Clarification from the agency

Current and permanent employees of the VA Palo Alto Healthcare System (Station 640)

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As the VA Palo Alto Healthcare System financial expert, the Financial Manager, GS-0505-14, is responsible for establishing and maintaining a complex integrated system of financial staff services, which contribute to effective management control over facility operations. Fiscal Service supports the mission and programs of this tertiary care, research, and teaching medical center. These financial services include internal financial auditing, accounts receivable and payable, payroll, cashiering, accounting, budgeting, managerial-financial analysis, employee travel, alternate revenue streams (ARS), and active participation in overall Medical Center planning and decision-making activities. The incumbent of this position works under the supervision of the Deputy Director and has delegated authority as acting in representation of the Deputy Director for all major duties.

Major duties for the position may include but are not limited to:

• Provides the management officials with authoritative accounting advice and authoritative budget advice and interprets the results and needs of each of these functions to those officials.
• Serves as technical expert in accounting and budgeting for management and assures the coordination of these two separate functions within subordinate staff to the extent that is required for the effective conduct of each of these two functions.
• Responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive program of financial policy and financial control which constitutes a major and integral component of VAPAHCS' total management concept and practice.
• Utilizes accounting and fund control systems to maintain proper financial balance and to assure 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 accomplishments in financial terms.
• Other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Full-time; Monday - Friday; 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.; Subject to change to meet the needs of the Agency
Telework: Ad-hoc telework authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Financial Manager (Chief Financial Officer)/PD01250O
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): 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, 05/11/2026.

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.

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. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Broad knowledge of and ability to utilize principles, methods, techniques, and systems of financial management; Ability to plan, direct, and coordinate difficult and complex programs; Ability to develop, apply, and adjust financial plans and policies to attain agency objectives; Ability to select, develop, and supervise a subordinate staff; Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships, not only with subordinate staff, but with all levels of key management officials, the latter particularly requiring the exercise of tact, ingenuity, and resourcefulness; Ability to make oral and written presentations in a clear and concise manner; Ability to apply a high level of sound, independent judgment in the solution of financial problems and in the administration of a financial management program; A broad knowledge of agency operating programs.

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

• Administration and Management
• Financial Analysis
• Financial Management
• Principles of Accounting
• Principles of Finance

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 is sedentary and is usually accomplished while the employee is comfortable seated at a desk or table. However, some walking and standing may occur in the course of a normal workday in connection with travel to, and attendance at, meetings and conferences away from the primary work site. Incumbent may be required to be required to bend, lift, carry equipment such as laptops. No special physical effort other than lifting/carrying of equipment is required to perform the work.

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.