Job Description

Posting number: 2026-DSB-011

Department: Dept. of Services for the Blind

Job classification: EXEMPT BAND 3

Posting type: Open & Promotional

Categories: Administration, Accounting and Finance, Planning and Development, Management, Project Management, Records Management, Career Exploration, Program Management

Summary

Chief Financial & Operations Officer

(EMS BAND 3)

The hiring team may make a hiring decision at any time after the standard seven-day job posting. It is within your best interest to apply for this position at your earliest convenience.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8AM - 5PM, in an office environment with the availability of a flexible work schedule upon supervisor’s approval.

DSB is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness - qualifying employer.

DSB Relocation Allotment: DSB offers, upon approval, a relocation bonus and allotment for those staff relocating and needing to make the move to, or across the beautiful state of Washington to join our team.

**Contact Information: Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388. For questions about this recruitment or to request a reasonable accommodation in the application process, contact the recruiter: Rachel Vaughan via email jobs@des.wa.gov.

Who We Are:

The Department of Services for the Blind (DSB) provides services for people of all ages who are blind, deaf blind or have low vision in the State of Washington. The agency provides assessment, advocacy, information, referral, training, and vocational counseling services annually to approximately 2,400 Washington State residents who are blind, low vision or deaf blind in order to fulfill the agency mission of “Working together with individuals who are Blind, Deaf-Blind or Low Vision so they can flourish in their homes, communities, and workplaces.

About this Opportunity:

Reporting to the agency’s Executive Director, the Chief Financial & Operations Officer (CFOO) provides leadership and oversight for DSB’s effective operations (fiscal, purchasing and procurement (including contracting), records management, risk management/safety, business systems administration and facilities) for the Independent Living, Vocational Rehabilitation, Youth Services, and Business Enterprise programs within the agency. This position utilizes leadership and oversight to ensure all programs in agency are aligned with fiscal and operational policy, process and controls for secure operations under federal and state grant structures, and for optimal service delivery that meets the needs of the agency customers.

The CFOO position supports the agency mission by ensuring proper use of state and federal resources. This role has strategic accountability and long-range planning for agency operational and fiscal matters and is expected to be strategic in maintaining continuity and effectiveness of agency system-wide operations. Responsibilities include consulting, researching, educating around and forecasting impact of legislative and policy issues as well as the creation and implementation of policies regarding agency operational and financial matters. This position provides technical assistance to ensure the agency is able to provide necessary services within compliance with federal fiscal and grant regulations and state requirements. The incumbent is responsible for assessing, managing, and mitigating risk to the agency and its operations, and is also accountable for improving external and internal communications and information sharing; and assuring the DSB workforce has the tools to accomplish program goals and activities that protect and improve the independence, inclusion and economic vitality of people with visual disabilities in the State of Washington.

Budgetary responsibilities include direct management of agency fiscal processes for biennial budget (primarily through federal grants) of approximately $40 million. Developing background justification and analysis of fiscal impacts for agency's legislative decision packages and tracking annual program spending and provide spending forecast for all agency programs.

Why you would want this job:

In working with DSB, you'll be a part of an agency that is viewed as a national leader in promoting the skills and abilities of people who are blind or have low vision. You not only will be working for a national leader among blind agencies, but you will also be working for an agency that cares for their employees and customers. We not only recognize but value our employees at work and appreciate and encourage them to have a healthy work-life balance to include offering hybrid work schedules. You will have endless opportunities for growth that we welcome and encourage you to take full advantage of.

To learn more about this opportunity email the recruiter: Rachel Vaughan via jobs@des.wa.gov and request the full job description.

Examples of duties

Duties associated with this position include:

Primary Responsibilities:

• Serve as the agency’s key operations and fiscal strategic advisor and decision-maker as part of the Executive Management Team
• Support and enrich agency mission, vision, and cultural values
• Facilitate clear communications and information among all levels of the agency
• Model and uphold expectations of the highest standards of personal/professional ethical conduct and respectful communication
• Strategic planning, forecasting and analysis of the agency’s strengths, gaps, opportunities and challenges
• Collaborate to align the agency’s mission, goals, budget, and planning with the federal and state current strategic direction
• Ensure program staff understand each other’s and their own inter-connected placement and impact
• Support and promote processes for cross training and knowledge transfer
• Develop a work environment
• Establish, refine and implement policies and management actions
• Ensure utilization of clear language
• Oversee internal control processes
• Provide for training
• Provide leadership to the agency’s systematic process improvement efforts
• Collaborate amongst Executive Management Team to foster agency change management and facilitate agency staff through change
• Ensure effective inter-agency business relationships and activities
• Point of contact for any external audit activity
• Keep agency staff up-to-date of local and national trends and methods
• Support the state’s workforce goals
• Actively model and promote the goals and objectives of the state. Foster agency collaboration and teaming for all colleagues, new applicants and agency customers
• Supervise and provide coaching

Fiscal, Purchasing and Procurement/Contracting Leadership:

• Guide the strategic and tactical development, maintenance, and implementation
• Provide strategic financial leadership
• Ensure Executive Management Team is informed
• Provide in-depth and timely analysis
• Lead the agency’s fiscal long-term strategic planning activities
• Ensure accuracy and timeliness of fiscal forecasting
• Oversee long-term planning, tracking and communication of agency budget
• Ensure appropriate and optimum use of the organization’s resources in alignment with executive direction
• Ensure short- and long-term fiscal stability
• Collaborate to strategize and develop new funding streams
• Implement streamlined processes
• Create contingency plans to mitigate risk
• Ensure compliance with federal grant and state/local fiscal compliance and reporting requirements
• Provide for required check and balance in fiscal processes
• Ensure timely and accurate completion of required fiscal reports
• Oversee
• Ensure applicable state rules align with federal compliance requirements
• Oversee contracting and procurement compliance
• Ensure procurement processes maximize utilization
• Lead the Legislative budget development process
• Provide technical assistance in development of proposed agency decision packages
• Consider risk mitigation
• Ensure quarterly performance data collection, analysis and reporting
• Develop and implement systems for ensuring nimble response to changes
• Oversee development of needed fiscal processes, procedures, and internal controls
• Anticipate and mitigate fiscal risks
• Identify and develop fiscal opportunities
• Identify, analyze and resolve local and agency-wide fiscal and procurement issues

Operational Leadership:

• Provide leadership and guidance for agency operations
• Oversee agency Business Systems Administration team’s requirements and activities
• Lead strategic planning in supporting agency data needs
• Ensure required reporting are completed with accuracy and timeliness
• Support team’s technical assistance efforts
• Provide leadership for agency risk management
• Ensure risk management is addressed in agency’s strategic planning
• Coordinate communications of risk items
• Lead agency records management efforts
• Lead efforts to develop and maintain policy, procedures, technical assistance and internal controls to ensure accurate records
• Oversee agency facilities requirements and activities
• Lead strategic planning in use of facilities
• Ensure required reporting are completed with accuracy and timeliness
• Secure technical assistance
• Provide leadership to One Washington
• Provide technical assistance to Business Enterprise Program (BEP) activities
• Provide leadership to agency inventory processes
• Ensure compliance

Qualifications

Required Experience, Competencies, and Technical Skills (experience may be concurrent):

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Business Administration or related field required
• Demonstrates strong leadership skills with ten (10) years supervisory experience managing different skill levels
• Five (5) years’ experience in business planning and strategic planning
• Five (5) years’ experience performing complex financial analyses
• Ability to understand, interpret and apply Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
• Experience with grants management and technology-enabled operations/accounting systems
• Experience with risk management
• Ability to apply and communicate state and federal fiscal rules
• Strong collaboration skills, and ability to work in a team environment as part of the Executive Team, and with internal/external customers
• Strong written and verbal communications skills with the ability to communicate complex technical topics to diverse audiences
• Ability to manage multiple projects or assignments at the same time
• Ability to identify issues, analyze and provide multiple solutions and impacts
• Worked for small organizations that typically fill multiple generalized roles rather than narrow specialized roles
• Ability to make data driven, defensible recommendations and decisions
• Ability to understand and think big picture, also skilled at being detail oriented (Entire Picture) Proficient in Microsoft Office products and the ability to quickly learn internal business systems
• Advanced skills in Excel

Required Competencies

• Ensures Accountability- Takes responsibility for decisions, actions and failures.
• Manages Complexity- Acquires data from multiple and diverse sources when solving problems.
• Financial Acumen- Identifies and monitors key financial indicators to gauge performance, identify trends, and suggest strategies that can impact results.
• Collaborates- Works cooperatively with others across the organization to achieve shared objectives.
• Plans and Aligns- Sets objectives to align with broader organizational goals.
• Communicates Effectively- Articulates messages in a way that is broadly understandable.
• Optimizes Work Processes- Identifies and creates the processes necessary to get work done.

Enterprise Competencies

• Commitment to a Respectful Workplace
• Self-Awareness
• Cultivates Mutually Beneficial and Trusting Strategic Partnerships
• Excellence and Allyship
• Measuring for Success and Improvement

PREFERRED:

• Master’s degree in public administration, business administration or related field
• Experience with state automated financial systems; procurement; and federal grant compliance, prefer advance level
• Four (4) years' executive level experience
• Four (4) years' experience managing complex federal and state grants
• Experience with Vocational Rehabilitation Federal grants
• Experience and alignment with philosophy of disability & independent living
• Mission driven, government or non-profit experience preferred

Leadership Philosophy

Leadership is expected of everyone in the organization.

Equity Competencies

State of Washington Employees contribute to ensuring services, programs, workplaces, and interactions are responsive, respectful, accessible, and effective to the people and communities we serve. Employees are expected to:

• Take action to learn and Grow: Demonstrate a willingness to learn from new experiences, seek feedback, consider different perspectives, and continuously improve knowledge, skills, communication, and approaches to work.
• Take action to meet the needs of others: Seek to understand the needs and experiences of customers, coworkers, and communities. Identify barriers to access and participation and address them before they become obstacles for the people we serve, providing support that is respectful, timely, and effective.

To learn more about the responsibilities of this position, email the recruiter: Rachel Vaughan via jobs@des.wa.gov and request the full job description.

Supplemental information

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment

• Must pass a federal and statewide background check

How to Apply:

Interested? We would love to hear from you! Click “Apply” at the top of this page to start your application. You can save the application and come back to it, if needed. Be sure to complete the application fully to include a full work history and responses to the supplemental questions.

Please provide the following documents in order to be considered; failure to do so may result in you not being considered for the position:

• A letter of interest, describing how you meet the qualifications for this position as outlined in the job posting
• A current resume, detailing experience, and education; and
• A current list of at least three (3) professional references with current contact information (attached or available to provide at the time of interview)

Do not attach any documents that include photos or private information (social security number, year of birth, etc.).

Please Note: By submitting these materials, you are indicating that all information is true and correct. The state may verify the information provided. Any untruthful or misleading information is cause for removal from the applicant pool or dismissal if employed. A resume will not substitute for completing the “duties summary” section of the online application. Please do not refer to the resume for details, or your application may be disqualified.

Washington Fair Chance Act

We are committed to providing equitable access to employment opportunities. If a criminal background check is required for employment at an agency, it will occur only after a conditional offer of employment has been made and accepted.

Applicants are not required to disclose criminal history during the hiring process prior to a conditional offer. Criminal history will not automatically exclude an applicant from consideration and will be reviewed on an individual basis consistent with applicable law and the requirements of the position.

Learn more about the Washington Fair Chance Act: Washington Fair Chance act guide

Background Check Notice: Prior to any new appointment into the Department of Services for the Blind, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted as a condition of employment. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the position.

Opportunity for All:

The Department of Services for the Blind celebrates our differences and we are committed to a workplace that supports equal opportunity employment and inclusion regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, marital status, families with children (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sex, sexual orientation, gender identity diversity, age, status as a protected veteran, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as an individual with the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with disabilities or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We will also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws.

You are welcome to include the name and pronoun you would like to be referred to in your materials, and we will honor this as you interact with our organization.