Federal

Chief Budget Justification

Office of the Director of National Intelligence ยท Other Agencies and Independent Organizations
๐Ÿ“ McLean, Virginia GS-15 $169,279 - $197,200/yr
Posted: Apr 10, 2026 Deadline: Apr 27, 2026 (Closes in 16 days days left)

About This Position

The Office of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) leads the development, negotiation, and presentation of the National Intelligence Program (NIP) budget on behalf of the Director of National Intelligence to the President and the Congress. The CFO's three main responsibilities include resource management (budget analysis, formulation, justification, and execution), performance planning and evaluation, and financial management improvement.

Qualifications

FREE RESPONSE ESSAY QUESTIONS All applicants must answer the following four short, free response essay questions. The responses cannot exceed 200 words per question. By submitting your responses to the following questions, you certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or AI (such as a large language model [LLM]).

How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government? Provide a concrete example from professional, academic, or personal experience. In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness?

Provide specific examples where you improved processes, reduced costs, or improved outcomes. How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you and explain how you would help implement them if hired.

How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements? Provide one or two specific examples and explain how those qualities would enable you to serve effectively in this position. Mandatory Requirements: Expert ability to plan, prepare, justify, administer, analyze, forecast, and monitor budget/financial information to ensure cost-effective support of organizations and programs, including conducting budget/financial data analysis and assessing financial conditions by applying financial principles, policies, methods, techniques, and systems.

Superior ability to serve as expert and consultant to top agency management officials and customers, in context of operation requirements bases on financial analysis and recommends possible courses of action. Problems are frequently stubborn due to such matters as conflicting funding priorities, economic interests, public interests, constitutional protections, or equivalent concerns. Superior ability to make decisions and recommendations addressing undefined issues that require much consideration and extensive analysis of the immediate and long-range implications of any action.

Decisions regarding what needs to be done require extensive probing and analysis. Expert knowledge of Federal/IC budget and financial management laws, regulations, and guidance (e.g., OMB circulars, appropriations law concepts, PPBE, reprogramming rules, congressional budget justification requirements) sufficient to lead enterprise-wide efforts. Expert representational, oral, and written communication skills, including the ability to produce clear, logical, and concise products.

Expert ability to develop consensus recommendations and to solicit input from colleagues and peers; superior ability to remain open-minded and change opinions on the basis of new information and requirements. Education: Bachelor's Degree or equivalent relevant work experience or equivalent relevant work experience with a minimum of 24 hours of Finance, Accounting or other relevant courses. (this was previously a required qualification and think that it should remain, otherwise, looks like the bar has moved; education provides credibility; ensures depth, etc.) Desired Requirements: Demonstrated experience leading time-sensitive development of congressional budget justification narrative and exhibit materials, including briefing senior leadership and responding to OMB and congressional inquiries.

Major Duties

Lead a team of professional staff in the planning, preparation, justification, administration, analysis, forecasting, and monitoring of budget/financial information to ensure cost-effective support of ODNI organizations and programs; oversee budget/financial data analysis and the assessment of financial conditions by applying financial principles, policies, methods, techniques, and systems. Lead the collection, research, and analysis of comprehensive and substantive financial information that includes budget, accounting, and financial reporting information to develop budget testimony, briefings, and talking points for senior DNI leadership and develop IC guidance on the preparation of resource requests and realignments or reprogramming to the DNI and Congress. May involve supporting major re-allocation of staffing, funds, or other resources.

Develop and present options, tradeoffs, and risk-informed recommendations to senior leadership regarding program resourcing, affordability, and execution impacts across multiple ODNI elements. Oversee and manage the financial implications of strategic and capital/lifecycle/infrastructure planning, investment control, policy enforcement, and management throughout the financial life cycles (i.e., planning, programming, budgeting, execution, and evaluation) within or between IC organizations. Monitor and evaluate the progress and outcomes of operational performance plans and identify potential threats or opportunities.

Liaise with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) leadership, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and Congressional oversight committees on financial management issues; participate in and, as required, oversee IC-wide financial management working groups, committees, and meetings.

Education

Bachelors Degree

How You Will Be Evaluated

You must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement. We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. If you are among the best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview.

Additional Information

JOB INTERVIEW TRAVEL Candidates from outside the Washington Metropolitan Area (WMA) may be selected for a telephone, teleconference, or in-person interview. SALARY DETERMINATION The ODNI uses a rank-in-person system in which rank is attached to GS employees on the basis of individual qualifications, experience, and performance. Individuals whose current GS grade is equivalent to the grade of the advertised position will retain their current grade and step.

Individuals who transfer to the ODNI from a non-GS pay scale will have base pay converted to the appropriate GS grade and step as determined by the Chief of Human Resource Management. In some cases when a current federal civilian employee applies for an ODNI position that is a lower grade than his or her personal grade, the candidate's personal grade will be downgraded to the grade of the advertised ODNI position and pay will be set at the step that is closest to, and not less than, the employee's current annual base rate of pay, not to exceed the maximum step rate of the GS grade to which assigned. RELOCATION EXPENSES For new ODNI employees, reimbursement for relocation is discretionary based on availability of funds.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS The ODNI provides reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Reasonable Accommodations Officer by email at [email protected], by telephone at (703)275-3900 or by FAX at (703)275-1217.

Your request for reasonable accommodations will be addressed on a case-by-case basis. PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION TO THE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION EMAIL ADDRESS. THIS EMAIL IS FOR REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION REQUESTS ONLY. The ODNI is an equal opportunity employer and abides by applicable employment laws and regulations.

How to Apply

We encourage you to read the entire announcement prior to submitting your application. In order to be considered, you must apply via USAJOBS. The ODNI will not accept emailed applications.

Your application must be received by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of this announcement. Applications received after the closing date will NOT be eligible for consideration. All attachments should be in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format. Do not include the following types of information in your profile or resume: Classified or government sensitive information Social Security Number (SSN) Photos of yourself Personal information such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc. Encrypted and digitally signed documents

Required Documents

A complete application package must include: a. RESUME: Resumes must be no longer than two (2) pages in length. Resumes longer than two (2) pages will be removed from consideration. Applicants are encouraged to carefully review the vacancy announcement, particularly the MDRs, and construct their resume to highlight their most significant experience and qualifications relevant to this job opportunity.

You must ensure the resume contains all of the required information and you organize it so we can associate the following information for each experience/position: job title; name of employer; beginning and ending dates of employment (month/day/year format), and hours worked per week. We will assume full-time unless otherwise stated. Additionally, include a detailed description of job duties, accomplishments, related skills and responsibilities, to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable), and series and grade or equivalent (if a federal position). b.

ESSAY QUESTION RESPONSES: The responses cannot exceed 200 words per question (please see questions in the Requirements section above). By submitting your responses to these questions, you certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or AI (such as a large language model [LLM]). c. COVER LETTER: Applicants must submit a professional narrative as a supplement to the resume to elaborate on their qualifications and previous work performed. d.

CURRENT SF-50: Federal Government employees must provide your official most recent SF-50 (i.e., dated within the last 52 weeks from the closing date of this vacancy announcement). An SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, is used to verify current federal status, position, title, grade, and organization of record. If your SF-50(s) does not provide the information needed to make a final determination for qualification, you will be found ineligible for the position. e.

POSITION NUMBER: Reference the announcement number in the subject line on each document submitted. Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the salary for the Chief Budget Justification position at Office of the Director of National Intelligence?
The salary range for this position is $169,279 - $197,200/yr. This is a GS-15 position on the General Schedule pay scale. Actual pay may vary based on locality adjustments.
Where is the Chief Budget Justification job located?
This position is located in McLean, Virginia. This is an on-site position.
What qualifications do I need?
FREE RESPONSE ESSAY QUESTIONS All applicants must answer the following four short, free response essay questions. The responses cannot exceed 200 words per question. By submitting your responses to the following questions, you certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or AI (such as a large language model [LLM]). How...
How do I apply for this position?
Apply through USAJobs.gov by clicking the 'Apply on USAJobs' button. You'll need a USAJobs account, a federal-style resume, and supporting documents. The deadline is Apr 27, 2026.
Is a security clearance required?
Yes, a Sensitive Compartmented Information clearance is required.
What does GS-15 mean?
GS-15 refers to the General Schedule grade level. Higher grades require more experience and offer higher pay. Visit our GS Pay Scale page for full salary tables by grade and locality.
What benefits do federal employees receive?
Federal employees receive comprehensive benefits including health insurance (FEHB), retirement through FERS, Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with government matching, paid annual and sick leave, paid parental leave, life insurance, and student loan repayment programs.