Financial Assistance Management

Financial Assistance Management Career Roadmap

The Financial Assistance Management Career Roadmap is an interactive resource developed by the CFO Council to help government employees and others interested in financial assistance management to take the right steps toward fulfilling their career goals. The core competencies below are based on the roadmap resource.

What Functional Competencies Are Needed?

The CFO Council identified functional competencies that are standard performance requirements for individuals wishing to work in federal financial assistance management. The following competencies and their descriptions have been adapted from page 8 of the CFO Council's report.

Accountability

  • Ensures that effective controls are developed and maintained to assure the integrity of the organization

  • Holds self and others accountable for rules and responsibilities

  • Can be relied upon to ensure that projects within areas of specific responsibility are completed in a timely manner and within budget

  • Monitors and evaluates plans, focuses on results and measuring attainment of outcomes

Compliance

  • Knowledge of procedures for assessing, evaluating, managing, and monitoring financial assistance programs or projects for compliance with statutes, regulations, policies, and procedures

Creative Thinking

  • Develops innovative ideas and solutions

  • Designs new methods where established policies or procedures are inapplicable, unavailable, or could be improved to promote efficiency and effectiveness

Financial Analysis

  • Knowledge of financial management and budgeting methods, policies, procedures, systems, and practices to assess the financial capability of non-Federal entities applying for or receiving Federal financial assistance

Financial Assistance Management

  • Knowledge of statutes, regulations, policies, and procedures of financial assistance programs, including their order of precedence and their application in the financial assistance lifecycle (e.g., soliciting, receiving, reviewing, and processing proposals, and awarding and administering grants closeouts and audits)

Organizational Awareness

  • Knows the agency's and organization's mission and functions, including the strategic plan, structure, technological systems, and leadership

  • Understands external economic, political, and social trends that affect the organization

Planning and Evaluation

  • Aligns planning activities to support objectives and/or performance goals of the agency and program mission, as appropriate

  • Monitors progress and evaluates outcomes to inform decisions and accomplish goals

Project and Program Management

  • Knowledge of the principles, methods, and tools for developing, scheduling, coordinating, and managing projects or programs and resources - including monitoring and inspecting costs, work, and recipient performance

Relationship Management

  • Builds relationships that promote effective implementation of financial assistance activities

  • Works with stakeholders to assess their needs, to provide information or technical assistance, and to address their issues

  • Committed to providing high-quality customer service

Source: Chief Financial Officers (CFO) Council