By Trina A. San Agustin
Variety News Staff

THE Guam Public School System is establishing a list of qualified individuals who are interested in becoming GPSS’s next chief financial officer.
The position was left vacant last week by Pete Tajalle, according to GPSS spokesperson Gerry Cruz.
Tajalle was hired two years ago by former GPSS Superintendent Juan Flores.
Tajalle cited “personal matters” as his reason for resigning.
Cruz said Frances Danielli is the interim CFO, along with Felix Calvo.
According to the GPSS personnel division, the requirements to apply for the CFO position is a master’s degree in accounting, finance, economics, business administration, or a related field.
If an interested individual does not have a master’s degree, the minimum qualification and requirements also allow for a bachelor’s degree in the same fields.
The qualifications also list that the applicant must have at least seven years of experience as a chief financial officer or controller, along with knowledge in negotiating and directing activities related to obtaining financial reimbursement from federal government programs.
Additionally, the individual must have experience in negotiating contracts with external parties, including third party payers, vendors, insurance carriers and other contracting parties.
According to the job description, the chief financial officer is expected to perform “highly professional administrative and accounting work in planning, organizing, developing, establishing, coordinating, implementing, and directing the overall operations of the central accounting system, the overall affairs of the department and the budgeting of GPSS.”
The last time that GPSS ran a CFO job vacancy announcement, there were only two applicants, according to Cruz.
Cruz could not say whether there are now names on the list or if Danielli or Calvo has applied for the position.
The U.S. Department of Education earlier warned that they may not release funds to GPSS due to its lack of a permanent chief financial officer.