an automated system; a variety of documents (i.e., public vouchers, debit vouchers; deposit tickets; field service receipts; bill of collection and journal vouchers); using various computer software (i.e., Microsoft Word, Excel) as well as automated accounting software; using financial, budget and accounting procedures; pertinent government accounting laws, regulations, policies and procedures; analysis and evaluation of accounting procedures in a healthcare business environment. 

A. Yes
B. No

For each of the following tasks, choose the statement from the list below that best describes your experience and/or training.  Please select only one letter for each item. 

A- I have not had education, training or experience in performing this task.
B- I have had education or training in performing the task, but have not yet performed it on the job.
C- I have performed this task on the job. My work on this task was monitored closely by a supervisor or senior employee to ensure compliance with proper procedures.
D- I have performed this task as a regular part of a job. I have performed it independently and normally without review by a supervisor or senior employee.
E- I am considered an expert in performing this task. I have supervised performance of this task or is normally the person who is consulted by other workers to assist them in doing this task because of my expertise.

2. Reads running balances.

3. Reads computer printouts dealing with receipts and disbursements in the maintenance of a large budget of over $50,000.00. 

4. Reads computer printouts dealing with cost, general ledger and accounts receivable.

5. Uses transactional codes to record accounting activity.

6. Posts and maintains computerized ledgers.

7. Prepares reports using basic/advanced functionality of all Microsoft Office applications.

8. Journalizes corrective actions for erroneous conditions.

9. Reviews and classifies accounting transactions.

10. Reconciles through the use of approved formulas and reports.

11. Prepares memos, emails or letters.

12. Communicates both orally and in writing with other employees.

13. Furnishes data for the preparation of management budget reports.

14. Communicates with a wide variety of individuals in order to obtain or provide information, to correct or prevent errors occurring in a transaction cycle.

15. Prepares written reports.

16. Maintains general ledger accounts.

17. Performs prescribed analyses of accounting data.

18. Develops or verifies accounting data for reports, statements and schedules.

19. Analyzes and classifies or records accounting transactions.

20. Works with accounting data to balance and reconcile general ledgers.

21. Performs account reconciliation.

22. Uses a calculator and keyboard for reconciliations and reports.

23. Participates in problem solving discussions to work out a problem/s in the work place. 

24. Interprets policies, procedures, directions, etc. and explains these to others in order to facilitate the work of a unit. 

25. Takes the lead in a group to get a job done.

26. Determines if a debt is non-healthcare and what type of non-healthcare debt in order to establish properly.

27. Identifies types of debt and processes claims for payment.

28. Established bills of collection within an automated system, processes follow-ups, processes waivers, decreases bills of collection.

29. Determines if interest and administrative fees are accurately charged or need to be adjusted off.

30. Processes requests for waiver approval/disapproval or appeals.

31. Offsets payroll deductions against employee debts.

32. Works with employees to develop and input repayment plans.

33. Differentiates between descriptions of employee debts, education, health benefits, erroneous travel payments and patient funds.

34. Examines, verifies and maintains financial accounts and accounting data for accounts receivables.

35. Reviews the daily accepted listing and reject reports from central accounting office for offsets, rejects, new bills established by central accounting office, cash receipts from cashier, payments and refunds.

36. Determines applicability to situations not specifically covered and adapts or deviates from the situations not specifically covered.

37. Reviews computer generated follow up listing.

38. Audits and records Bills of Collection in the automated system.

39. Develops approaches and detailed work methods to complete assignments.

40. Resolves vendor inquiries received in a timely manner.

41. Examines, verifies and maintains financial accounts and accounting data.

42. Responsible for the maintenance, auditing and reconciliation of various transactions.

You must now complete and submit additional application materials (by Thursday, May 08, 2008) as required by this vacancy announcement via uploading or faxing this information.  To fax application materials, refer to the instructions in Alternative Methods for Completing the Application Package after Step 3 of this vacancy announcement. 

STEP 2: 

Submit your choice of a Resume or an OF-612 - Optional Application for Federal Employment available at www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/of612.pdf .  We must receive a complete resume or OF 612 in order to determine your qualifications for this position.

Your RESUME must include the following information:

Vacancy Information: Announcement Number (KL188511), Position Title (Accounting Technician), and grade (06/06);
Personal Information:
Your full legal name and mailing address
Day and Evening telephone numbers including area code
Country of citizenship
Social Security number
Work experience (NOTE:  You must include the following information in order to receive credit for your experience):
Name and address of employer
Your job title
The beginning and ending month and year of your employment
The average hours worked per week.  Full-time work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week.  Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities.  Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the number of hours a week spent in such employment
Your supervisor's name and phone number (indicate if we may call your supervisor);
A description of your duties that is sufficiently detailed to document the level of your experience.  If the position is (was) with the Federal government (military or civilian), state the series and grade or pay grade (rank) and the date of last promotion
Education:  Name, location, and dates of attendance for colleges attended (if required). Type and date of degree received (if any);
Other:  Training, license(s), or certification(s) relevant to the position

Do not submit letters of recommendation, performance appraisals, position descriptions, examples of your work, etc.  This additional information will not be forwarded to the hiring facility.

STEP 3: 

Submit other required application materials, as applicable.

- If you are using education to qualify, you must submit copies of college transcripts or a course listing that identifies for each course completed: the college or university, semester or quarter hours earned, grade, and grade-point average received.

- If you are applying for Veterans’ Preference, you must submit evidence of eligibility, such as: DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), or Standard Form 15 (Application for 10-Point Veterans’ Preference version dated December 2004), and the proof requested on the form.   For Access to DD214 and military records click on this link -  Military Information.  To print a copy of the SF15 go to www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/sf15.pdf . 

Submitting Documents

If you upload your documents using Application Manager, DO NOT FAX the same documents. To verify uploaded documents have been processed, please wait one hour to ensure they have cleared the virus scan. You can verify that your uploaded documents are attached to your application by checking the "Details" tab of your Application Manager account https://applicationmanager.org for this vacancy announcement. Your documents will display under the "Details" tab in the Document area.

 

Faxed documents will take 2-3 business days to process. To fax documents, you MUST use the special cover page. Print the pre-populated cover page on the upload documents screen of Application Manager. Or, you may click this link http://staffing.opm.gov/pdf/usascover.pdf to print a blank copy of the cover page. When faxing documents, follow the procedures outlined below.  

 

Include the 8-character Vacancy Identification Number KL188511
Provide your Social Security Number and full name in the spaces provided or we will not be able to associate your document(s) with the rest of your application.
You may submit multiple documents for the same vacancy announcement using one cover page.
Fax your cover page and documents to 1-478-757-3144.

 

Faxed documents submitted with missing information will not be processed. The following will prevent your documents from being processed: 

 

Not using the special cover page mentioned above.
Missing, incomplete, or invalid Vacancy Identification Number
Missing or incomplete Social Security Number or name

 

Note: If you have documents in your Application Manager account from a previous vacancy announcement they can be opened, copied and saved then reused as an upload file for this vacancy. Uploading your documents will speed the processing of your application for this announcement.

  

Be sure to complete all THREE STEPS of the application process described above in order to submit a complete application package and receive consideration for this position. 

 

ALTERNATIVE METHODS FOR COMPLETING THE APPLICATION PACKAGE

To Complete the Assessment Questionnaire manually, you will need a copy of the answer sheet, referred to as the Occupational Questionnaire - OPM Form 1203-FX which can be obtained electronically at

http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/opm1203fx.pdf ;

or by calling USAJOBS at 703-724-1850; follow the instructions given;

or by visiting the Human Resources Management Service of the VA Medical Center at the duty location. 

You will also need a copy of the vacancy announcement to use as a guide in answering the questions.  You must provide responses to all required questions. Some questions may request an additional written response to support your answer, such as "Please explain or provide additional information to support your response to the above question."  When additional information is requested, please provide your answer(s) on a separate sheet of paper with the corresponding questionnaire number indicated, and type or print your answers legibly.  You may omit any sections marked “optional” and be sure to double check your application before submission.  NOTE:  The Questionnaire answer sheet is six pages long -- all six pages MUST be submitted even when the number of questions does not exceed page 5.  In this case, please complete the top of Page 6 with your social security number and the vacancy ID number. 

You may submit the Form 1203-FX, resume and any supporting documents by fax.

If you are faxing a Form 1203-FX, do not use a separate cover sheet.  Simply make sure the Form 1203-FX is on top of any other documents you are faxing.

If you are faxing any documents without the Form 1203-FX on top, you MUST use the special cover page.  Print the pre-populated cover page on the upload documents screen of Application Manager, or you may click this link ( http://staffing.opm.gov/pdf/usascover.pdf ) to print a blank copy of the cover page.  When faxing documents, follow the procedures outlined below: 

Include the 8-character Vacancy Identification Number KL188511
Provide your Social Security Number and full name in the spaces provided or we will not be able to associate your document(s) with the rest of your application.
You may submit multiple documents for the same vacancy announcement using one cover page.

Fax your cover page and documents to 1-478-757-3144. 

Be sure to fill it out completely and clearly.  Place your documents in the following order: US Government Application Cover Page;  Resume or OF 612 (Application for Employment); Other required application materials.

The fax number is 1-478-757-3144.  Feed all documents into your fax machine top first so that we receive them right-side up.  If you fax your documents using any other cover sheet, you may not receive consideration.

Mailed, e-mailed or hand delivered applications will not be accepted.  If you are unable to upload your documents after completing the Occupational Questionnaire online, you may FAX your documents (resume, transcripts, etc.) as instructed above.

Required Documents:

All of the government forms mentioned in the above statements can be downloaded from the following web address:  www.opm.gov/forms or obtained at the Human Resources Management Office of the duty station.

Contact Information:
VHA Nationwide DEU-LIT

Phone: (501)257-4134

Email: cavhs.deu@va.gov


Or write:
VHA DEU Little Rock
PLEASE DO NOT MAIL APPLICATIONS
APPLY ONLINE OR FAX ONLY
Thank You, AR 00000


What To Expect Next:

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire.  The questionnaire is designed to capture the desired knowledge, skills, and abilities for this position.  The evaluation you receive is based on your responses to the questionnaire and is a measure of the degree to which your background matches the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of this position.

If your application does not support your responses to the questionnaire, or if you are not able to provide verifying documentation, it may affect your evaluation or result in your name being removed from further consideration.

If you are eligible for veterans' preference, you will be given preference based on the documentation you submit.  Please see the "Veterans Information" section of this announcement for details.

This office will not contact you to discuss missing or illegible documents. 

Once your qualifications have been evaluated, your application will be assigned a numeric score.  Candidates will be ranked in score order with appropriate points added for veterans' preference. 

An ELECTRONIC NOTIFICATION LETTER will be sent to applicants who provide an e-mail address.  If you do not provide an e-mail address, you will receive a notification letter via the U.S. Postal Service.  Normal processing time is 4 - 6 weeks.  This office is responsible for initial evaluation ONLY.  Facilities are responsible for contacting eligible applicants thereafter.