Budget Analyst II or III

California State University, Bakersfield•Bakersfield, CA

17h•Onsite

About The Position

Under general supervision of the Assistant Vice President and Chief Budget Officer, the Resource Planning & Budget Analyst performs professional budget and financial analysis work for assigned departments, programs, funds, or university wide initiatives. The position supports campus budget development, administration, forecasting, position control, financial reporting, and related fiscal management activities. The position provides consultative assistance to campus stakeholders, analyzes financial information, identifies issues and trends, and develops recommendations that support sound budgetary decisions and compliance with university policies and procedures. The position also develops or improves budget processes, tools, reports, and training materials and serves as a technical resource for other analysts and campus partners. The level of assigned work may range from significant assignments of moderate technical scope and complexity to advanced and substantive assignments requiring greater independence, specialized expertise, complex analysis, and/or project leadership based on the incumbent’s qualifications.

Requirements

Budget Analyst II: Equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in a related field and two (2) years of relevant experience. Additional experience which demonstrates acquired and successfully applied knowledge and abilities shown above may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis. An advanced degree in a related field may be substituted for the required experience on a year-for-year basis.
Budget Analyst III: Equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in a related field and four (4) years of relevant experience. Additional experience which demonstrates acquired and successfully applied knowledge and abilities shown above may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis. An advanced degree in a related field may be substituted for the required experience on a year-for-year basis.
Regular and reliable attendance is required.
Working to advance knowledge of financial, budgetary, and accounting principles and practices.
Working to advance knowledge of the principles and practices of public finance, administrative, personnel fiscal management, and cash-flow management.
Working to advance knowledge of research techniques and statistical principles and procedures.
Knowledge of the principles of position control and budgetary alignment.
Proficiency in using financial system, word processing and spreadsheet software and applications.
Strong to advanced analytical skills to evaluate and interpret data to develop sound conclusions and recommendations.
Ability to define problem areas, collect data, perform analyses, make appropriate recommendations, and prepare clear and concise analytical comments.
Communication and interpersonal skills to effectively present information and ideas and advise managers, staff, and faculty regarding budgeting policies and procedures.
Ability to lead and train others.
Demonstrated customer service experience requiring a very high level of diplomacy and professionalism.
Ability to use tact and diplomacy to effectively handle a broad range of high level and sensitive interpersonal situations with diverse personalities, and to respond appropriately to conflicts and problems.
Ability to initiate, establish, and foster communication and teamwork by maintaining a positive, cooperative, productive work atmosphere in the University with the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships within a diverse population and with those from various cultural backgrounds.
Excellent communication skills; ability to effectively communicate information in a clear and understandable manner.
Thorough knowledge of English grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Ability to interpret, communicate and apply policies and procedures.
Ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality.
Excellent organizational and time management skills with the ability to set own priorities to coordinate multiple assignments with fluctuating and time-sensitive deadlines.
Excellent computer skills and competence with a variety of computer applications including word-processing, spreadsheets, databases, on-line systems, Internet as well as online calendaring and email.
Working knowledge of or ability to quickly learn University infrastructure.
Must be willing to travel and attend training programs off-site for occasional professional development.
Must be able to work occasional holidays and adjust working hours to meet special jobs.
May be called back periodically to perform work as needed on an emergency basis.

Nice To Haves

Certified Public Accountant.
Three (3) to five (5) years or more of budget or accounting experience.
Master’s Degree in related field (business, accounting, public administration).
Experience in PeopleSoft environment.
Demonstrated skills in an institutional/educational environment possessing a customer-oriented and service-centered attitude.

Responsibilities

Perform, review, and analyze a range of moderate to complex and specialized budget, accounting, and financial activities ensuring compliance with CSU policy, GAAP/GASB, and proper accounting treatment.
Serve as a campus resource on budget policy, providing consultative guidance and recommendations to departments, leadership, and other campus partners.
Develop, evaluate, and monitor departmental and fund budgets, in accordance with university policies, procedures, accounting requirements, and strategic and operational goals.
Review, analyze and reconcile budget memo, requests, transfers, and other budget related activities for accuracy, appropriateness, and funding availability.
Recommend and prepare adjustments, budget (journal) entries, reports, and budget/expenditure transfers of various complexities.
Evaluate financial transactions for proper coding, assignment of revenues/expenditures, and compliance with CSU fund and cost accounting structures.
Complete schedules for various funds and accounts.
Perform fluctuation analysis (actuals vs prior year, actuals vs budget, actual vs projections), and prepare supporting schedules, reports, and narratives explaining significant fluctuations.
Maintain, reconcile, and document accurate budget records, providing timely and data-driven reporting to management and stakeholders.
Develop and improve budget models, tools, and templates to support efficient forecasting, monitoring, and reporting.
Provide training, guidance, and technical assistance to other analysts as needed regarding budget policies, procedures, systems, and reports.
Actively participate in cross-training, process improvement, and knowledge-sharing to strengthen team capability and operational resilience.
Develop training materials and procedural documentation to support staff understanding, knowledge-sharing, and continuity of budget operations.
Participate in financial system upgrades, testing, implementation, troubleshooting, cross-training, and knowledge-sharing activities appropriate to the level of the assignment.
Coordinate and monitor position control budgets ensuring alignment between authorized positions, funding sources, and salary budgets.
Collaborate with Human Resources, division leadership, and other campus stakeholders when personnel information, organizational changes, or related approvals are required.
Review, reconcile, and validate labor cost distributions, position funding changes, and budgetary controls to ensure accuracy and compliance.
Communicate and interpret position control and personnel budgeting policies, ensuring consistent application across the division.
Develop and maintain processes, procedures, and documentation to support position control, budget monitoring, and reconciliation activities.
Prepare, analyze, and interpret moderate to complex budget and financial reports for internal and external stakeholders, including the Chancellor’s Office, Cabinet, and governing boards.
Compile, validate, and maintain financial data from multiple systems to ensure accurate and timely reporting that supports informed decision-making.
Develop and produce standardized and ad hoc budget reports, dashboards, and visualizations for leadership review.
Enhance reporting processes by recommending data integrity checks and improvements to reporting tools and methodologies.