Accountant (IS-0510-13)

Application Deadline: 26 March 2025

Department: Office of Finance & Accounting

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Washington, DC

Reporting To: Accounting Supervisory

Compensation: $120,579 - $156,755 / year

Description

OPEN DATE: March 12, 2025                   CLOSING DATE: March 26, 2025       POSITION TYPE: Trust FundAPPOINTMENT TYPE: Indefinite    SCHEDULE: Full Time DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC 
Position sensitivity and risk: Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Open to all Qualified Applicants

What are Trust Fund Positions?Trust Fund positions are unique to the Smithsonian. They are paid for from a variety of sources, including the Smithsonian endowment, revenue from our business activities, donations, grants and contracts. Trust employees are not part of the civil service, nor does trust fund employment lead to Federal status. The salary ranges for trust positions are generally the same as for federal positions and in many cases trust and federal employees work side by side. Trust employees have their own benefit program, which may include Health, Dental & Vision Insurance, Life Insurance, Transit/Commuter Benefits, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, Annual and Sick Leave, Family Friendly Leave, 403b Retirement Plan, Discounts for Smithsonian Memberships, Museum Stores and Restaurants, Credit Union, Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center (Child Care), Flexible Spending Account (Health & Dependent Care).  Conditions of Employment

• Pass Pre-employment Background Check and Subsequent Background Investigation for position designated.
• Complete a Probationary Period.
• Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer.
• The position is open to all candidates eligible to work in the United States.  Proof of eligibility to work in U.S. is not required to apply.
• Applicants must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 

OVERVIEW

This position is located organizationally in General Accounting and Reporting (GAR), Office of Finance and Accounting (OF&A), Under Secretary for Administration, Smithsonian Institution (SI). SI is a diverse museum and research complex dedicated to the increase and diffusion of knowledge. OF&A is responsible for the management and integrity of SI’s: - financial assets - financial operations - financial reporting - financial records - financial policies and procedures - central accounting and financial services The GAR team is primarily responsible for accounting activities among SI central offices, such as the Smithsonian Facilities, Office of Advancement and Office of Investments. This position: - advises on accounting matters - analyzes and resolves complex problems - prepares specialized accounting data, records, reports and procedures - operates and inspects accounting systems - supports internal and external audit processes - develops and trains individuals in areas of expertise 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Account Analysis & Reconciliation

• Prepares assigned schedules for interim and final audit cycles, reviews for consistency with prior years, and analyzes anomalies.
• Prepares, analyzes, interprets, and presents accounting data and resolves complex and controversial accounting problems.
• Analyzes a variety of unique financial transactions and statements for propriety and/or budgetary accounts and determines potential impact on funding sources or the financial position of the Smithsonian or a specific Unit.
• Prepares fund balance reconciliations that agree with U.S. Treasury, identifies causes for differences, and implements corrective action.
• Reviews and evaluates proposed Inter-agency agreements, ensures proper set-up within the financial systems, and ensures that lAAs are closed out.
• Develops journal entries to reflect complex and/or unusual transactions related to endowments, fixed assets, investments, federal budgetary and proprietary, debt, cash, business activities, etc.
• Prepares reconciliations of assigned sub-ledger systems to general ledger and executes corrective actions for reconciling differences.
• Reviews and approves reconciliations on assigned accounts and ensures clearing of reconciling items taking into consideration interdependencies between functions and processes.

Financial Reporting

• Prepares financial statements or portions of