Public Service Coordinator I - Budget Analyst

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The Maine Bureau of the Budget is seeking a Budget Analyst to provide budget, financial, and program analysis for assigned State departments and agencies. The analyst develops a working knowledge of assigned programs, funding sources, statutory requirements, operating plans, and fiscal trends and applies that knowledge throughout budget development and execution.

The Budget Analyst independently completes routine and moderately complex assignments using established policies, procedures, and analytical methods. For complex, unusual, sensitive, or precedent-setting matters, the analyst gathers and validates the relevant information, identifies the key issues and options, prepares a preliminary analysis, and consults a Senior Budget Analyst or Bureau leadership.

• Develop and maintain an understanding of assigned programs, departmental plans, organizational structures, service-delivery methods, staffing, funding sources, and fiscal trends.
• Analyze budget, accounting, payroll, position, revenue, expenditure, workload, and other program information from State systems and agency records.
• Review agency assumptions and supporting documentation for reasonableness, consistency, and completeness and follow up on missing information, anomalies, and material variances.
• Prepare baseline estimates, trend analyses, forecasts, variance explanations, and multiyear projections using established methods and document the supporting data, assumptions, calculations, and limitations.
• Analyze one-time and ongoing costs, timing differences, available funding, position and payroll effects, cost allocation, indirect costs, lapses, transfers, and other impacts within assigned areas.
• Support scenario and options analysis for complex programs or changing circumstances and prepare clear workpapers, issue summaries, tables, and briefing materials.

• Participate in the review of department and agency budget requests and revenue forecasts and assist in developing proposals consistent with gubernatorial objectives, legislative intent, and statewide fiscal constraints.
• Guide departments and agencies through annual work program distribution following enacted budget laws and review whether funding is properly allocated and sufficient to meet anticipated obligations.
• Review requests to change annual work programs, including financial orders, budget orders, position actions, transfers, allotment changes, and related adjustments, and verify the calculations, documentation, authority, and available resources.
• Monitor revenue, expenditures, encumbrances, payroll, positions, vacancies, and related activity; investigate significant variances and promptly identify potential shortfalls, overages, or control issues.
• Monitor legislation that may affect the budgets for assigned departments and agencies.

• Summarize findings and fiscal impacts clearly for Bureau staff, agency partners, and decision-makers.
• Build effective working relationships with agency fiscal staff, program managers, and policy staff while maintaining objectivity and appropriate financial controls.

The successful candidate should understand budget processes and have knowledge of public finance, accounting, economics, program review, or public administration. They must be comfortable working with numbers, checking information for accuracy, spotting trends or problems, and explaining how they reached a conclusion. They should be able to handle routine and moderately complex work on their own and know when to ask for help with unusual, unclear, sensitive, or high-risk issues. The job also requires clear speaking and writing, good organization, sound judgment, teamwork, and the ability to manage several assignments, meet deadlines, protect confidential information, and adjust to changing priorities. Candidates should be able to use Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint and learn the State's budget, accounting, and data systems.

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Finance, Economics, or a related field, and four (4) years of professional experience in budgeting, finance, economics, or business administration. Equivalent related experience may substitute for education on a year-for-year basis. A master's degree in the fields listed above may substitute for up to two (2) years of the required experience.

• Experience working with governmental budgets, multiple funding sources.
• An understanding of the legislative process and financial reporting is also desirable.

Please submit a cover letter along with a current resume and three (3) professional references. 

In order for us to properly determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for any posting, you must be sure your resume includes the month and year for any relevant experience listed. Your resume should include the duties and responsibilities associated with each position. Any experience that was not full-time employment should be identified as such.  

Research shows that people from historically excluded communities tend to apply to jobs only when they check every box in the posting. If you’re currently reading this and hesitating to apply for that reason, we encourage you to go for it! Let us know how your experience and passion set you apart. 

If you require a paper application, please download and print one HERE

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