Financial Analyst

Buncombe County Government • Asheville, NC

11d • $66,920 - $84,888 • Hybrid

About The Position

Buncombe County Finance is hiring two Financial Analysts for its Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) team. The positions report to the FP&A Manager and work closely with Finance leadership and County departments. The FP&A team includes two Financial Analysts, a Business Systems Analyst, and an FP&A Manager, within a Finance Department of approximately 20 employees. These are full-time, 40-hour-per-week positions with a flexible hybrid arrangement of approximately 50% in-office and 50% remote work. Employees approved for remote work must live within a two-hour drive of the position’s assigned Buncombe County facility.

The positions support the County’s financial planning, analysis, and forecasting, including debt, cash flow, capital projects, and investments. Work also includes assisting with debt issuance, cash management, financial reporting, compliance, and preparation of public-facing dashboards. The Analysts collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to support sound financial planning and decision-making.

In partnership with the Finance Director, FP&A Manager, and Finance Department leadership, the Financial Analysts develop financial plans, conduct complex analyses, create forecasts, communicate financial data, identify anomalies, trends, and deviations, and introduce improvement strategies. They help implement fiscal regulations and policies; support annual operating, multiyear, and special budgets; improve financial analysis and forecasting; prepare reports, dashboards, and presentations; assist departments with internal controls, contracts, grants, compliance, financial analysis, and performance monitoring; and provide related support as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a related field, and five years of administrative experience involving participation in planning and managing a business or governmental program, or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
• Knowledge of budgetary, procurement, and accounting practices and procedures, and the ability to plan and implement them.
• Knowledge of fiscal and budgetary theories and methodology.
• Knowledge of federal, state, and local government and nonprofit agency organization and structure.
• Knowledge of organizational culture and resources within Buncombe County and the community.
• Knowledge of public and business administration principles and practices.
• Knowledge of project planning and evaluation, including data identification, analysis, and documentation.
• Knowledge of relevant county, state, federal, and private agencies, and judgment in determining the applicability of guidance in unusual or non-recurring circumstances.
• Knowledge of laws, regulations, compliance and monitoring requirements, funding streams, and policies governing County programs.
• Knowledge of federal and state grant compliance requirements.
• Knowledge of project management methodology and tools, data analysis and query tools, financial management systems, and forecasting methodologies.
• Ability to plan and direct fiscal and business services; initiate administrative procedures and evaluate their effectiveness; and interpret regulations and apply them in practice.
• Ability to assess business operations and management data needs and create systems that support effective and efficient workflows.
• Ability to communicate objectives, plans, evaluation methods, data analysis results, financial and service-level impacts, recommendations, reports, and other deliverables.
• Ability to collect, analyze, and interpret data and draw conclusions related to project or program objectives.
• Ability to assess data accuracy and integrity.
• Ability to resolve routine issues within defined guidelines and procedures and make independent, logical decisions or recommendations.
• Ability to exercise judgment and discretion in applying and interpreting policies and procedures.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Power BI, SQL Management Studio, or similar data-query and analysis tools and related function enhancements.

Responsibilities

• Ensure fiscal regulations and policies are implemented and administrative matters comply with fiscal, legal, and policy requirements.
• Assist with administration and implementation of annual operating, multiyear, and special budgets, including maintaining, collecting, and consolidating relevant data and capital project financing information.
• Manage and improve financial analysis and forecasting within the Finance Department.
• Assist Finance Department leadership in preparing and communicating financial data, including internal and external reports, dashboards, and presentations.
• Assist County departments in evaluating internal control frameworks and conducting routine monitoring to support effective and secure operations.
• Support County departments in executing and monitoring contract and grant elements for audit, fiscal, and performance compliance.
• Support County departments and programs with financial analysis, forecasting, monitoring, and improvement.
• Monitor and report on industry developments to support department and program operations, revenue potential, and best practices.
• Assist Department Directors and Division Managers with financial and regulatory matters, operational performance monitoring, and process improvement.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level