OTI Financial Management Assistant/Specialist – Washington, DC (GS-9/11/12)

The OTI Financial Management Assistant/Specialist is a full-time Personal Services Contract (PSC) position at the GS-9/11/12 equivalent level and located in Washington, DC. Offers for this position are due no later than August 31, 2022 at 1:00pm 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 Assistant/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 Assistant/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 Assistant/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 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 “Financial Management Assistant” 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;
• Maintain the CPS/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 CPS/OTI’s budget and finance database;
• Maintain continuous liaison and effective working relationships with all OTI teams, particularly OTI’s Program Office, Workforce Planning, and Contracts Teams;
• Maintain continuous liaison and effective working relationships with Agency counterparts such as the Conflict Prevention and Stabilization (CPS) Bureau Controller, Policy and Program Coordination, Office of Acquisition and Assistance, Office of Financial Management, 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 CPS/OTI budget and finance activities supporting transition programs;
• Prepare Acquisition and Assistance Requests and support documentation for the management and administration of procurement in support of OTI country program activities. Process USPSC contract actions in the agency’s Global Acquisition and Assistance System (GLAAS), monitor funding levels, and review contract budgets and modifications;
• 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; and,
• Serve on temporary details within OTI, other USAID bureaus/offices, or other USG agencies under this scope of work for a period not to exceed six (6) months. Duties performed while on detail must be directly related to the scope of work. Contracting Officer (CO) approval is required for the temporary detail. Any extension past the six (6) months requires CO approval.

At the GS-11 “Financial Management Specialist” 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 $90 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 CPS 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 proposals 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 all OTI teams, particularly OTI’s Program Office, Workforce Planning, and Contracts Teams;
• Perform Section 1311 Review of Unliquidated Obligations for all years, e.g., contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, inter-agency agreements, International Cooperative Administrative Support Services (ICASS), CNs and MOUs. Ensure that required documentation supports the analysis and determination. Work with FM and CPS/PPM to help ensure that program funds deobligated are immediately reprogrammed and available for other program priorities;
• Prepare Acquisition and Assistance Requests and support documentation for the management and administration of procurement in support of OTI country program activities. Process USPSC contract actions in the agency’s Global Acquisition and Assistance System (GLAAS), monitor funding levels, and review contract budgets and modifications;
• 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; and,
• Serve on temporary details within OTI, other USAID bureaus/offices, or other USG agencies under this scope of work for a period not to exceed six (6) months. Duties performed while on detail must be directly related to the scope of work. Contracting Officer (CO) approval is required for the temporary detail. Any extension past the six (6) months requires CO approval.

At the GS-12 “Financial Management Specialist” 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 CPS 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 proposals 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 all OTI teams, particularly OTI’s Program Office, Workforce Planning, and Contracts Teams;
• Perform Section 1311 Review of Unliquidated Obligations for all years, e.g., contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, inter-agency agreements, International Cooperative Administrative Support Services (ICASS), CNs and MOUs. Work with FM and CPS/PPM to help ensure that program funds deobligated 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. Provide reports, advice, guidance, instructions and training to OTI staff, including funded procurement actions;
• Serve as Acting Team Leader for the OTI Finance Team in their absence;
• Prepare Acquisition and Assistance Requests and support documentation for the Prepare Acquisition and Assistance Requests and support documentation for the management and administration of procurement in support of OTI country program activities. Process USPSC contract actions in the agency’s Global Acquisition and Assistance System (GLAAS), monitor funding levels, and review contract budgets and modifications;
• 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;
• 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; and,
• Serve on temporary details within OTI, other USAID bureaus/offices, or other USG agencies under this scope of work for a period not to exceed six (6) months. Duties performed while on detail must be directly related to the scope of work. Contracting Officer (CO) approval is required for the temporary detail. Any extension past the six (6) months requires CO approval.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

At the GS-9 level:

(1) A Master’s Degree with two (2) years of work experience;

OR

A Bachelor’s Degree with three (3) years of work experience;

OR

An Associate’s Degree with four (4) years of work experience;

OR

A High School Diploma/Equivalent with five (5) years of work experience;

AND

(2) Demonstrated experience developing and maintaining financial management and/or information systems;

(3) Demonstrated experience with U.S. Government rules and regulations pertaining to budget and/or financial resources.

At the GS-11 level:

(1) A Master’s Degree with three (3) years of work experience;

OR

A Bachelor’s Degree with four (4) years of work experience;

OR

An Associate’s Degree with five (5) years of work experience;

OR

A High School Diploma/Equivalent with six (6) years of work experience;

AND

(2) One (1) year of experience developing and maintaining financial management and/or information systems;

(3) Demonstrated experience with rules and regulations pertaining to budget and/or financial resources.

At the GS-12 level:

(1) A Master’s Degree with four (4) years of work experience;

OR

A Bachelor’s Degree with five (5) years of work experience;

OR

An Associate’s Degree with six (6) years of work experience;

OR

A High School Diploma/Equivalent with five (7) years of work experience;

AND

(2) Two (2) years of experience developing and maintaining financial management and/or information systems;

(3) Demonstrated experience with rules and regulations pertaining to budget and/or financial resources.

Please direct questions about this position or the offer process to the OTI Recruitment Team at [email protected].