OCFO Job Announcements
New! Chief Financial Officer* (SES): Office of the Chief Financial Officer. Washington, D.C. Closes Wednesday, February 16, 2022. (*The link to this posting has been updated. Use this link to apply to or share the opening.)
New! Financial Management Analyst (GS-13, 501 series): Office of Budget (BBFA). Location negotiable after selection. Closes Friday, February 18, 2022.
To feature an opening in the next Week in Review, use the OCFO Week in Review submissions form.
|
New: Get Ready to Update Your Telework Agreement
Between February 18 and March 18, employees need to update their telework and remote work agreements. OHRM is providing Navigating Telework Agreements in HR Links training, which covers the new GSA Telework and Remote Work Policy and walks employees through how to create and submit telework agreements in HR Links.
If you have questions, contact GSA’s Telework Program Manager, Michele Daughtry.
|
Reminder: Don't Miss Out on Coffee with Mehul
It’s not too late to sign up for Coffee with Mehul. During these regularly scheduled small-group sessions, employees across the organization have the opportunity to make introductions, ask questions, and share suggestions with our acting CFO. Interested in participating? Sign up for Coffee with Mehul! Already signed up? Stay tuned for a Google Calendar invite.
|
ICYMI: This Week's Messages from GSA Leadership
2/10: Mehul shared a message highlighting Black History Month
Check out the Messages from Leadership page on InSite, where you can find past messages from GSA leaders.
Poll Results: Superb Owl Sunday!
While we don't all root for the same team, it's refreshing to see that many of us share a love of Super Bowl commercials. More than 40% of you responded that those wacky ads are your favorite part of the big game. The game itself came in second, with just over 21% of the vote, and the halftime show rounds out the top three with 16%.
Thanks so much for participating in the Week in Review poll. To share ideas for future polls, send us an email. Check back next week for another one and have a great weekend!
|
Welcome to the OCFO Analytics Corner! Each week, the Analytics Community of Practice (A-CoP) team will be sharing events, training, resources, and more. Complete this Google Form to receive more information about the A-CoP or to get involved.
Better Storytelling with Data
Are you looking for new ways to create engaging data visualizations? Or maybe just better ways to use Excel to do your analysis? Check out Depict Data Studio's top 21 data visualization resources of 2021 and get ready to tell more impactful stories with your data!
|
Every week we will feature OCFO colleagues who have been recognized by their peers for their great work and character. This is a quick, easy, and fun way to acknowledge and thank one another. To recognize one (or more) of your peers in the next Week in Review, use the OCFO Shout Outs Google Form. |
|
 |
Shout out to Steve Mauser (BGF)!
Thank you, Steve, for always being so supportive of my many questions and issues. You never say "no," "wait," or "I don't have time!" Thanks for being you!
Submitted by: Kathleen Contrabasso (BGF)
Reminder: New Sessions of Overcoming Burnout and Re-Engaging Virtual Connection Added to OLU
Due to overwhelming interest, more sessions of the “Overcoming Burnout and Re-Engaging Virtual Connection” training have been scheduled.
This session will focus on understanding the challenges of burnout, connecting with ourselves and each other on how burnout may be affecting us, and sharing ideas and best practices for addressing these challenges as individuals, teams and as a workforce. This training will use a combination of polling, small group break-out sessions, and larger group presentation and discussion.
Register for the Thursday, March 24 session (or join the waitlist for the Wednesday, February 16 session) through GSA's Online University.
Throughout February, in recognition of Black History Month, the Week in Review will showcase stories of Black employees within OCFO. This week, Zakiya Zaid, Branch Chief of the FAS Regional Support Group, shares hers.
 Zakiya Zaid is a leader in the Office of Budget. She spent 10 years in the Office of Budget’s Budget Control, Oversight, and Formulation Division before becoming the Branch Chief of the FAS Regional Support Group. She is an Ambassador for the National Museum of African American History & Culture, and a member of both the African American Federal Executive Association and Top Ladies of Distinction.
Zakiya attended Hampton University, an HBCU in Virginia, where she received her B.S. in finance, and attended the University of Maryland University College, where she received her M.S. in financial management and information systems. She lives in Maryland with her husband of 20 years and her 2 youngest children, and is extremely proud that her oldest son is a legacy student at Hampton this year. Outside of work, she spends most of her time on the sideline at sporting events, cheering for her kids. In her free time, she loves traveling, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.
What is a moment in Black history that influenced or shaped your career/life or that particularly resonates with you?
When President Obama was elected — truthfully, it was more about Michelle Obama becoming First Lady. Like so many others, I identified with Michelle. Although I don’t think I need to tell everyone how great Michelle Obama is, what resonated most was her being unapologetically herself. She stayed true to what she valued: being a great mother and supporting her husband. Both of which are really important to me. The dignity, grace, and style she possessed in probably the most hectic time of her life, in my eyes, is iconic.
What has been the biggest obstacle you’ve faced in your career and how did you overcome it?
Not enough diversity in leadership positions within the organizations I’ve worked. This has been discouraging and, at times, made career advancement seem unattainable. I found it hard to network with people I didn’t have much in common with. From my perspective, it seemed like certain individuals were given opportunities for special projects that helped grow their careers, while others were left out.
To overcome this obstacle, I focused on making sure my frustrations were not visible in how I presented myself at work. I made a conscious decision to remain positive and not allow my frustration to affect the quality of my work. I also participated in social activities at work and started volunteering for opportunities I was interested in. Getting out of my comfort zone allowed me to network with more people, eventually creating the opportunities I was looking for.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself!
I’m a little bit of an adrenaline junkie, and I sometimes mix that with my love of traveling. In July 2021, I did a mother-daughter photo shoot underwater at the Cenote Cristal in Tulum, Mexico (pictured). Then, in December 2021, I walked across one of the world’s scariest footbridges at Kakum Canopy Walk, Ghana.
|
