Accountant; U.S. Citizens and Federal

• Department: Department of Transportation
• Location: Washington, District of Columbia

Join the Maritime Administration's Office of Financial Policy and Compliance as a strategic accounting leader responsible for improving financial management, strengthening internal controls, and advising senior leadership on initiatives that support sound financial stewardship and organizational performance.

The Accountant:
Leads financial management improvement initiatives by evaluating accounting operations, financial reporting, reconciliations, internal controls, and business processes to improve efficiency, effectiveness, compliance, and financial accountability. Analyzes complex financial, operational, and organizational performance data to identify trends, evaluate risks, and develop recommendations that support executive decision-making and strategic priorities.

Advises senior leadership on financial management policies, accounting standards, internal controls, and business process improvements to strengthen organizational performance and ensure compliance with applicable requirements. Collaborates with cross-functional stakeholders to implement financial management improvements, business transformation initiatives, and corrective actions that enhance financial operations and internal controls.

Prepares executive briefings, reports, analyses, and policy recommendations that communicate complex financial information and support informed management decisions. The ideal candidate for this position is a collaborative financial management professional who enjoys solving complex problems, improving business processes, and influencing organizational change.

They combine strong accounting expertise with sound judgment, communicate effectively with senior leaders, and develop practical solutions that strengthen financial management, internal controls, compliance, and organizational performance.

A. Degree:
Accounting; 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. (The term "accounting" means "accounting and/or auditing" in this standard. Similarly, "accountant" should be interpreted, generally, as "accountant and/or auditor.")

OR

B.

Combination of education and experience:
At least 4 years of experience in accounting, or an equivalent combination of accounting experience, college-level education, and training that provided professional accounting knowledge. The applicant's background must also include one of the following:
1. Twenty-four semester hours in accounting or auditing courses of appropriate type and quality. This can include up to 6 hours of business law; 2.

A certificate as Certified Public Accountant or a Certified Internal Auditor, obtained through written examination; OR 3.

Completion of the requirements for a degree that included substantial course work in accounting or auditing, e.g., 15 semester hours, but that does not fully satisfy the 24-semester-hour requirement of paragraph A, provided that (a) the applicant has successfully worked at the full-performance level in accounting, auditing, or a related field, e.g., valuation engineering or financial institution examining; (b) a panel of at least two higher level professional accountants or auditors has determined that the applicant has demonstrated a good knowledge of accounting and of related and underlying fields that equals in breadth, depth, currency, and level of advancement that which is normally associated with successful completion of the 4-year…