Financial Manager (Chief Financial Officer)

Summary

This position serves as the Financial Manager and principal technical advisor to the Associate Director, with full delegated authority and responsibility for executing all resource and program initiatives. The incumbent provides overall management of the financial affairs of the organization, translating past and proposed actions into meaningful and relevant information for use in management process at the highest level and across the health care system.

Duties

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The Financial Manager, GS-0505-14, has responsibility for direction of Fiscal Service, which includes the functions of budgeting, accounting, reporting, analysis and interpretation of the financial significance of past events and future plans. Fiscal Service work units includes: Accounting, Budget and Agent Cashier (Fiscal) Section, and Managerial Cost Accounting (Formerly Decision Support System) covering management of financial, manpower, and internal control programs through coordination and correlation of the functions into an effective and broad system, as an integral part of the financial control of a complex healthcare organization.

Duties for the position include but are not limited to:

• Provides top management, as well as all secondary levels of management, with staff advice and assistance in comptroller, manpower, and internal controls matters.
• Consults with management and advises subordinate activities on major program activities, objectives and goals, priorities, identification of needs, resolution of problem areas, and other matters to assure optimum management of the HCS resources within the framework of legislative, VA and VACO requirements, policies, procedures, and guidance.
• Plans, reviews, and analyzes all programs to include supplies, facilities, and services.
• Provides an effective system of financial control throughout the HCS.
• Develop new, unique, and innovative methods to deal with a wide range of problems.
• Assures consistency in the interpretation and application of financial management regulations and procedures throughout the VASNHCS.
• Conducts and monitors studies designed to achieve the most effective and economical staffing and utilization of resources.
• Evaluates the financial, manpower, and financial systems programs through analysis of program reports, inspection reports, etc.
• Identifies program strengths and weaknesses, determines causes of deficiencies arid resolves problems in coordination with activities concerned.
• Coordinates with representatives of VA, and other federal government agencies for the purpose of obtaining and rendering information.
• Represents the VASNHCS at conferences and meetings with officials from VA and other governmental agencies.
• Presents the HCS' position, objectives, policies, and needs. Negotiates agreements designed to be responsive to these needs.
• Evaluates the financial policies, plans, programs, operations, and methods of communication to assure that management decisions include appropriate consideration of their impact on resources.
• Utilizes accounting and funds control systems to maintain proper financial balance and to ensure that management obtains maximum benefit from financial resources without sacrificing efficiency or violating rules or regulations.
• Responsible for examining and reporting upon work progress and program accomplishment in financial terms.
• First line supervisor for all directorate employees.
• Plans and assigns work to subordinates.
• Develops performance standards and evaluates performance.
• Interviews and selects candidates for positions, hears and resolves complaints and effects discipline as necessary.
• Identifies training needs for assigned staff.
• Assigns overall objectives and functional responsibilities to subordinates.
• Provides continuity in directing the Resource Management programs and serves in full capacity as Resource Advisor to the Associate Director.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 7:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Financial Manager (Chief Financial Officer)/PD04823-0

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. This position requires the application, assessment, and questionnaire to be fully completed. The assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial 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 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 or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/02/2026.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-14 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-13. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.

Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

You may qualify based on your experience as described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-13 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. This specialized experience must demonstrate the following:
  
  • Demonstrated Leadership and Financial Management Expertise: Experience overseeing and leading multidisciplinary financial management teams, applying advanced management techniques, methodologies, and VHA/VA financial policies to accomplish program objectives in complex healthcare or government environments. This includes technical and administrative oversight of budget formulation, execution, funds control, cost analysis, and performance reporting for a medical center or equivalent business unit.
  • Resource Management and Program Oversight: Experience as a financial project/program manager, team lead, or senior financial analyst, where you have managed and allocated resources, developed financial plans, provided technical direction, and ensured compliance with statutory, regulatory, and VA requirements. Responsibilities include mentoring staff, delivering guidance and training, and coordinating the efforts of subordinate personnel in support of organizational goals.
  • Interpretation and Application of Regulations and Guidance: Proficient in interpreting and applying federal financial management regulations, OMB circulars, fiscal law, and VA-specific fiscal directives to oversee the planning, development, and implementation of operational and strategic financial programs. This includes developing internal controls, providing subject matter expertise during audits, and recommending process improvements.
  • Effective Communication and Stakeholder Engagement: Skilled in using advanced communication techniques to interact diplomatically with a diverse array of stakeholders including executive leadership, clinical and administrative staff, external auditors, Congressional liaisons, and external partners. Experience preparing and delivering comprehensive financial briefings, reports, and recommendations to facilitate data-driven decision making.
  • Supervisory and Advisory Responsibilities: Proven ability to provide technical and administrative guidance to subordinate staff, offering advice, counsel, and instruction on both financial operations and broader administrative matters. This includes directing teams responsible for the development, execution, evaluation, and continuous improvement of financial and business operations essential to VHA program success.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

• Conflict Management
• Influencing/Negotiating
• Manages Resources
• Partnering
• Planning and Evaluating

Supervisory Situational Judgment Test. Applicants will be required to complete a Supervisory Situational Judgment Test (SSJT) as part of the assessment process for this position. The SSJT evaluates judgment and decision-making skills that align with relevant competencies, organizational values, and best practices. Assessment results may be used as part of the evaluation, ranking and referral process. This is not a timed test, however, the assessment is expected to take approximately 45 minutes or less to complete. The assessment for this application does not include a cut score for a minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. However, you must answer each item in the assessment.

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; religions; 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.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current p