Financial Specialist III

Fairfax County, VA

$80K — $141K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in accounting, business administration, public administration, public policy, or related field
  • 3 years of professional-level experience in finance, budgeting, or contract management
  • Master's in a related field or CPA may substitute for 1 year of experience
  • Valid driver's license required
  • Strong knowledge of governmental budgeting and fiscal management practices

Responsibilities

  • Manage financial operations for General Fund and grants, overseeing revenue and expenditure monitoring
  • Prepare major financial deliverables including quarterly reviews and year-end documents
  • Develop budget submission materials and necessary financial reports
  • Serve as the primary contact for financial audits, ensuring compliance with regulations
  • Support budgeting and reporting for grants and contracts
  • Oversee purchasing and contracting, managing the agency’s travel program
  • Administer internal control and procurement card programs, providing training and compliance management

Benefits

  • Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
  • Group Term Life Insurance
  • Long Term Disability
  • Flexible Spending Programs
  • Paid Leave (annual, sick, parental, volunteer activity)
  • Paid Holidays
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Continuous Learning Opportunities
Full Job Description
Salary : $80,776.80 - $141,359.50 Annually
Location : ADULT DETENTION CENTER, 10520 JUDICIAL DR, FAIRFAX (FJ23), VA
Job Type: FT Salary W BN
Job Number: 26-01195
Department: Sheriff
Opening Date: 08/15/2026
Closing Date: 8/21/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
Pay Grade: S27
Posting Type: Open to General Public

Job Announcement

This position works as a strategic, detail-oriented finance professional to play a pivotal role in shaping the agency's financial strategy and ensuring the integrity of its fiscal operations. Serves as a trusted advisor and subject matter expert and oversees complex financial management for General Fund and grant-funded programs. Also drives the agency's budget development and key financial reviews and leads critical audit and compliance efforts. This role offers significant impact and visibility, working across the agency to strengthen financial controls, support program decision-making, and ensure adherence to federal, state, and county requirements. Works under the direction of the Chief, Financial Services Branch.

Key duties Include:
  • Manage financial operations for General Fund and grant-funded programs, including monitoring revenues and expenditures.
  • Prepare major financial deliverables such as the Agency's third quarter review and year-end/carryover documentation.
  • Develop county budget submission materials and produce required financial reports (e.g., seized asset reporting, jail cost report).
  • Serve as the lead point of contact for all financial audits and ensure compliance with federal, state, and county regulations.
  • Support the financial components of grants and contracts, including budgeting and reporting.
  • Oversee purchasing and contracting activities, approve shopping carts, and manage the agency's nonlocal travel program.
  • Administer and monitor the agency's internal control and procurement card (p card) programs, including training and compliance.
  • Lead or support Selection Advisory Committees for agency procurements and help develop solutions to complex purchasing challenges.
  • Manage funding accounts for non-county-appropriated funds, ensuring use is consistent with Virginia Code.
  • Serve as a subject matter expert on financial and budget processes, advising program staff on budget requests and financial issues.

Note: The salary offer for the position will be in the minimum to midpoint range ($80,776.80 to $111,068.26) and may NOT exceed the midpoint rate of the advertised compensation range. Promotional rules apply for current Fairfax County Government and Fairfax County Public Schools employees.
Illustrative Duties
(The illustrative duties listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list. A complete list of position duties and unique physical requirements can be found in the position job description.)
  • Participates in the formulation and documentation of agency fiscal policies and procedures;
  • Maintains numerous fund/subfund accounts;
  • Reviews long range revenue and expenditures estimates to ensure availability of funds;
  • Prepares and/or oversees the preparation of large agency budget;
  • Applies budget, procurement, and payment procedures in accordance with established county policies, accounting principles (GAAP and GASB), and local and state policies and procedures;
  • Researches budget, finance and procurement requirements, analyzes impact on current operations and recommends means of implementation.

Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities
(The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list.)
  • Considerable knowledge of the principles, methods, and practices of governmental budgeting and fiscal management and the ability to apply them to complex governmental systems;
  • Considerable knowledge of federal, state and county policies, procedures, regulations and legislation impacting the maintenance of financial records;
  • Ability to effectively supervise and coordinate the activities of staff;
  • Ability to develop and implement fiscal policies and procedures.

Employment Standards
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
(Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to")
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with either a bachelor's degree in accounting, business administration, public administration, public policy, or related field; plus, three years of professional-level experience in finance, business administration, budgeting, or contract management, a master's degree in a related field or CPA may substitute for 1 year of experience.
CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:
Valid driver's license.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to the position will be required to complete a criminal background check, credit check, driving record check and polygraph exam to the satisfaction of the employer.

This position is emergency/essential services personnel. (Required to report for duty during inclement weather and/or other emergencies.)
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
  • Experience working with governmental budgeting, accounting, procurement, or financial management.
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Excel.
  • Knowledge of and/or experience with local government finance and purchasing policies and procedures.
  • Excellent communication skills.
  • Grant financial management knowledge and experience.
  • Experience working with payroll.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Job is generally sedentary in nature; however, visual acuity is required to read data on computer monitor, incumbent must be able to operate keyboard driven equipment. Must communicate with others. May be required to lift up to 15 lbs. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:Panel interview and may include exercise.

Fairfax County is home to a highly diverse population, with a significant number of residents speaking languages other than English at home including We encourage candidates who are bilingual in English and another language to apply for this opportunity.

#LI-KA1
Merit Positions

Fairfax County is proud to offer employees an attractive and comprehensive benefits program, including the following:
  • Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
  • Group Term Life Insurance
  • Long Term Disability
  • LiveWell Program
  • Flexible Spending Programs
  • Paid Leave (annual, sick, parental, volunteer activity, and more!)
  • Paid Holidays
  • Deferred Compensation
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Employees' Child Care Center
  • Continuous Learning Opportunities
Please click for a summary of our benefits.

NOTE: Fairfax County Government is a qualifying employer under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. For more information about the PSLF program:

For additional details please visit the
Non-Merit Positions
  1. Non-Merit Benefit Eligible: scheduled to work a minimum 1,040 hours and no more than a maximum of 1,560 hours in a calendar year.
    • Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
    • Flexible Spending Program
    • Deferred Compensation
  2. Temporary: scheduled to work a maximum of 900 hours in a calendar year.
    • No benefits

01

What is the highest level of education that you have completed?
  • Less than 12th grade
  • High school diploma or GED
  • Some college
  • Associate's degree
  • Bachelor's degree
  • Master's degree
  • Doctorate degree

02

If you answered "Some college" for the highest level of education completed, please indicate the number of quarter or semester hours you have completed towards a degree.
  • Less than 45 quarter hours
  • 45 to less than 90 quarter hours
  • 90 to less than 135 quarter hours
  • 135 to less than 180 quarter hours
  • 180 or more quarter hours
  • Less than 30 semester hours
  • 30 to less than 60 semester hours
  • 60 to less than 90 semester hours
  • 90 to less than 120 semester hours
  • 120 or more semester hours
  • Not applicable

03

Please indicate the major(s) or minor(s) for your completed degree(s). Check all that apply.
  • Accounting
  • Business administration
  • Public administration
  • Public policy
  • Other (related field)
  • Other (non-related field)
  • Not applicable

04

If you answered "Other (related field)" or "Other (non-related field)" for the previous question, please list all of your majors and minors. If this question does not pertain to you, or you do not have a degree, enter "Not applicable".
05

Do you currently possess a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) license?If applicable, please list your license number and expiration date under the "Certificates and Licenses" section of your application.
  • Yes
  • No

06

Do you currently possess a valid driver's license?
  • Yes
  • No

07

How many years of full-time equivalent professional-level experience do you have in finance, business administration, budgeting, or contract management?
  • None
  • Less than one year
  • One to less than two years
  • Two to less than three years
  • Three to less than four years
  • Four to less than five years
  • Five to less than six years
  • Six to less than seven years
  • Seven or more years

08

How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have working with governmental budgeting, accounting, procurement, or financial management?
  • None
  • Less than one year
  • One to less than two years
  • Two to less than three years
  • Three to less than four years
  • Four to less than five years
  • Five or more years

09

How many years of full-time equivalent grant financial management experience do you have?
  • None
  • Less than one year
  • One to less than two years
  • Two to less than three years
  • Three to less than four years
  • Four to less than five years
  • Five or more years

10

How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have working with payroll?
  • None
  • Less than one year
  • One to less than two years
  • Two to less than three years
  • Three to less than four years
  • Four to less than five years
  • Five or more years

11

How many years of full-time equivalent experience and/or knowledge do you have with local government finance and purchasing policies and procedures?
  • None
  • Less than one year
  • One to less than two years
  • Two to less than three years
  • Three to less than four years
  • Four to less than five years
  • Five or more years

12

Please indicate your level of proficiency with Microsoft Excel.
  • Beginner (Basic knowledge of creating a worksheet; performing calculations in a worksheet; modifying and formatting a worksheet; printing workbook contents)
  • Intermediate (Knowledge of inserting and modifying graphic objects in a worksheet; customizing and enhancing workbooks; analyzing data using Pivot Tables, Slicers, and Pivot Charts)
  • Advanced (Extensive knowledge of increasing productivity and improving efficiency by streamlining workflow; collaborating with others using workbooks; auditing worksheets; analyzing data; working with multiple workbooks; importing and exporting data, using Excel with the web)
  • No experience

13

Have you ever been charged with any criminal offense as a juvenile or adult, regardless of the disposition?
  • Yes, I was charged as an adult
  • Yes, I was charged as a juvenile
  • Yes, I was charged as a juvenile and an adult
  • No

14

If you answered Yes to previous question, provide specific details, including the approximate year, charge and outcome. If this question does not pertain to you, enter "Not applicable".
Required Question

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