Public health financial management competencies

The absence of appropriate ?nancial management competencies has impeded progress in advancing the ?eld of public health ?nance. It also inhibits the ability to professionalize this sector of the workforce. Financial managers should play a critical role by providing information relevant to decision making. The lack of fundamental ?nancial managementknowledge and skills is a barrier to ful?lling this role. A national expert committee was convened to examine this issue. Thecommittee reviewed standards related to ?nancial and businessmanagement practices within public health and closely related areas. Alignments were made with national standards such as those established for government chief ?nancial of?cers. On the basis of this analysis, a comprehensive set of public health ?nancial management competencies was identi?ed and examined further by a review panel. At a minimum, the competencies can be used to de?ne job descriptions, assess job performance, identify critical gaps in financial analysis, create career paths, and design educational programs.