Deputy Assistant Secretary
What you'd do
The mission of the Office of Finance and Operations (OFO) is to transform the Department of Education (ED) into a high-performance, customer-focused organization by providing services to our customers that help them do a better job of managing their people, processes, and overall strategy. This position may be detailed to another Federal agency.
Major duties
Provides senior executive leadership for OFM and oversees Department-wide financial operations, including accounting, financial reporting, payment integrity, cash management, funds control, financial transactions, and fiscal accountability. Advises the Chief Financial Officer and senior Department leadership on financial management risks, audit issues, internal controls, financial reporting, funds management, and fiscal integrity matters. Leads efforts to strengthen financial management systems, processes, controls, and reporting across the Department, including coordination with the principal operating component (program) offices, the Office of Federal Student Aid, the Institute of Education Sciences, the Office of the Chief Information Officer, the Office of Acquisition Management, the Office of Human Resources, the Office of Business Support Services, Budget Service, and other Department components. Builds a culture of accuracy, accountability, service, audit readiness, and continuous improvement. Ensures OFM has appropriate workforce planning, succession planning, training, and technical expertise to meet the Department's financial management responsibilities and accounting operations. Serves as the senior executive responsible for coordinating the Department's annual financial statement audit and related audit readiness activities. Leads engagements with independent auditors, the Education Office of Inspector General (OIG), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), U.S. Department of Treasury (Treasury), the U.S. Government Accountability Office, and other oversight entities on financial audit matters. Coordinates and collaborates with other Department components to ensure independent auditor requests are completed accurately and timely and that corrective actions are implemented and sustained. Leads Department-wide efforts to strengthen fiscal integrity, internal controls, payment integrity, and financial accountability, aligned with broad requirements of a CFO Act agency. Oversees financial control activities related to funds control, obligations, outlays, reconciliations, grant and contract payments, improper payments, and financial reporting. Ensures the Department maintains effective internal controls over financial reporting and financial operations. Supports compliance with federal internal control requirements, including OMB Circular A-123, FMFIA, and related financial management such as guided by the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200), FFMIA, and other payment integrity requirements, such as required by the Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019 (PIIA), and the recent Executive Order 14249 (March 2025). Identifies systemic risks and recommends corrective actions to reduce fraud, waste, abuse, improper payments, reporting errors, and operational weaknesses. Works closely with the CFO, CAO, CIO, CHCO, CDO, Budget Service Director, Business Support Services Director, and other senior leaders to ensure financial operations support for the Department's mission and compliance with federal requirements. Provides financial management expertise on cross-cutting Departmental initiatives, including shared services, financial systems modernization, identifying and leveraging technology solutions, audit remediation, grants management, acquisition management, data quality, payment integrity, and internal control improvements. Supports Department-wide decision-making by providing reliable financial data, risk analysis, and operational insight.
What you need to qualify
The application process used to recruit for this position is resume only. Do not submit separate Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Technical Qualifications (TQs) in lieu of resume. To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications and Technical Qualifications related to this position within your resume. Resume should not exceed two (2) pages, with the font size no smaller than 10 points. Resumes over the 2- page limit, will not be reviewed beyond page 2. Your resume should include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualifications. Failure to meet the basic qualification requirement and address all Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Technical Qualifications (TQs) within your resume will result in your application being disqualified. EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): In addition to the Technical Qualification Requirements 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 (5) ECQs: ECQ 1: Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding: This core qualification requires a demonstrated knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and commitment to serve the American people. ECQ 2: Driving Efficiency: This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades. ECQ 3: Merit and Competence: This core qualification involves the demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality. ECQ 4: Leading People: This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high performance, high-accountability culture. This includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and to hold individuals accountable. ECQ 5: Achieving Results: This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors. 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. TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs) There are two (2) TQs: TQ 1: Demonstrated executive-level experience leading a comprehensive financial management program for a federal agency or large, complex organization; inclusive of directing enterprise accounting operations, analysis, financial reporting, and annual financial statement preparation and presentation (e.g., federal agency financial report); audit management and coordination with external independent auditors, coordination with offices of inspectors general or other internal auditors; general ledger, cash management, including accounts receivables, and enterprise payment systems and processing; and corporate financial policy development and compliance with requirements of the Office of Management and Budget, Congress, and other external oversight bodies. Experience includes applying accounting principles, financial systems standards, and financial reporting requirements, and adapting policies and procedures to support a federal government fiscal environment. Experience must also demonstrate the ability to align multi-billion-dollar fiscal resources with complex mission goals across dispersed operational units and headquarters components. TQ 2: Demonstrated experience managing a federal agency internal control program (or other complex corporate internal control program), including assessment of controls to ensure sufficiency of coverage, annual testing of controls, and resolution of identified issues and implementation of corrective action plans; and managing the development and reporting of annual improper payment estimates through application of a statistically valid estimation methodology in accordance with statutory requirements.
Before you apply
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