BUDGET MANAGER JOB DESCRIPTION

A government budget is a public commitment. When no one owns the numbers with precision, capital projects drift, bond arbitrage deadlines pass unmanaged, and Council presentations land without the data to support them. The Budget Manager is the function that prevents that. This role owns annual and multi-year budget preparation across all fund types, from operating appropriations to capital improvement programs, within a government entity accountable to elected officials and regulatory bodies such as the GFOA. It is one of the few finance positions where fiscal policy analysis and public transparency obligations carry equal weight.

As the Budget Manager, you are accountable for the full annual budget cycle in a public-sector organization, from initial department training through final submission and Council approval, ensuring every fund, projection, and amendment meets statutory requirements. The position operates with direct access to senior leadership and elected bodies, requiring the ability to translate complex multi-year financial data into clear policy recommendations for non-financial audiences.

Career Impact: Overseeing bond arbitrage requirements and GFOA-standard budget publication builds a depth of public finance expertise that is directly transferable to senior roles such as Budget Director or Finance Director in government.

Business Impact: The accuracy of multi-year revenue and expenditure projections you produce determines whether a government entity can deliver capital projects on schedule and maintain fiscal credibility with its constituents.

Growth Opportunity: Managing grant reconciliation, CIP integration, and policy analysis in a single role expands your competency set toward the strategic finance leadership positions that most local government entities promote from within.

• Prepare and manage annual, multi-year, and long-range budgets across all fund types to support executive and Council approval processes.
• Integrate capital improvement program budgets and bond authorizations into overall financial planning to ensure consistent multi-year projections.
• Monitor and manage bond revenue and grant funds in accordance with official statement requirements and applicable grant agreements.
• Develop city-wide or agency-wide personnel salary and benefits projections and incorporate pay plan changes into annual budget documents.
• Review and process budget amendments and departmental transfers in compliance with established financial policies and statutory requirements.
• Produce monthly and quarterly financial reports including year-end estimates and trend analysis for senior leadership and elected bodies.
• Lead budget presentations at Department, Executive, and Council hearings, translating technical fiscal data for diverse audiences.
• Coordinate with departments on goal alignment, performance measures, and compliance with applicable federal and state budget regulations.

• Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Finance, Accounting, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
• 4 or more years of governmental budgeting experience, with demonstrated responsibility for multi-fund budget preparation and reporting.
• Knowledge of governmental accounting principles, financial reporting standards, and budget regulations at the state and federal level.
• Ability to prepare and present complex financial information clearly to elected officials, department directors, and the general public.
• Skill in creating multi-year financial projections through analysis of revenue and expenditure patterns and emerging fiscal trends.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage concurrent budget cycles, audit schedules, and regulatory deadlines simultaneously.

• Certified Government Finance Officer designation or comparable public finance certification from a recognized professional body.
• Experience preparing budget documents in accordance with GFOA Distinguished Budget Presentation Award standards.
• Familiarity with bond issuance processes, arbitrage compliance requirements, and capital project accounting within a public entity.
• Prior supervisory or team leadership experience within a government budget or finance division.

• Budget amendment accuracy rate, reflecting completeness and compliance of all processed transfers and adjustments.
• Variance between adopted budget and year-end actuals across all funds, measured annually by fund type.
• On-time submission rate for grant reconciliations and Schedule 16 filings within required regulatory deadlines.
• Bond arbitrage reporting timeliness, measured against statutory deadlines for third-party consultant deliverables.
• Audit finding count attributable to budget documentation or compliance gaps during annual independent audit.
• Typical tools: Spreadsheet and financial modeling software (commonly Excel or equivalent); ERP and mainframe budget systems (commonly Questica or similar government budget platforms)

• Base Salary Range: $75,000 to $105,000 annually, depending on jurisdiction size and experience.
• Bonus: Merit-based increases common; performance bonuses less typical in public sector.
• Equity: Not applicable in government roles.
• Health Benefits: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage standard in public employment.
• PTO: 15 to 25 days annually, plus paid public holidays.
• Common Perks: Defined-benefit pension plan, student loan assistance programs, and professional development funding for government finance certifications.

Figures are estimates based on general US market benchmarks and may be outdated. Adjust based on location, company size, and seniority level.

Reasonable accommodations are available to applicants and employees with disabilities throughout the hiring process and employment, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and applicable state law. Employment in this role is contingent on successful completion of a background screening. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under federal, state, or local law. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States.

The Budget Manager owns the full cycle of budget development and grant compliance for federally funded Special Education programs, ensuring accounting systems align with TEA regulations and IDEA-B requirements. Working in collaboration with HCM, Grants, and Finance teams, this role enables district leadership to make sound fiscal decisions through accurate reporting and staff guidance.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and analyze budget projections to ensure optimal use of funds and cost-effectiveness of operations.
• Assist leadership with preparation of annual budget presentations and budget workshops.
• Oversee Position Control Management in collaboration with HCM, Grants, and Finance.
• Ensure accounting systems comply with applicable laws and regulations including TEA Financial Accounting Manual.
• Support externally funded programs including federally funded Special Education Programs under IDEA-B and Every Student Succeeds Act.
• Produce monthly and annual budget-to-actual expenditure reports and prepare all budget adjustments and amendments.
• Prepare, manage, and maintain TEA grant applications and respective amendments for Special Education grants.
• Oversee TEA grant monitoring, data collection, and tracking of specially funded programs.
• Conduct administrative staff training to ensure compliance with District and federal guidelines.
• Provide budgetary and accounting guidance to administrative office staff and directors for Special Populations.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• 5 or more years of experience in budgeting, accounting systems, and payroll processing.
• Knowledge of TEA Financial Accountability System Resource Guide (FASRG) and applicable federal and state education laws.
• Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and budget control methods, policies, and procedures.
• Skill in program management, complex problem solving, and conducting cost-benefit analyses.
• Proficiency in computerized financial applications and accounting systems.
• Ability to analyze, consolidate, and interpret accounting data and communicate results concisely to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Ability to plan, assign, and supervise the work of others.
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with staff, vendors, and auditors.

Reporting to the interim Director of Finance, the Budget Manager delivers comprehensive planning and preparation of the annual operating budget and capital improvement program, monitoring expenditures and revenue data to ensure conformity with procedures and regulations. Partnering with departments across the City, this role enables accurate multi-year financial planning and supports Council-level budget approval through integrated CIP and bond management.

Core Functions

• Prepare and manage budget for all funds including annual, multi-year, and long-range plans.
• Integrate CIP budgets, bond authorizations, and multi-year capital planning into the overall budget preparation process.
• Manage and track alignment of departmental goals and key performance measures to the City's Strategic Plan.
• Track all capital projects from inception to completion ensuring proper financial reporting and compliance.
• Manage annual arbitrage requirements of the City's bond issues including oversight and data development for third-party consultants.
• Prepare city-wide personnel salary and benefits projections and integrate pay plan changes into the annual budget.
• Review and process budget amendments and departmental budget transfers in accordance with the City's financial policies.
• Prepare and discuss monthly and quarterly financial reports including year-end estimates and trend analysis.
• Assist during audit and bond issuance processes by completing necessary schedules.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Finance, Accounting, or a related field.
• Certified Government Finance Officer or similar certification preferred.
• 4 to 6 years of experience in local government budgeting and reporting.
• Knowledge of governmental accounting, auditing, financial reporting, and local government budget processes.
• Knowledge of GFOA Distinguished Budget Presentation standards and state and federal laws related to budget and taxation.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Knowledge of Mainframe and ERP financial systems with ability to learn new systems quickly.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with ability to present to management and City Council.
• Strong organizational skills with ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.

Embedded within the Community Office Operations Team, the Budget Manager manages the development, tracking, and monitoring of the annual budget across a multi-site education organization, overseeing everything from monthly budget statements to bond expenditure reporting. Working closely with school leaders, department heads, and the grant team, this role ensures financial health and sustainability metrics are clearly defined and consistently met.

Primary Duties

• Oversee the annual budget development process in collaboration with leadership, school leaders, and operations staff.
• Produce accurate and timely monthly budget statements including budget-to-actuals-to-forecast for income statement, cash flow, and balance sheet.
• Manage the monthly budget-to-actual review process with school staff and department heads.
• Produce accurate financial reports for special analyses, projects, grants, and planning.
• Define, track, and report progress on financial health and sustainability metrics including establishing budgetary controls.
• Coordinate with the grant team on revenue projections, recognition, reporting, and budgets.
• Coordinate with the real estate team to budget, track, and report bond expenditures.
• Develop systems for monitoring expenditure to ensure fiscal activities comply with federal, state, and legal requirements.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree required, Master's degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, or Public Administration preferred.
• CPA designation preferred.
• 5 or more years of professional experience in developing and managing budgets.
• Non-profit or public sector experience required, preferably in a high-performing multi-site education organization.
• Advanced expertise in building, managing, tracking, and reporting budgets including familiarity with accounting, controls, compliance, and grant management.
• Advanced proficiency in MS Excel and financial information systems such as Great Plains, ADP, and Coupa.
• Highly flexible with ability to shift between strategic and tactical responsibilities and manage multiple priorities effectively.
• Strong written and oral communication skills with proficiency in explaining financial information clearly to non-finance professionals.

Sitting at the intersection of fiscal oversight and policy governance, the Budget Manager monitors, controls, and maintains the County budget while managing the preparation of the Executive's proposed annual budget and leading the budget team through Council hearings. Operating across departments, County leadership, and external regulatory bodies, this role ensures statutes, policies, and procedures are interpreted and applied consistently.

Duties

• Monitor, control, and maintain the County budget.
• Create multi-year financial projections with analysis of revenue and expenditure patterns and trends.
• Manage the preparation and publication of the Executive's proposed annual budget.
• Prepare annual goals and objectives for the budget division and produce quarterly reports.
• Lead, supervise, and mentor the budget team.
• Participate in all Department, Executive, and Council hearings regarding budget presentation to County Council.
• Oversee consistent interpretation and application of related statutes, rules, policies, and procedures.

Skills and Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Budgeting and Accounting, Public Administration, Business Administration, or a closely related field.
• 4 years of experience in governmental budgeting.
• 1 or more years of experience in a substantial leadership role.
• Exceptional knowledge and experience in interpreting, applying, and explaining codes, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills for diverse audiences.

A key member of the hospital finance function, the Budget Manager leads financial reporting processes including variance analysis and monthly pre-close activities, acting as the primary budget contact between MGH Accounting and directors across the hospital. Collaborating across departmental finance and administrative staff, this role ensures budget systems are optimized and all levels of the organization are equipped to operate within established financial frameworks.

Accountabilities

• Provide routine reporting on the status of the budget gap and drivers throughout the budget process.
• Work directly with the Accounting Department to resolve issues ahead of the monthly close.
• Summarize preliminary data for the Budget Director, highlighting significant issues or areas of concern.
• Oversee presentation of Volume, Revenue, and Salaries for the close.
• Lead financial reporting processes including variance analysis.
• Oversee development of monthly, quarterly, and annual trend analysis across all aspects of the P and L.
• Act as the primary budget contact with Accounting and with various directors across the hospital.
• Interact routinely with departmental finance and administrative staff and develop ad hoc analyses and reports as needed.
• Ensure optimization of systems including Hyperion and Vision and train managers and staff in budget processes and systems.

Professional Experience

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 5 years of related experience, preferably in healthcare or hospital budget and finance.
• Prior supervisory or management experience preferred.
• Strong financial and revenue analysis skills with excellent analytical and customer problem resolution skills.
• Advanced proficiency in PowerPoint and Excel with ability to transform data into clear, digestible information for varied audiences.
• Hyperion Planning and Smartview experience a plus.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with ability to work effectively across cross-functional teams at all levels.
• Highly organized with ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously under tight deadlines.
• Innovative mindset with desire to develop and implement new insights and enhance current procedures.

Sound financial stewardship across EOHHS programs depends on the Senior Budget Manager, who analyzes and synthesizes data from state and agency submissions to establish reporting templates and identify trends in expenditures and projections. Based within a cross-functional leadership structure and reporting in direct partnership with the Budget Director and Chief Financial Officer, this role advances the agency's capacity to make informed, policy-driven fiscal decisions.

Strategic Responsibilities

• Direct and analyze financial data, budget reports, and other sources to identify and prioritize opportunities for improvement.
• Interact with and coordinate internal and external stakeholders for budget monitoring and development inputs.
• Integrate and synthesize multiple stakeholder perspectives including budgetary and policy inputs.
• Develop and execute strategic recommendations with cross-functional impact for senior EOHHS leadership.
• Oversee cross-functional teams focused on addressing key challenges and opportunities.
• Identify project scope, develop plans, and lead efforts in developing policy and operational recommendations.
• Engage stakeholders on relevant policy changes to collect feedback on proposed recommendations.
• Allocate personal efforts and team resources efficiently in a fast-paced environment with rapidly shifting priorities.

Background and Experience

• 4 or more years of experience in government administration, management consulting, healthcare administration, or equivalent fields.
• Experience working at a health plan or provider preferred.
• Excellent quantitative and qualitative problem-solving skills with ability to parse and structure complicated problems.
• Proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to present findings to a variety of internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong interpersonal skills, excellent organizational skills, and attention to detail.
• Passion for public service.

As the Budget Manager, this role establishes strong working relationships with Account, Production, and BA teams to manage account finance needs within an advertising agency setting, applying knowledge of client finance concepts including WIP, accounts receivable, and vendor invoice payments. The agency relies on this work to maintain a reliable conduit of financial information between the finance department and internal teams, supporting both day-to-day execution and broader client service goals.

Role Responsibilities

• Establish strong working relationships with Account, Production, and BA teams to successfully manage account finance needs.
• Learn to independently use agency finance systems.
• Gain expert understanding of client MSA and SOW terms and procedures.
• Act as a conduit of information between the finance department and internal teams.
• Become a resource for the agency and clients by applying knowledge of client finance concepts including WIP, A and R, and expense and vendor invoice payments.
• Problem-solve and share knowledge with others to support team development.

Experience and Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Finance or Accounting preferred.
• 1 or more years of combined accounting and finance experience, with prior agency experience preferred.
• Strong interest in learning agency business, culture, and the field of advertising.
• Ability to think creatively and operate in a solutions-oriented mindset.
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and written communication skills with ability to multitask and meet tight deadlines.

Budget Manager shapes fiscal accountability for a large and complex operating and capital improvement budget as Seattle Center transitions to post-pandemic regular operation, developing and implementing budget work plans that span revenue, expense, and staffing adjustments. Success in the position means leading a 2-person team in delivering financial analysis, grant compliance reporting, and policy recommendations to a wide variety of audiences across a purpose-driven public organization.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities

• Monitor a large and complex operating and capital improvement budget to ensure fiscal accountability.
• Perform complex fiscal and policy analysis and develop recommendations related to budgeting policies.
• Research and report on use of grant funds and ensure compliance with grant requirements.
• Develop and implement a budget development work plan including revenue, expense, and staffing budget adjustments.
• Present financial information to a variety of audiences including non-technical staff.
• Work closely with accounting data to develop and interpret coding structures and generate reports.
• Lead, coach, and develop employees to improve efficiencies and ensure quality performance.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Finance, Accounting, or a similar field.
• Advanced degree or certification in Business Administration, Public Administration, Finance, or Accounting preferred.
• 3 or more years of demonstrated expertise in complex budgeting, financial preparation, and analysis.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills with ability to analyze large data sets and present results in an accessible format.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, specifically Excel and Word.
• Experience with Questica or similar budget software preferred.
• Highly effective communication skills for both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Excellent organizational skills with ability to respond to unanticipated requests, prioritize work, and meet tight deadlines.
• Proven ability to build trust and convey complex ideas to diverse audiences in a multi-cultural workplace.