Clarification from the agency

Open to Current permanent employees of the VA Bedford Healthcare Systems including permanent Veterans Canteen Service employees, current permanent full-time Hybrid Title 38 and permanent full-time Title 38 employees. This does not include temporary, term or temporary intermittent.

• Directs and promotes effective use of advanced techniques in finance and accounting, budgeting, management, and manpower management. Plans, organizes and directs an integrated finance and accounting system.
• Manages operational accounting programs. Maintains liaison on a facility-wide basis with VISN/VACO and other independent agencies to clarify procedure and policies pertinent to special accounts and reimbursable activities.
• Serves as the focal point for the development of the facility operating budget. Assists staff and operation officials in the development of organizational budgets and keeps them informed regarding its liquidation and self-sufficiency.
• The incumbent is responsible for developing a responsive system of reporting general management and financial data. Information from normal fiscal accounting and budgetary reports is combined with data of a non-fiscal nature to produce comprehensive analysis of program accomplishments in financial terms to assist management in planning and decision making. Manages and supervises Business Process Reviews and provides recommendations for improvements.
• Serves as technical advisor for the managers and service chiefs in establishing policies and procedures for executing programs. Briefs Director and/or mangers on actual progress compared to program objectives and VA standards.
• Provides expert advice and recommends innovative approaches and solutions to management and operations
• Participates in meetings and conferences concerning the operating of the facility and advises on the status of
  programs, particularly with regard to program objectives, progress and accomplishments and probable effects of alternative actions.
• Performs duties associated with examining financial books, records, etc., to provide recommendations to improve productivity, cost-effectiveness, and quality of work processes. Reports on the financial management of the activities audited with recommendations for improvement. Gathers information about the program scheduled for audit and determines the audit objectives.
• The ACFO provides analysis and advice in the design, adaptation, and installation of automated accounting systems. Analyzes current and/or required accounting systems to design new or improved systems. Oversees the design of a complete accounting system for a large program used within a network of operating sites. Uses ingenuity in dealing with precedent - setting situations when work programs are newly assigned, and projected account structure is unknown. Develops and implements accounting systems on a continuing basis. Analyses problems that are new or novel in nature and where there is necessity for reconciling diverse needs and viewpoints in arriving at a final system. Studies the accounts, reports and procedural instructions within an extensive area and considers legislative and program background materials to identify need for revision. The ACFO is the backup authority in matters pertaining to the accounting systems, including the accounting structure to properly reflect the nature of transactions and to implement tools such as journals, subsidiary records, statements, and reports.
• Prepares and recommends annual budgets through analysis and forecasting of the usage of funds within a program, assuring annual budget projections. Interprets reports and other financial data for program review and analysis. Computes and predicts effects of changes in administered programs. Provides advice and assistance on financial matters. Serves as financial authority, analyzing and resolving complex issues related to the financial aspects of network-wide programs. Prepares recommendations for program managers. Projects complex program data to provide program managers with an overall financial status of the program. Provides timely financial advice required to make effective decisions and provide for proper program planning. Serves as an alternate member of the Medical Center Director's top advisory or executive board, regularly attends formal and informal management sessions, and consistently contributes financial advice considered pertinent to the discussion during all stages of planning, policy formulations and decision-making.
• Advises on the Control of Financial Resources. Performs duties associated with the management, and control of resources or funds. Supplies financial statements to operating program officials for informational and planning purposes.

Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 7:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.
Telework: Ad-hoc
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Assistant Chief Financial Officer/PD518-04106-0
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this 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 dentification 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, 03/13/2026.

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-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. 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.


Specialized Experience:
You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-12 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to experience performing the normal duties of an Assistant Chief Financial Officer or CFO, providing leadership, coordination, and hands-on processing for daily quality management of fiscal services provided and continuously reviews and improves the Fiscal Service Quality Management program review process. This specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service.

AND

Education:
Accounting; or a degree in a related field such as business administration, finance, or public administration that included or was supplemented by 24 semester hours in accounting. The 24 hours may include up to 6 hours of credit in business law. (The term "accounting" means "accounting and/or auditing" in this standard. Similarly, "accountant" should be interpreted, generally, as "accountant and/or auditor.")

OR

Combination of education and experience: At least 4 years of experience in accounting, or an equivalent combination of accounting experience, college-level education, and training that provided professional accounting knowledge. The applicant's background must also include one of the following: Twenty-four semester hours in accounting or auditing courses of appropriate type and quality. This can include up to 6 hours of business law; A certificate as Certified Public Accountant or a Certified Internal Auditor, obtained through written examination;

OR

Completion of the requirements for a degree that included substantial course work in accounting or auditing, e.g., 15 semester hours, but that does not fully satisfy the 24-semester-hour requirement of paragraph A, provided that (a) the applicant has successfully worked at the full-performance level in accounting, auditing, or a related field, e.g., valuation engineering or financial institution examining; (b) a panel of at least two higher level professional accountants or auditors has determined that the applicant has demonstrated a good knowledge of accounting and of related and underlying fields that equals in breadth, depth, currency, and level of advancement that which is normally associated with successful completion of the 4-year course of study described in paragraph A; and (c) except for literal nonconformance to the requirement of 24 semester hours in accounting, the applicant's education, training, and experience fully meet the specified requirements.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Budget Administration
• Financial Analysis
• Financial Management

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: Work is primarily sedentary in nature, although some slight physical effort may be 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/.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Resume
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• License
• Other (1)
• PCS Orders
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):

• Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
• An SF-50 showing 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
• Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
• Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
  • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
  • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
  • SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.

Next steps