Budget Analyst

JOB SUMMARY: The Natural Resources Conservation Services provides leadership in a partnership effort to help conserve, maintain, and improve our natural resources and environment.  http://www.nrcs.usda.gov This is a Status Vacancy announcement, only those with Status, special hiring eligibility, to include non-competitive eligibility can apply through this advertisement. Only one vacancy is being filled.

Relocation Expenses are not authorized.

Position is located in the State Office in Colchester, Vermont and is under the direct supervision of the State administrative officer (SAO).

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• U.S. Citizenship Required
• Valid State Issued Vehicle Operators License Required

DUTIES:Back to top Duties include: Providing assistance in a variety of accounting and budget duties relating to preparation, quarterly revision, and monitoring reports of the state budget. Work includes inputting, updating, generating and correcting budget and accounting documents.  Assists in the completion of other fiscal and financial operations. Plans, organizes and coordinates the day-to-day reimbursable activities for the Financial Management Section.  Initiates such procedural changes as necessary to insure accuracy and timely completion of operations. Assists with budget activities related to reimbursable obligations, preparing budget reports, bills of collection and other special financial data.  Sets up budget elements and monitors status of earnings.  Prepares billings for collection of refunds and reimbursables.  Works with program managers and assistant state conservationists to ensure that reimbursables are earned. Requests and obtains reports in order to analyze reimbursement disbursements and obligations to prepare month-end and year-end accruals. Assists with quarterly and year end obligation reviews and closeout procedures.  Assists SAO with preparation of quarterly and year end accruals. Assists with maintenance of Financial Management Section files, handbooks and reports. Serves as backup State Federal Agency Travel Administrator (FATA) for electronic travel system, GovTrip.  Assists the State FATA with GovTrip Maintenance Activities.  Serves as a GovTrip Reviewer and Travel Preparer for processing travel authorizations and travel vouchers.  Provides assistance to other GovTrip Reviewers and Travel Preparers as necessary. Develops relocation authorizations from data received from Budget Officer.  Reviews relocation vouchers for correctness and monitors relocation authorization balances. Serves as backup State POI Coordinator and back up Timekeeper.  Clears timekeeping errors. Serves as an appointed agency Certifying Officer.  Incumbent is delegated limited authority to authorize payments from agency funds.  Incumbent seeks guidance from Budget Officer with questions regarding payments.  Payment authorizations are subject only to GAO post audit review.  Incumbent is held personally liable to the Government for wrongful payments and may seek independent advance payment decisions from the Comptroller General. Serves as point of contact for staff certifying officers for support on issues related to certification of payments generated through Protracts.  Examines various invoices for correctness and submits invoices for payment. The incumbent is responsible for actively supporting the CR/EEO program and communicating this support to others.  The incumbent insures equality of opportunity when performing all duties and responsibilities described in major duties.  This includes the obligation to contact, cooperate with and provide sources to individuals and groups and the public without regard to race, religion, sex, or national origin. Required to operate a motor vehicle incident in carrying out assigned duties.  A valid state driver’s is required. Performs other duties as assigned. QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:Back to top To Qualify at the GS-07:  Applicant must have:
At least one year of specialized experience at least equivalent to GS-5 which is in or directly related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.
SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE: The experience requirement may be met by successful completion of one full academic year of graduate level education or law school OR successfully meeting the requirements of the Superior Academic Achievement provisions.
COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed education and experience may be used to meet the experience requirements.
To Qualify at the GS-09:  Applicant must have:
At  least one year of work experience equivalent to the GS-07 level that involved formulating budget estimates and comparing projected costs for selected line items with prior year expenditures; or checking and monitoring the rate and amount of obligations and expenditures for assigned line items and work units; or consolidating budgetary data from forms or worksheets and entering data in proper format on similar budget schedules; or researching legal and regulatory material to obtain factual information and/or interpretations for use by others; or explaining and summarizing the reasons for changes in funding needs or expenditures for specific line items and conveying information to managers; or screening and making recommendations on budget execution documents on the basis of availability of funds and compliance with regulatory requirements.
Or
A Masters or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a degree from an accredited college or university.
Or
A combination of education from an accredited college or university and experience, which include graduate level education and specialized experience (as shown in A above) when added together are equivalent to 1 year of specialized experience.The experience described in your resume will be evaluated and screened for the Office of Personnel Managements basic qualifications requirements, and the skills needed to perform the duties of this position as described in this vacancy announcement. Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must meet the Time in Grade Restriction.
Credit will be given for appropriate qualifying unpaid experience or volunteer work such as community, cultural, social service, and professional association activities on the same basis as for unpaid experience.  To receive proper credit for unpaid experience or volunteer work, fully describe your responsibilities and show the actual time (years, months, and hours per week) spent in such activities. Time In Grade: Merit Promotion ("Status") candidates must have completed at least 52 weeks of service equivalent to the next lower grade. HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED: Once the application process is complete and the job announcement closes, a review of your application will be made to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the occupational questionnaire. The numeric rating you receive is based on your responses to the questionnaire. The score is a measure of the degree to which your background matches the knowledge, skills and abilities required of this position.  If, after reviewing your resume and or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience your score can and will be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating.VETERANS PREFERENCE: Veterans eligible under VEOA and those eligible under the Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA) are eligible for consideration under this announcement.  Please visit: http://www.usajobs.gov/ei4.asp for further guidance.  Applicants must submit DD Form 214, VA Disability Rating Letter and other documents necessary to support Veteran Status. 
Peace Corp/VISTA:  Applicants within 1 year after release from Peace Corp/VISTA may be eligible and must submit the necessary Statement Of Service which will include a statement on eligibility to apply for federal jobs for 1 year as a "Status" applicant.
Please note: If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than is supported by your description of experience and/or education OR that your application is incomplete, your application will be unrated with an explanation that the narrative does not support the self-report. Your application will receive no further consideration for this announcement.
Country: USA, State: Vermont, City: Colchester, Company: Natural Resources Conservation Service.