Federal Position Descriptions
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Chief Financial Officer

Chief Financial Officer, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Responsibility
Management Scope

In fiscal 2015, NASA had $20.97 billion in budget outlays and 17,744 employees. The CFO has about 100 direct reports.

Primary Responsibilities

• Oversees all financial management, budget, strategic planning and performance activities relating to the programs and operations of the agency
• Develops and implements plans that include the organization’s goals, objectives, metrics and actions needed to execute the strategic goals and outcomes in the NASA strategic plan
• Provides for the oversight and financial management of agency resources and activities relating to programs and operations, ensuring strategic alignment with agency mission and national goals, including all resources aspects of the planning, programming and budgeting process
• Ensures that budget formulation and execution are consistent with the agency’s strategic investment decisions and serve as the authoritative source for agency programmatic and institutional strategic requirements
• Ensures a clean audition opinion

Strategic Goals and Priorities
[Depends on the policy priorities of the administration.]
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
• Familiarity with cyber technology a plus
• Background in data analytics (a plus)
• Experience working in a scientific or technical organization (preferred)

Competencies

• Ability to collaborate with the chief information officers, under/assistant secretaries for administration/management, as well as other CFOs and Office of Management and Budget
• Knowledge of and relationships with Congress or ability to develop
• Ability to develop and deliver congressional testimony and answer congressional inquiries
• Extensive collaboration, negotiation, facilitation and reconciliation skills to bring all parts of the NASA enterprise together into a single coherent budget
• Negotiation skills to drive consensus
• Resilience
• Ability to work in high-pressure situations with little or incomplete information
• Excellent communication skills to communicate administration priorities and translate those into NASA mission priorities
• Ability to work in a fluid, ever-changing environment
• Ability to manage conflict and disagreement

Past Appointments
  • David Radzanowski (2014 to 2017): Chief of Staff and Principal Advisor to NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden, Jr., NASA; Deputy Associate Administrator for Program Integration, Space Operations Mission Directorate, NASA; Assistant Associate Administrator, Resources Management and Analysis Office, Space Operations, NASA
  • Elizabeth M. Robinson (2009 to 2014): Performance Improvement Officer, Performance Improvement Council, Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President; Assistant Director, Budget Review, Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President; Member, Federal Members, The Board, Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board
  • Ronald Spoehel (2007 to 2009): Partner, D & S Group; Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, ICx Technologies; Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer; Ma
  • Tech International Corporatio
AGENCY

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Mission: To reach for new heights and reveal the unknown for the benefit of humankind

COMPENSATION

Level IV $155,5001 (5 U.S.C. § 5315)

REPORTS TO

NASA Administrator

SENATE COMMITTEE

Commerce, Science and Transportation

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Footnote
  1. 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.
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