PD_HHS_Assistant-Secretary-for-Financial-Resources

Position Description

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR FINANCIAL RESOURCES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Overview

Senate Committee

Finance
This CFO is covered by the CFO Act of 1990 that may be filled through appointment by the president, with the advice and consent of the Senate, or through designation by the president from among agency officials who have been confirmed by the Senate for other positions.¹ _{CRS report: Presidential Appointee Positions Requiring Senate Confirmation and Committees Handling Nominations, 2016}

Agency Mission

To enhance and protect the health and well-being of all Americans by providing effective health and human services and fostering advances in medicine, public health and social services.

Position Overview

The mission of the Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources is to advise the Secretary on all aspects of budget, grants, financial management and acquisition and to provide for the direction of these activities throughout HHS. The Assistant Secretary also coordinates HHS’ implementation and reporting regarding the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act).
The Assistant Secretary has several formal and informal roles, including chief financial officer (CFO), chief acquisition officer, HHS audit follow-up official and lead official for budget and grants. The assistant secretary is a close advisor to the secretary on policy issues. As CFO, he or she plays a crucial government-wide role.

Compensation

Level IV $155,500 (5 U.S.C. § 5315)² _{The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (Public Law 115-31, May 5, 2017), contains a provision that continues the freeze on the payable pay rates for certain senior political officials at 2013 levels during calendar year 2017.}

Position Reports to

Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services

Responsibilities

Management Scope

In fiscal 2015, HHS had $1,028 billion in outlays and 63,324 total employment. The assistant secretary for financial resources accomplishes his or her work through HHS component offices:
® Immediate Office of the Assistant Secretary
® Office of Budget
® Office of Executive Program Information
® Office of Finance
® Office of Grants and Acquisition Policy and Accountability
However, the CFO oversees the financial management of the entire department.

Primary Responsibilities

® Develops and maintains integrated accounting and financial management systems.
® Oversees the recruitment, selection and training of personnel to carry out agency financial management functions; manages, trains and provides policy guidance and oversight of these personnel and their activities
® Implements agency asset management systems, including systems for cash management, credit management, debt collection, and property and inventory management and control
® Develops budgets that support all agency missions
® Manages the financial execution of the agency budget and actual expenditures
® Provides financial and performance reports to staff, overseers and stakeholders.
® Ties the budget and performance to outcomes
® Takes the lead role in enterprise-risk management

Strategic Goals and Priorities

[Depends on the policy priorities of the administration]

Requirements and Competencies

Requirements

® Strong background in federal financial management
® Executive leadership experience
® Experience working in a large organization
® Risk-management experience
® Knowledge of the department’s functions and policies
® Knowledge of federal budget formulation
® Familiarity with cyber technology a plus
® Background in data analytics a plus

Competencies

® Ability to collaborate with the chief information officers, under/assistant secretaries for administration/management, as well as other CFOs and OMB via the CFO Council
® Knowledge of, and relationships with, Congress or ability to develop them

Past Appointees

Ellen Murray (2010-2017) u2013 Staff Director for the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies; served in the budget office and the Office of the General Counsel at HHS; economist at the Social Security Administration
Charles E. Johnson (2005-2009) u2013 President of Huntsman Cancer Foundation and Vice President of Huntsman, LLC; member of the Utah State Board of Regents, and Chair of the Board from 1997-2002; Vice Chairman of the Board for Strategic Direction with the Garff-Warner Organization; Chief of Staff to the Governor of the state of Utah; Board of Directors of KPMG, and Chairman of the Merger Transition Committee
Janet Hale (2001-2005) u2013 Program Associate Deputy for General Government at the Office of Management and Budget; Chief Financial Officer of the House of Representatives; Assistant Secretary of Budget at the Department of Transportation; Deputy Assistant Secretary of Policy and Budget at the Department of Housing and Urban Development
John Joseph Callahan (1995-2001) u2013 Vice Chairman of the Chief Financial Officers; Staff Director for the Senate Subcommittee on Intergovernmental Relations; Deputy Staff Director of the Senate Budget Committee; Chief of Staff for Sen. James Sasser; Assistant Professor of Education and Planning at the University of Virginia
The Partnership’s Center for Presidential Transition helps ensure the efficient transfer of power that our country deserves. The Center’s Ready to Govern· initiative assists candidates with the transition, works with Congress to reform the transition process, develops management recommendations to address our government’s operational challenges, and trains new political appointees.