Chief Financial Officer

Drug Enforcement Administration ‚Ä¢ Arlington, VA ‚Ä¢ Full Time ‚Ä¢ $151,661–$151,661 / year

Posted on Mon, Jul 13, 2026

Summary

erves as the Chief Financial Officer, Financial Services Division, responsible for bringing more effective general administrative and financial management practices to the Drug Enforcement Administration. This individual will be responsible for providing for improvement of systems of accounting, financial management and internal controls to assure the issuance of reliable financial information and deter fraud, waste and abuse of Government resources.


Duties

As the agency's technical authority on budgetary and financial resources, the incumbent represents DEA on executive-level consultative and policy making bodies and has to coordinate across the agency with other senior executives. The overall scope and sensitive nature of this position involves working closely with and assisting the Administrator in performing the following responsibilities:
Develop and maintain an integrated agency accounting and financial management system, including financial reporting and internal control standards which:

Direct, manage, and provide policy guidance and oversight of agency financial management personnel, activities, and operations including: Review agency budget requests for financial management systems and operations.
Review and, where appropriate, recommend to the Administrator changes to the budget and legislative proposals of the agency to ensure that they are in accordance with financial management plans of the agency.
Advises the Administrator and other senior DEA managers on financial resources. Provides information and advice relative to their dealings with DOJ and Congress and prepares testimony for their use in appearances before Congressional Committees and Sub-committees.
Works closely with DEA managers, DOJ, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and other agency personnel to achieve efficient control and optimization of diverse budget and organizational operations.


Requirements

Conditions of employment

Qualifications

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.
To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ), and Technical Qualifications (TQ) related to this position within your resume - NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES. Resumes over the 2-page limit will be disqualified. Please see "Required Documents" section below for all resume formatting requirements.
Your resume should include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualification(s). If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position.
Do NOT submit a separate narrative statement specifically addressing the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) or the Technical Qualifications (TQs).
TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy the technical qualifications:
MTQ 1 - Demonstrated leadership experience in the development of policies and procedures in a variety of administrative and financial functions for a large, decentralized agency.
MTQ 2 - Experience in directing budget formulation and execution activities in furtherance of an organization's mission by leading staff and providing technical guidance to professional budget staff.
MTQ 3 - Demonstrated ability to conduct budget and management studies and effectively communicate results with senior executives.
EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): In addition to the Technical Qualification Requirements listed above, all new entrants into the Senior Executive Service (SES) under a career appointment will be assessed for executive competency against the following five mandatory ECQs. If your 2-page resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and TQs, you may not receive further consideration for the position.
There are five ECQs:

Note: If you are a member of the SES or have been certified through successful participation in an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program (SESCDP), or have SES reinstatement eligibility, you must attach proof (e.g., SF-50, Certification by OPM's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB)) of your eligibility for noncompetitive appointment to the SES. See "Required Documents" section for additional information.

Education

1. Degree: 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
2. 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:

  1. Twenty-four semester hours in accounting or auditing courses of appropriate type and quality. This can include up to 6 hours of business law;
  2. A certificate as Certified Public Accountant or a Certified Internal Auditor, obtained through written examination; or
  3. 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.

Additional information

Veterans Preference: Veterans' preference is not applicable to the SES.
Mobility: Organizational and geographical mobility is essential in developing and managing SES leaders. Individuals selected for SES positions members may be subject to reassignment across geographical, organizational, and functional lines, and may be required to sign a Reassignment Rights and Obligation Agreement.
Direct Deposit: All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
Drug testing is required for this position.
All non-DEA applicants must complete a drug use questionnaire. Applicants who are found, through investigation or personal admission, to have experimented with or used narcotics or dangerous drugs, except those medically prescribed, will not be considered for employment with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Exceptions to this policy may be made for applicants who admit to limited youthful and experimental use of marijuana. Such applicants may be considered for employment if there is no evidence of regular, confirmed usage, and the full-field background investigation and results of other steps in the process are otherwise favorable. Compliance with this policy is an essential requirement of the position.
It is highly suggested that you complete the Drug Questionnaire form when submitting your application package. However, if you do not complete and submit this form with your application package it will not disqualify you from the application process. You will be asked to complete the Drug Questionnaire form before extended a conditional offer. Click the following link to access the Drug Questionnaire. http://www.justice.gov/dea/careers/drug_questionnaire.pdf.
Selective Service: MALE APPLICANTS BORN AFTER 12/31/1959 must certify prior to job offer that they have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under Selective Service law.
EEO Policy Statement: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/EEO_Policy_Statement.
Reasonable Accommodation Policy Statement: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Reasonable_Accommodation_Policy_Statement.
In accordance with 5 CFR 2635.704, applications will not be accepted in postage-paid Government envelopes.
The Drug Enforcement Administration participates in the USCIS Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-VERIFY - http://www.dhs.gov/E-Verify). E-Verify helps employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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