Scott W. Bauer
Currently serving as Director, Human Capital and Resource Management, Mr. Scott Bauer shapes the future of the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Financial Management (FM) workforce, guiding approximately 60,000 dedicated professionals across the enterprise. He leads DoD-wide Functional Community Management for FM and oversees pivotal workforce programs, including the FM Certification Program, career roadmaps, and the USD(C) Awards, driving excellence, innovation, and growth. Additionally, he advances FM training through platforms such as FM Online, FM myLearn, and the FM Certification Learning Management System. He also manages key internal operations for the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller), ensuring optimal resource allocation, contracts, personnel, and facilities to support mission readiness.
Prior to that, he was the Vice President of Business Development at Integrated Data Services (IDS), where he drove impactful branding and strategic initiatives, including launching the company’s inaugural advertisement and journal publication, significantly elevating its visibility, reach, professional connections, and market positioning. At the Veterans Health Administration, he served as Executive Director of Strategy and Operations, re-engineering the budget formulation process, securing additional funding for critical initiatives, and aligning priorities with federal oversight, earning recognition from the Government Accountability Office (GAO). At the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), he was Acting Senior Executive Advisor in the Office of the Chief Procurement Officer, where he led professional development initiatives, reduced a certification backlog, expanded training programs, and strengthened the agency’s talent pipeline. At the Department of Defense (DoD), he was Director of Acquisition Career Management for 32 defense agencies, improving workforce programs, developing retention strategies, and launching a leadership development initiative. At the Defense Acquisition University, he helped redesign the DoD workforce framework, streamlining career paths for 185,000 acquisition professionals and increasing engagement through social media vignettes. As Director of Acquisition Human Capital Initiatives, he secured congressional funding, safeguarded an alternative personnel system, and professionalized the workforce. His nearly decade-long financial management experience includes serving as Chief, Exercise Branch at the Pentagon, where he defended the Air Force’s $167 billion FY17 budget request to Congress with a live presentation aired on MSNBC.
Mr. Bauer was recently named Wright State University (Dayton, Ohio) 2025 Alumnus of the Year and was inducted into the Fairborn (Ohio) City Schools Hall of Honor in 2019. He received the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service, the Secretary of Homeland Security Medal for Outstanding Public Service, and American University’s Tobias Achievement Award. His work appears in the Armed Forces Comptroller Journal, Defense Acquisition Magazine, and other publications. Scott is a graduate of the Federal Executive Institute, Partnership for Public Service Excellence in Government Fellows, and the Department of Defense Executive Leadership Development Program.