Financial Specialist

Summary

The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo. The National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) is a major bureau of the Smithsonian Institution that is responsible for the acquisition, curation, and preservation of collections of objects and specimens of natural history, which tells the history of the planet and a record of human interaction with the environment and one another.

Duties

• The Financial Management Specialist will provide a variety of financial and procurement management services in support of unit functions, with assisted supervision. This work encompasses financial management, budget administration, procurement, property, and other assigned management functions. In this position, you will: Establish and maintain accountability records for funds control. Review expenditures throughout the fiscal year detecting common variations and trends; run reports comparing initial estimates to budget actuals. Collaborate with senior staff and Contract Officer's Representatives (CORs) to gather procurement package documents; contacts vendors for bids; verify fund availability. Review basic contracts, purchase orders, and Statements of Work (SOWs) to ensure scope, deliverables, and payment terms are accurate; process invoices confirming goods or services were received; determine proper amounts due and submit for payment; respond to vendor payment inquiries. Assist staff in understanding government travel regulations and the SI travel system; review and certify travel authorizations, travel vouchers, and local vouchers. Assist the Accountable Property Officer (APO) with preparing documents for equipment accession and transfer; and participate in annual and periodic physical inventories.

Qualifications

Experience: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 level in the Federal Service. For this position, specialized experience is defined as preparing financial reports and budget analyses; supporting federal procurement activities; applying federal financial management regulations such as: (FAR-Federal Acquisition Regulations, FTR-Federal Travel Regulations, or 0MB Circulars-Office of Management and Budget Circulars); and using Microsoft Excel to analyze and report financial data. Your resume must be no more than two (2) pages and should clearly demonstrate how your experience aligns with the responsibilities and specialized experience required for this position. Do not copy language directly from the vacancy announcement, as you will be deemed ineligible for consideration. Instead, provide detailed, descriptive information about your actual experience. 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. Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week. Or Education: Two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's or equivalent degree related to the position may be substituted to meet the experience requirements. Or a Combination: Education and experience may be combined to meet the basic qualifications. For a full explanation of this option please see the Qualification Standards. Special Instructions for Foreign Education: If you are qualifying by education and/or you have education completed in a foreign college/university described above, it is your responsibility to provide transcripts and proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study. For instructions on where to fax these documents, see the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment Qualification requirements, including one year time-in-grade at the next lower grade level for promotion candidates, must be met within 30 days of the job announcement closing date. See the 'Required Documents' section for additional information. For information on qualification requirements, see Qualification Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions viewable on OPM Website.

Education

None

How to apply

Click on the "Apply Online" button on the upper right side of the page. Please Note: You must apply for this position online through the 'Apply Online' button and submit required supplemental documents (if they are relevant to you). Your resume must be no more than two (2) pages. You may submit required documents by uploading them online during the application process. The complete application package, including any required documents, is due in the Smithsonian Office of Human Resources on the closing date of the announcement by 11:59 PM Eastern Time. If you are unable to apply online, paper applications may be accepted with prior approval of the Contact Person listed below.