Budget Analyst

About the position

Under limited supervision, assists in the development of the City's annual operating and capital budgets; provides analytical assistance to the budget office and other city departments; performs complex technical research and analysis to provide city officials with pertinent information regarding various city programs and departments; collects and analyzes data; prepares reports, charts, graphs and other information materials; assists Assistant Director of Budget and Strategic Planning in preparing briefing packages on the recommended city budget and preparing responses to council member and/or citizen inquiries on the budget; assists the Assistant Director of Budget and Strategic Planning with monitoring citywide and departmental budgets and personnel allocations on a quarterly basis; acts as financial and management consultant to assigned city departments to improve operational effectiveness and efficiency to enhance the financial condition of the city; provides research and support to the Assistant Director of Budget and Strategic Planning. Reports to the Assistant Director of Budget and Strategic Planning.

Responsibilities

• Conducts in-depth research on assigned topics in preparation of reports and/or recommendations for action by city departments, administrators, or elected officials.
• Gathers and analyses statistical, historical, financial and other data through examination of various publications, literature or other documentation, and/or interviews and surveys of expert sources.
• Researches, analyzes, and evaluates the efficiency, effectiveness and utility of department operations or management initiatives proposed by line and staff personnel.
• Composes memorandums, correspondence, reports, plans of action, etc., in response to research assignments.
• Prepares graphs, charts, maps, etc., to illustrate reports and recommendations.
• Makes oral presentations to city officials, boards or commissions, explaining analysis of data and recommendations, and responding to inquiries.
• Drafts ordinances and resolutions for various council items.
• Reviews, revises, organizes and develops assigned department budget submissions for the creation of the budget and CIP documents.
• Monitors the financial status of assigned departments and capital projects and advises department directors, and the Assistant Director of Budget and Strategic Planning of potential problems and alternative solutions.
• Participates in the budget department's management initiatives.
• Meets and confers with department heads, administrators, elected officials, board and commission members, etc., to ascertain concerns and interests pertinent to research topics or preparation of reports, plans of actions, etc.
• Provides department training to instruct on budget process, its purpose, procedures, and schedule deadlines.
• Participates in the development of presentations on financial matters related to the operating budget or capital improvements budget.
• Develops alternative solutions to problems that arise within assigned departments.
• Leads or facilitates departmental and interdepartmental work teams assigned to address programmatic and policy issues.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in bookkeeping or accounting.
• Three years of experience in accounting clerical work.
• Knowledge of the application of established bookkeeping and accounting principles and techniques to governmental accounting transactions.
• Considerable knowledge of arithmetic.
• Knowledge of state and local fiscal regulations, policies and procedures.
• General knowledge of terminology used within the department.
• Knowledge of office accounting methods and procedures.
• Ability to organize and effectively process and maintain financial records and files, and prepare reports from them.
• Ability to analyze and record information and to balance figures.
• Ability to understand or apply laws, regulations and policies to the maintenance of financial records.
• Ability to verify documents and forms for accuracy and completeness.
• Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.
• Ability to type accurately at a moderate rate of speed.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment, discretion and initiative in completing assignments and in dealing with other employees and the general public.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other employees and the general public.
• Ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or compositional characteristics of data, people or things.
• Ability of speaking and/or signaling people to convey or exchange information.
• Ability to read a variety of reports, letters and memos, technical studies, statistical data, charts, graphs, etc.
• Ability to prepare correspondence, reports, studies, statistical analysis, charts, graphs, etc., using prescribed formats and conforming to all rules of punctuation, grammar, diction, and style.
• Ability to speak before groups of people with poise, voice control and confidence.
• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagrammatic form.
• Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in or from standardized situations.
• Ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions.
• Ability to understand government accounting terminology.
• Ability to utilize mathematical formulas; to add and subtract totals; to multiply and divide; and to determine percentages and decimals.
• Ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape.