Budget Advisor

Seattle Public Schools•John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence, WA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Advises school and central leaders on budget development and financial management policies and best practices. Highly skilled and knowledgeable about state funding formulas, grant requirements and collective bargaining agreements. Provides training and guidance for school and central leaders on funding source requirements, staffing, and potential program alternatives. Interprets complex financial information and funding requirements and creates simplified resources to build the knowledge and skills of end users supporting their ability to plan and manage their financial resources.

Requirements

Ability to apply principles and practices of budget management and development, preferably in a school district environment.
Ability to gather, interpret and present data reporting and analysis.
Proficient in identifying financial drivers for assigned budget areas.
Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, charts, and complex formulas.
Experience presenting complex information in a simplified format to a wide audience, including executive decision-makers and members of the public.
Ability to work independently and to plan, organize and prioritize work while handling multiple large tasks under the pressure of inflexible deadlines.
Strong customer service, problem solving, and interpersonal skills.
Excellent oral and written communication skills and ability to obtain, clarify and exchange information in a meaningful way.
Proficient with Categorical Programs (LAP, Title)
Ability to interpret and apply the terms of collective bargaining agreements.
Five (5) years of professional financial experience in budget development, analysis, and support in a work setting comparable to the District's budgetary process; three (3) years of direct experience may be substituted for each year of education; Bachelor's degree in financial management, public or business administration or a closely related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Criminal Justice fingerprint and background check

Nice To Haves

Organizational Agility
Personal Learning & Development
Comfort Around Authority
Collaboration
Getting Results (Action Oriented)
Decision Quality & Problem Solving
Integrity
Accountability

Responsibilities

Advises department and school leaders in effective budget development and management that complies with state, federal, and district financial policies.
Establishes and maintains expertise in funding formulas, department and school operations, and district financial policies.
Identifies and understands challenges and makes recommendations to central and school leaders to promote quality problem solving and ensure fiscal compliance and accountability.
Provides recommendations to central and school leaders during budget development to align programs with funding opportunities.
Creates, develops, and maintains training materials to build skill and knowledge with school and central leaders.
Recommends reports and tools to assist central and school leaders with their understanding and management of their budgets.
Develops training materials and trains leaders and administrative staff, in both group and one-to-one settings, regarding budget development and financial management processes and tools.
Analyzes financial data, builds financial models, and interprets findings in order to make funding recommendations to finance leaders and Director of Budget Financial Management.
Analyzes and interprets data to ensure District complies with federal, state and local requirements.
Monitors districtwide expenditures, conducts fiscal analyses, identifies financial problems and recommends solutions and alternatives.
Develops budget documentation and processes for school budget building.
Maintains expertise in all aspects of district operations in order to provide advice on the appropriate departments to contact to resolve financial issues, including Grants, Accounting, Accounts Payable, and Purchasing.
Prepares annual district documents, including budget instructions, school allocations and the recommended budget book.
Drafts School Leader Communicator documents to inform leaders of key dates and program changes.
Researches local economic data.
Maintains current knowledge of State and Federal laws and regulations to assess the fiscal impact of economic and policy change.
Conducts studies to facilitate revenue forecasting.
Responsible for documenting processes and writing procedures.
Coordinates and collaborates with the human resources department on staffing issues.
Participates in districtwide processes, including school and central budget development.
May perform related duties consistent with the scope and intent of the position.