Budget Analyst III

Under limited supervision, performs intermediate to advanced analytical and fiscal control work for the Countys Finance Department. Work involves assisting in the coordination and preparation, development, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of the Countys operating budgets. Duties include assisting in budget formulation, presentation, analysis, and reporting; researching, developing, and preparing budget-related documents; analyzing operating expenditures and budgets; and estimating future expenditures. Employee is responsible for monitoring revenue and expenditure patterns and recommending corrective actions. Reports to the Director of Budget.

• Assists in the preparation of the preliminary and final formulation, presentation, and administration of the recommended annual operating budget.
• Assists in the development of budget preparation materials for County Departments; provides direction, assistance, and guidance as needed; explains policies, procedures, and budget-related issues that need to be considered in the budget development process.
• Analyzes current and past operating expenditures and develops estimates of future expenditures, providing summaries and presentations to the Board, administration, and staff. Reviews historical and current revenue and expenditure patterns and recommends corrective financial action as required.
• Researches and develops memoranda and agenda items regarding policies, procedures, budget information, and capital improvement projects, and presents findings and recommendations to the Board of Supervisors. Prepares charts, statistical information, and other materials for use in presenting, illustrating, and supporting findings and recommendations.
• Attends Board of Supervisors and community meetings to present information and explanations regarding budgetary and financial issues and to explain/justify recommendations. Responds to inquiries by departments, outside agencies, and citizens on the County budget process, current status, and related activity.
• Assists in coordinating the establishment of performance measures and indicators for existing and new County activities; evaluating the appropriateness of measures and indicators; and assisting departments in the development of valid data collection methodologies.
• Assist in the planning and directing of the preparation of supporting budget documentation, including revenue projections, statistical data, and other fiscal information. Assist in the writing, developing, recommending, and interpretation of financial policies.
• Assists in writing and editing the approved and proposed budget documents in accordance with County policies and Government Finance Officer Association standards. Assists in coordinating the publication of the proposed and approved budget documents with outside vendors.
• Provides guidance, information, and interpretation to County administrators and staff regarding budgetary and financial issues. Trains County staff in new or revised budgetary procedures, including the use of financial systems.
• Participates in budget planning meetings with County Administration.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Bachelors Degree in Business Administration, Finance, or a related field; requires at least four (4) years of responsible experience performing budget development, analysis, and reporting in a public sector environment, and experience developing performance measures for varied programs and services; or any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Budget Analyst positions are career ladder positions. Advancement from a Budget Analyst II to a Budget Analyst III requires:

1. Completion (with a passing grade, if graded) of at least two classes related to budget, analysis, Capital Improvement Planning, Strategic Planning, Governmental Accounting, Governmental Planning, or Economics. Software classes, unless directly related to budget/financial analysis, do not qualify.
2. Consistently taking on new, more complex analyses (i.e., developing models, projecting end-of-year actuals, estimating fund balances, etc.) with limited supervision specific examples of two or more new, more complex analyses must be provided.

• Considerable knowledge of the principles and practices of public finance administration and of budget development, analysis, and reporting.
• Considerable knowledge of standard research techniques, methods, and procedures.
• Considerable knowledge of federal, state, and local laws and policies concerning County fiscal operations.
• Considerable knowledge of the operations of County government, including taxation and other sources of income.
• Considerable knowledge of the principles and practices of statistics with reference to their application to financial, budgetary, and operational activities.
• Considerable knowledge of trends and developments in the field of public finance and budget administration.
• Knowledge of modern office practices and procedures.
• Ability to assist in the preparation, development, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of the Countys operating budget.
• Ability to research and analyze revenue and expenditure patterns; to identify needed corrective actions and budget-related recommendations; and to prepare reports, presentation materials, and other supporting documents to explain analytical findings and recommendations.
• Ability to provide advice, guidance, and explanations to the Board of Supervisors, administration, and staff regarding budget-related issues.
• Ability to assist in developing performance measures for varied County programs and services and provide assistance to departments in developing data collection methods and performance indicators.
• Ability to effectively express ideas orally and in writing.
• Ability to exercise tact, courtesy, and firmness in contact with County officials, administration, and the public.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments.
• Ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or compositional characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people, or things.
• Ability to speak and/or signal people to convey or exchange information. Includes receiving instructions from the immediate supervisor.
• Ability to read budgetary and financial documents, expenditure and revenue reports, financial summaries, manuals, procedures, policies, regulations, correspondence, etc. Ability to prepare budgetary and financial documents, expenditure and revenue reports, financial summaries, presentation materials to support analyses and recommendations, correspondence, and other administrative documents.
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists; to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagrammatic, or schedule form.
• Ability to maintain high standards of accuracy in exercising duties and responsibilities.
• Ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, and to follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively using government budgeting terminology.
• Ability to use mathematical formulas; to add and subtract totals; to multiply and divide; to determine percentages and decimals; to compute interest and ratios; perform algebraic operations and statistical calculations.
• Ability to effectively deal with people beyond giving and receiving instruction. Must be adaptable to performing under stress in a frequently fast-paced environment.
• Ability to communicate professionally and respectfully.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Must be able to operate a variety of office machines, including computers, calculators, copiers, fax machines, and telephones. Must be able to exert a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time but may involve walking or standing for periods of time. Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width, and shape. Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately when using automated office equipment. Requires the ability to handle a variety of items, office equipment, control knobs, switches, etc. Requires the ability to differentiate between colors and shades of colors. Requires the ability to talk and hear: (Talking: expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words. Hearing: perceiving the nature of sounds by ear.) Must be able to communicate via telephone.