Chief Financial Officer, Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia

Chief Financial Officer at one of the country’s premier public defenders (Washington, D.C.)

The Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia (PDS) is a national model for the provision of public defender services.

A federally funded, independent organization, PDS provides and promotes quality legal representation to indigent adults and children facing a loss of liberty in the District of Columbia. Its work has earned admiration across the nation, and it aims to continue raising the bar to an ever-higher level in the coming years.

PDS seeks a Chief Financial Officer to lead its 7-person finance team. The team supports the organization by working with the Office of Management and Budget, as well as the United States Congress, to ensure that all financial information is accurate, documented, and reported. Using an Oracle-based financial and procurement system hosted by the Department of Interior’s Interior Business Center, the CFO has broad authority for planning and executing all aspects of the budget and general financial management.

The ideal Chief Financial Officer will have a successful track record of managing budgets and reporting for both federal and private entities, a thorough understanding of the annual Federal Budget Process, solid working knowledge of effective financial management and accounting principles including financial statement preparation and review and a track record of effectively leading staff to deliver results. The CFO must be able to understand the complex moving pieces within an organization and remain agile in their thinking and recommendations. The CFO who can do this work will have a detailed working knowledge of financial systems that will allow them to formulate strategy and connect it to day-to-day operational decision-making.

Interested candidates with the following qualifications are encouraged to apply:

• A minimum of ten years of progressive federal financial management responsibility, including a good understanding and interpretation of federal appropriations law
• Two years of financial management responsibility with a demonstrated track record of understanding and managing key fundamentals of accounting in a federal context
• Demonstrated track record of successfully managing financial teams
• Familiarity with all US Federal financial and other applicable regulations and standards
• Experience formulating OMB and Congressional budgets
• Thorough understanding of the US Federal Budget Process
• Ability to communicate complex financial data to individuals without a financial background.
• Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM) certification is a plus.
• Bachelor’s degree is required; Master’s degree in business administration, accounting, finance, public administration, or related field preferred

Development Resources, inc. is leading this search for the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia. For more information and to apply, please visit www.driconsulting.com/positions/.