Lead Budget Analyst

State of Montana • Helena, MT

15h • Onsite

About The Position

The Montana Department of Corrections (DOC) is creating a safer Montana through Accountability, Rehabilitation and Empowerment. If you want to work making positive changes in your community, the Montana Department of Corrections is the place for you!
The Office of Financial Services at the Department of Corrections is a mission‑critical support team that keeps the agency’s work on solid fiscal footing, from budget strategy to day‑to‑day financial operations. This unit leads the stewardship of public funds through rigorous budget management, accounting, procurement, and contract oversight, helping ensure that scarce resources are directed where they have the greatest impact on public safety and offender rehabilitation. Team members collaborate closely with facilities, programs, and external partners to maintain strong internal controls, transparent reporting, and compliant financial practices, all while supporting innovative solutions such as secure inmate trust account services and modern payment systems for families and stakeholders. Joining this office means working with professionals who are committed to accuracy, integrity, and service, and who take pride in knowing that their expertise in numbers directly supports safer communities and better outcomes across the corrections system. Join us today!
The Lead Budget Analyst serves as the technical lead and primary resource for frontline budget analysts, providing advanced guidance, coordination, and quality control on complex budget analysis activities for the Department’s approximately $650 million biennial budget. The position supports the development, monitoring, and communication of this large, multi-fund budget while exercising no formal supervisory authority, focusing instead on expert-level consultation, mentoring, and process improvement to ensure consistent, accurate, and defensible budget work products.
In addition to standard budget analyst work, specific job duties include:
Serves as the technical lead for frontline budget analysts on a $650 million biennial budget, providing advanced guidance on complex budget methods, models, and analyses.
Reviews and refines budget work products (e.g., budget change documents, reports, models, fiscal notes) to ensure technical accuracy, consistency, and compliance with state and departmental requirements.
Coordinates the technical aspects of major budget deliverables and provides mentoring, training, and process-improvement recommendations, without performing formal supervisory functions

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, economics, statistics, or related field.
• Five years of directly related budgeting experience with at least two years in multi-program or department-wide budget analysis.
• Must have and maintain a Montana driver’s license in good standing.

Nice To Haves

• State government executive budgeting experience
• Experience coordinating other budget staff

Responsibilities

• Serves as the technical lead for frontline budget analysts on a $650 million biennial budget, providing advanced guidance on complex budget methods, models, and analyses.
• Reviews and refines budget work products (e.g., budget change documents, reports, models, fiscal notes) to ensure technical accuracy, consistency, and compliance with state and departmental requirements.
• Coordinates the technical aspects of major budget deliverables and provides mentoring, training, and process-improvement recommendations, without performing formal supervisory functions

Benefits

• Competitive compensation
• Generous State of Montana Benefits
• May qualify for student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees