Principal Budget Analyst

This position serves as a finance leader who develops and manages complex budgets and management processes, including General Fund interdependencies between Capital and Grant programs and operational processes such as annual central budget development, reporting, and financial support for labor negotiations. The role partners with Grants, Accounting, and Payroll to improve, streamline, and facilitate finance processes. It also assists the Budget Director and Executive Budget Director with monitoring complex department budgets, district revenues, and special projects supporting new district initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Develops financial management or monitoring processes for district-wide activities such as central budget development, capital program interfaces, and grants management.
• Reviews budget reporting and monitoring requirements; assists in the development, implementation, and analysis of new, revised, or proposed budget systems and reports.
• Makes recommendations to the Executive Director of Budget regarding potential major process changes.
• Analyzes complex revenue formulas and calculates revenue and expenditure trends to support informed decision-making.
• Identifies major financial cost or revenue risks to the district based on program changes or proposals.
• Performs cost analysis and develops reports related to proposed program changes or new district initiatives.
• Initiates and conducts special projects in support of district goals, determining timelines, tasks, and action plans.
• Monitors and coordinates financial interactions between the Capital Fund and General Fund, setting recommended budget transfer amounts and capital-to-general fund revenue estimates.
• Provides financial and advisory support for collective bargaining and employee agreements, analyzing proposals, documenting contract costs, and developing budget coding for tracking new contract items.
• Researches local economic and legislative data; maintains current knowledge of State and Federal laws and regulations to assess fiscal impact.
• Interprets District budget and finances for the public, employee groups, and other agencies.
• Selects, assigns, supervises, schedules, and evaluates the work of assigned staff; advises, assists, and trains staff in new processes.
• Leads special projects, including supervising the work of others.

Skills

• Strategic Agility & Innovation Management: Anticipates future consequences and trends; brings creative ideas to market; recognizes strategic opportunities for change; thinks holistically by combining ideas in unique ways.
• Managing and Measuring Work: Clearly assigns responsibility for tasks and decisions; sets objectives and measures; monitors process, progress, and results.
• Conflict Management: Successfully mediates conflict between individuals and groups; finds common ground and obtains cooperation with minimal disruption.
• Collaboration: Develops cooperation and teamwork; works skillfully in difficult situations with internal and external groups; builds respectful and productive relationships.
• Getting Results (Action Oriented): Performs work with energy and drive; values planning but takes decisive action when opportunities arise; assumes responsibility for starting and finishing work.
• Decision Quality & Problem Solving: Uses analysis, wisdom, and experience to make good decisions; incorporates multiple inputs to establish shared ownership and effective action.
• Integrity: Is widely trusted; presents truthful information honestly and helpfully; keeps confidences; admits mistakes.
• Accountability: Holds self and others accountable for high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results; complies with established control systems and rules.

Requirements

• Five (5) years of experience in Financial Management, Budget development, or Analysis.
• Bachelor’s degree in Financial Management, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a closely related field. Additional work experience can substitute for the educational requirement on a year-to-year basis.
• Master’s degree may substitute for two (2) years of the required work experience.
• Knowledgeable in Washington State financial requirements for school districts.
• Proficient in the interpretation and application of laws, rules, and regulations governing work processes.
• Ability to apply principles and practices of budget development, management, and oversight.
• Analyze problems and implement solutions.
• Work effectively with individuals and groups regarding sensitive or controversial issues.
• Mentor and provide leadership and direction to other budget staff and district financial leaders.
• Effective oral and written communication.
• Take individual initiative, accept responsibility, and be held accountable.
• Coordinate multiple activities simultaneously and adapt to change.
• Understand methods to collect, analyze, and interpret data.
• Expertise in identifying financial drivers for assigned high-risk budget areas.
• Ability to work independently, plan, organize, and prioritize work while managing multiple large tasks under inflexible deadlines.

Benefits

Eligibility for benefits is determined by the number of hours employees are anticipated to work during the school year (September 1 through August 31). Any employee who is scheduled to work 630 hours or more in a year is eligible for benefits. Benefits are administered by the Washington State Healthcare Authority (HCA) under the School Employees Benefits Board (SEBB).

Pay

Refer to the salary schedule associated with this role and others like it.