Budget Analyst III – Legislative

City of Syracuse•Syracuse, NY

About The Position

The work involves performing advanced professional work in municipal budget preparation and administration. Under the general supervision of an administrative superior, an employee in this class performs responsible and independent work in the accomplishment of budget administration in the areas of budget review and execution, development of budget systems, and cost analysis programs. Considerable latitude is given for independent judgment and action within established policies and executive guidelines. Work is reviewed through conference and submission of reports. Supervision may be exercised over Budget Analysts or Management Analysts.

Requirements

Thorough knowledge of the budget preparation process.
Thorough knowledge of guidelines, procedures and policies governing the budget process.
Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of governmental budgeting, including cost analysis and monitoring and forecasting fund expenditures.
Thorough knowledge of statistical concepts and methods.
Thorough knowledge of recent developments, current literature and sources of information in governmental budgeting.
Good knowledge of public administration as it relates to the budget process.
Good knowledge of assigned agencies and department programs, operations, goals and objectives.
Good knowledge of principles and practices of supervision.
Ability to apply guidelines, procedures and policies governing the budget preparation process.
Ability to gather and analyze program and fiscal information and draw logical conclusions.
Ability to organize, consolidate and prepare narrative and tabular information into clear, logical reports.
Ability to identify existing and anticipated fiscal problems and to recommend appropriate solutions.
Ability to support written reports orally, expressing one's self clearly and concisely.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
Physical condition commensurate with the demands of the position.
Promotion: One (1) year of permanent competitive class status as a Budget Analyst II, Management Analyst or Program Analyst.
Open-Competitive: A) Graduation from a regionally accredited college or university or one accredited by the New York State Board of Regents to grant degrees with a Bachelor's Degree or higher and two (2) years of professional level work experience, or its part time equivalent, in budget administration, budget analysis, budget research, capital program analysis, capital budgetary planning, or accounting; or, B) Six (6) years of paraprofessional or professional level work experience, at least two (2) years of which must have been in a professional capacity in budget administration, budget analysis, budget research, capital program analysis, capital budgetary planning, or accounting; or, C) An equivalent combination of training and experience as defined by the limits of (A) and (B).
NOTE: Successful completion of graduate semester hours in finance, economics, public administration, business administration, or a closely related field from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university may be substituted for work experience as follows: Thirty (30) graduate semester hours is equivalent to one (1) year of specialized work experience; Sixty (60) graduate semester hours is equivalent to two (2) years of specialized work experience.

Responsibilities

Analyzes departmental and/or entities annual budget estimates and justifications in preparing operating expenditures for a fiscal year, translating fiscal policy and budget guidelines into specific budget recommendations.
Analyzes program plans of operating agencies in relation to workload trends, cost factors, cost data from previous years, and nature of service provided.
Supervises and assists in the analysis and review of departmental requests for money transfers, purchase requisitions, equipment requests, personnel changes requiring administrative or legislative action and other matters in light of fiscal policy.
Develops and enhances budget systems (such as the computerized budget system) to simplify and expedite clerical procedures, to provide management information data on a timely basis, and to help reduce the operating costs of government.
Develops and recommends improvements in budget procedures and budget forms for improving budget preparation.
Analyzes and recommends management improvements by performing cost analysis studies as part of an ongoing effort to reduce operating costs of government.
Supervises and assists in short and long term special studies (e.g. estimating impact of increases in Social Security rates) by collecting data and preparing reports with recommendations based on the studies.
Assists in financial planning by reviewing economic data and publications in order to forecast growth or decline in areas such as revenues, sales tax collections, personal income, and overall budget.
Participates as staff on various boards or committees as assigned by administrative superior.