Deputy Chief Financial Officer
State of Washington
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Job summary
The State of Washington, Employment Security Department, is seeking a Deputy Chief Financial Officer to lead and transform the agency's financial operations. Reporting to the CFO, the Deputy CFO will provide technical accounting expertise, risk oversight, and leadership across Financial Services, ensuring sound decisions and strong controls.
The role emphasizes financial transformation, implementation of statewide One Washington and Workday financial systems, staff development, and internal
Qualifications
- Progressively responsible financial management with leadership and budgeting experience.
- Experience supervising finance staff and managing complex budgets.
- Strong knowledge of internal controls, risk management, and financial operations.
Responsibilities
- Provide technical financial leadership and primary advisory to CFO.
- Lead internal operations of Financial Services Division and supervise staff.
- Drive financial transformation and system modernization, including Workday.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
The Employment Security Department (ESD) is seeking an accomplished financial leader to serve as our Deputy Chief Financial Officer (Deputy CFO). We are seeking a leader who combines technical expertise, operational leadership, and the ability to guide complex financial transformation.
Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, the Deputy CFO has a strong internal and operational focus, serves on behalf of the CFO when needed, and provides leadership across the agency’s financial operations.
The work of the Deputy CFO centers on three priorities:
- Technical Financial Leadership: First and foremost, we are seeking a technical financial expert who brings substantial depth in accounting and financial management. The Deputy CFO serves as a primary advisor to the CFO on agency financial operations and provides leadership over day-to-day finance operations. The successful candidate will be able to understand the accounting, and use that expertise to identify risk, strengthen controls, analyze financial information, and support sound decisions.
- Operational Leadership: Second, the Deputy CFO provides internal operational leadership for the Financial Services Division. The position partners with teams throughout ESD to strengthen centralized financial operations and develop efficient and effective service-delivery models. The Deputy CFO helps lead the division’s operational work, support organizational health, develop leaders and staff, and assume supervisory responsibility for the Financial Services Division in the CFO’s absence.
- Financial Transformation and Systems: Third, the Deputy CFO will help lead ESD through a significant period of financial transformation and systems modernization. The position oversees financial system-development and automation initiatives and plays an important role in ESD’s implementation of statewide One Washington and Workday financial systems. The successful candidate will help ESD prepare its people, processes, and financial operations for this transition and help shape the future of how financial work is performed across the agency.
This role is for a financial leader who wants to understand the technical underpinnings, strengthen operations, develop people, and thoughtfully lead transformation. The Deputy CFO has the opportunity to protect the integrity of today’s financial operations while helping shape how ESD’s financial work is performed in the future.
Required Education and Experience:
- 10 years of progressively responsible financial management and operational leadership experience, including at least 5 years supervising professional-level finance staff and managing complex budgets.
Option 2:
- Associate’s degree in finance, accounting, business administration, public administration, or a closely related field AND
- 8 years of progressively responsible financial management and operational leadership experience, including at least 5 years supervising professional-level finance staff and managing complex budgets.
Option 3:
- Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, business administration, public administration, or a closely related field AND
- 6 years of progressively responsible financial management and operational leadership experience, including at least 5 years supervising professional-level finance staff and managing complex budgets.
- The ability to take action to learn and grow.
- The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.
- Strategic Financial Planning & Forecasting: Ability to translate high-level economic data and trends into actionable, long-term agency financial plans and forecasts.
- Internal Controls & Risk Management: Deep knowledge of internal control frameworks, risk assessment protocols, and financial mitigation strategies to safeguard agency resources.
- Enterprise System Governance: Competency in aligning financial system development, automation initiatives, and IT portfolios with organizational goals.
- Policy & Procedure Formulation: Skill in designing, updating, and executing administrative and financial policies that comply with state and federal regulations.
- Intergovernmental Relations: Familiarity with state oversight and financial entities (such as the State Auditor's Office, Office of Financial Management, and State Treasurer's Office) to represent the agency effectively.
- Transformational Leadership: Capacity to guide organizational change, streamline operational efficiencies, and foster cross-divisional collaboration (e.g., partnering with Unemployment Insurance and Leave and Care operations).
- Executive Coaching & Development: Demonstrated talent for providing constructive leadership, professional development, and mentorship to high-performing finance teams.
- Cultural Humility & DEI: A tangible, active commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, with the ability to model and instill cultural humility across division leadership.
- Decision-Making & Delegation: Sound judgment to act as a delegated appointing authority and step into supervisory oversight for the Financial Services Division when required.
- A Master’s degree (MBA, MPA) or professional certification such as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM).
- Demonstrated experience working within state or local government financial structures (such as Washington State's Office of Financial Management or similar state frameworks).
- Demonstrated track record overseeing large-scale financial system automation or enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation projects (e.g., Workday ERP).
- Must be able to pass Unemployment Insurance (UI) & Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) claim and fraud check.
Our agency's mission and values drive every decision that we make, determine how we interact with others and are at the core of who we are. We value Access, Love, Belonging, Equity, and Stewardship. We understand that a work environment that respects your work/life balance is key; that's why many of our positions are eligible for flexible work schedules and teleworking opportunities. Through support, value, and trust, our employees are empowered to grow and develop into their best self.
We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, ethnic, racial, religious, sexual orientation, and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, people over 40 years of age, people with religious beliefs, veterans or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.
The Employment Security Department is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.
If you are a person needing assistance in the application process, if you need this job announcement in an alternate format, or if you have general questions about this opportunity, please contact Katie Swanson (360-742-8208), the Talent Acquisition Team, or Washington Relay Service 711 prior to the recruitment closing. If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please contact careershelp@des.wa.gov or (360) 664-1960 or toll free (877) 664-1960, Washington Relay 711.
This Organization Participates in E-Verify.
Employee benefits are not just about the kind of services you get, they are also about how much you may have to pay out of pocket. Washington State offers one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation.
We understand that your life revolves around more than just your career. Like everyone, your first priority is ensuring that you and your family will maintain health and financial security. That's why choice is a key component of our benefits package. We have a selection of health and retirement plans, paid leave, staff training and other compensation benefits that you can mix and match to meet your current and future needs.
- Employees and their families are covered by medical (including vision), dental and basic life insurance. There are multiple medical plans with affordable monthly premiums that offer coverage throughout the state.
- Staff are eligible to enroll each year in a medical flexible spending account which enables them to use tax-deferred dollars toward their health care expenses. Employees are also covered by basic life and long-term disability insurance, with the option to purchase additional coverage amounts.
- To view premium rates, coverage choice in your area and how to enroll, please visit the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) website. The Washington Wellness program from the Health Care Authority works with PEBB to support our workplace wellness programs.
- Dependent care assistance allows the employee to save pre-tax dollars for a child or elder care expenses.
- Other insurance coverage for auto, boat, home, and renter insurance is available through payroll deduction.
- The Washington State Employee Assistance Program promotes the health and well-being of employees.
- State Employees are members of the Washington Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). New employees have the option of two employer contributed retirement programs. For additional information, check out the Department of Retirement Systems' web site.
- Employees also have the ability to participate in the Deferred Compensation Program (DCP). This is a supplemental retirement savings program (similar to an IRA) that allows you control over the amount of pre-tax salary dollars you defer as well as the flexibility to choose between multiple investment options.
- All state employees are covered by the federal Social Security and Medicare systems. The state and the employee pay an equal amount into the system.
- If you are employed by a government or not-for-profit organization, and meet the qualifying criteria, you may be eligible to receive student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.
- Full-time and part-time employees are entitled to paid holidays and one paid personal holiday per calendar year.
- Employees who are members of certain Unions may be entitled to additional personal leave day(s), please refer to position specific Collective Bargaining Agreements for more information.
- Full-time employees who work full monthly schedules qualify for holiday compensation if they are employed before the holiday and are in pay status for at least 80 nonovertime hours during the month of the holiday; or for the entire work shift preceding the holiday.
- Part-time employees who are in pay status during the month of the holiday qualify for the holiday on a pro-rata basis. Compensation for holidays (including personal holiday) will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status in the month to that required for full-time employment, excluding all holiday hours. Pay status includes hours worked and time on paid leave.
- Full-time employees earn eight hours of sick leave per month. Overtime eligible employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month, earn a monthly proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Overtime exempt employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month do not earn a monthly accrual of sick leave.
- Sick leave accruals for part-time employees will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Pay status includes hours worked, time on paid leave and paid holiday.
- Full-time employees accrue vacation leave at the rates specified in WAC 357-31-165(1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Full-time employees who are in pay status for less than 80 nonovertime hours in a month do not earn a monthly accrual of vacation leave.
- Part-time employees accrue vacation leave hours in accordance with WAC 357-31-165(1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA) on a pro rata basis. Vacation leave accrual will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment.
- Pay status includes hours worked, time on paid leave and paid holiday.
- As provided in WAC 357-58-175, an employer may authorize a lump-sum accrual of vacation leave or accelerate the vacation leave accrual rate to support the recruitment and/or retention of a candidate or employee for a Washington Management Service position. Vacation leave accrual rates may only be accelerated using the rates established WAC 357-31-165.
- Note: Most agencies follow the civil service rules covering leave and holidays for exempt employees even though there is no requirement for them to do so. However, agencies are required to adhere to the applicable RCWs pertaining holidays and leave.
- Washington State supports members of the armed forces with 21 days paid military leave per year.
- Most employees whose family member or household member dies, or for loss of pregnancy, are entitled to five (5) days of paid bereavement leave. In addition, the employer may approve other available leave types for the purpose of bereavement leave.
- Leave Sharing
- Parental Leave
- Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
- Leave Without Pay
Updated 01-07-2026
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