Transportation Finance Specialist (Direct Hire)
About This Position
This position is in the Central Federal Lands Highway Division (CFLHD) within the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Department of Transportation (DOT). The employee serves as a Transportation Financial Specialist with the responsibility for monitoring, coordinating and maintaining activities within the financial section. This includes monitoring, tracking and reconciling funds, preparation of financial reports and developing solutions to complex operating problems.
Qualifications
To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet either the education or experience qualifications for the grade at which you are requesting consideration. To qualify for the GS-11 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-09 it must include: Experience interpreting laws, regulations, policies, procedures, guidelines, and other technical material related to financial programs. Experience using program review and evaluating techniques to provide assistance with studies and analyses of financial management problems and financial management systems.
Experience applying generally accepted accounting principles, processes and practices
in addition to applicable laws, procedures, and guidance involved in financial management issues. To qualify for the GS-11 on Education alone, you must have 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree OR Ph.D.
OR
equivalent doctoral degree. You can also qualify based on a combination of higher level graduate education and experience. This must be fully supported by your resume and transcripts, provided with your application.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas: Budget Administration - Knowledge of the principles and practices of budget administration and analysis; including preparing, justifying, reporting on, and executing the budget; and the relationships among program, budget, accounting, and reporting systems. Principles of Finance - Knowledge of the basic principles, practices, and methods of financial management to include requisitions, apportionments, allotments, investments, fiscal management, activity reporting, and fiscal year guidelines. Knowledge of financial management practices and procedures.
Communication - Writes in Communication clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience. Computer Skills - Computer Skills Ability to use operating systems. For all types of consideration, experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social).
Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.
You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Major Duties
As a Transportation Finance Specialist, you will: Assist in management with payroll processing, travel reviews, government purchase card monitoring, inactive project reviews, reclassification of expenses and other special projects related to finance. Collect, review, and analyze financial data from the official accounting system. Prepare various financial reports, analyses and other technical materials for review by the Financial Manager and other CFL Leadership.
Advise the Financial Manager of any unusual or complex issues and provides recommendations, viable options and/or solutions. Establish, monitor, and reconcile budgets for various phases of the project lifespan in order to assure funds are available for their intended purposes as well as executed correctly to facilitate timely project and contract closeouts. Investigate, research and analyze history of obligations, payments, contract modifications, reimbursable agreements and invoices.
The ideal candidate will possess knowledge of various accounting theories and other financial regulations, practices, and procedures. Ideally, the successful candidate will possess skill in analyzing the history of obligations payments, contract modifications, reimbursable agreements, and invoices to ensure appropriate financial records are correct and to develop necessary changes to internal procedures when necessary. In addition, the ideal candidate's success in communication skills, both orally and in writing, will contribute to the exchange of information, plan and coordinate work, and obtain cooperation in acceptance and subsequent implementation of recommendations.
The ideal candidate for this position is a highly motivated person who is looking to expand their knowledge and experience in governmental finance, budgets, and financial systems.
Conditions of Employment
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance the organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service. GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: This position involves travel. A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: You may be required to complete a background/security investigation and meet preliminary requirements prior to onboarding. PCS/RELOCATION/RECRUITMENT: Permanent Change of Station (PCS), Relocation, and Recruitment Incentive authorization varies by position/selection and a service agreement may be required. PROBATIONARY PERIOD: Applicants may be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
How You Will Be Evaluated
For this announcement, applications will be reviewed to determine if the applicant meets the basic qualifications for this position. The applications of individuals who meet the basic qualifications will be assessed to validate that the applicant possesses the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) at the level of proficiency needed to perform the job successfully. Applicants who are found to possess the necessary KSAs to perform the job may be referred to the selecting official for further consideration.
This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.
You may preview questions for this vacancy.
Additional Information
The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act.
Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Transportation by email at, [email protected]. To learn more, please visit our page at: The Fair Chance to Compete Act | US Department of Transportation
How to Apply
You must submit a complete application package (including resume, vacancy questions and supporting documents) no later than 11:59 pm (EST) on the closing date of the announcement. To begin, click the "Apply Online" button on the job announcement posting.
Follow the directions to register, submit all required documents and complete the assessment questionnaire.
You may review your saved application(s) at https://help.usajobs.gov/ If you are having difficulty applying online, please contact the DOT Automated Staffing Office via email at: [email protected]
Required Documents
RESUME: In accordance with the OPM memorandum titled Merit Hiring Plan, dated May 29, 2025, resumes with a maximum of two (2) pages in length will be accepted as part of your application. These should be legible and in a readable font size. A determination of your eligibility and/or qualifications will be based only on those two (2) pages.
Your resume MUST contain specific information that can be used to make a qualification determination, including employment beginning and ending dates for each position, whether employment is Full-time or Part-time, or average number of hours worked per week, and position titles. If the position is/was in the Federal government, you will need to provide the position series and grade level. The resume should show relevant experience and education, as well as support the required specialized experience.
For assistance with the resume builder, please visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to TRANSCRIPTS are REQUIRED if there is a stated education requirement for the series OR if you are substituting education for experience. The transcripts need not be official, but must show that you meet the stated education requirements, including specific major or class requirements. DISPLACED EMPLOYEES: If requesting consideration under the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency CTAP program (ICTAP), you must meet the standards for this vacancy and provide all of the following documents: your most recent performance appraisal, the proof of eligibility letter from the Agency, and your most current SF-50, displaying current series and grade.
Qualified CTAP/ICTAP candidates receive priority and will be referred to the hiring manager. For more information, please review the OPM Employee's Guide to Career Transition. Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing date of the vacancy will result in your removal from consideration for this position.
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