Senior Economic Analyst

City of Bellevue, WA•Bellevue, WA

38d•Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking a Senior Economic Analyst to help the City anticipate economic change and make informed, forward-looking financial decisions. In this role, you develop analytical models, interpret economic trends, and assess policy and legislative impacts that directly shape budget priorities, long-range planning, and resource allocation. You will work independently and in coordination with the City Economist to translate complex data into clear, actionable insights for departmental partners and City leadership. This position is ideal for someone who is curious, analytical, detail-driven, and motivated by public service. Someone who enjoys connecting data to real-world decisions and translating it into meaningful guidance that supports the City's budget, capital planning, and strategic initiatives.

Requirements

Strong empirical and analytical skills
Experience working with and analyzing data in Excel, Python, R or other programs
Experience with financial and economic analysis
Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-pacing environment and meet required deadlines with minimal supervision
Ability to communicate technical issues in a clear and understandable manner
Proven skills in the ability to learn complex requirements to ensure compliance with grants, laws, regulations and policies
Ability to organize and structure tracking and monitoring systems to ensure compliance and cash flow availability.
Bachelor's degree in Economics, Finance, Accounting, Business, Public Administration, Statistics or related field from an accredited four-year college or university; and
Five or more years of professional-related experience in financial analysis; or a Master's degree could be supplanted for experience.
Any equivalent combination of education, experience, and training that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Must pass a criminal background check prior to hire.
Customer Focus: Building strong customer relationships and delivering customer-centric solutions.
Financial Monitoring & Analysis: Monitor and collect data to assess accuracy and integrity; analyze data; ensure compliance with applicable standards, rules, regulations and systems of internal control; interpret and evaluate results, prepare documentation; create financial reports and/or presentations.
Data Analysis: Knowledge of quantitative and qualitative analysis, research methodology and use of statistical theory and applications. Ability to collect, research, assess accuracy, validity, and integrity of data sets. Ability to interpret, evaluate and apply results, and create reports and or/presentations or recommendations in response to analysis.
Professional & Technical Knowledge: Demonstrate a proficient level of technical skills and/or knowledge in enterprise financial systems (preferably JD Edwards) and all Microsoft Products. Expertise with databases, spreadsheets, and report writing software. Proven experience developing systematic and manual operations procedures. Considerable knowledge in public budget, accounting and Finance. Ability to analyze large amounts of data, make judgments and develop reports and presentations. Ability to explain complex financial issues to non-technical and political audiences. Ability to train and assist other staff in the use of the department's primary financial systems. Basic knowledge of accounting and financial principles.
Innovation: The creation of better or more effective products, processing, technologies, or ideas that create positive change for the organization by challenging the status quo, improving what exists and creating new approaches.
Instills Trust: Gaining the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity.
Communicates Effectively: Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.
Action Oriented: Taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm.
Decision Quality: Making good and timely decisions that keep the organization moving.
Nimble Learning: Actively learning through experimentation when tracking new problems, using both successes and failures as learning fodder.
Manages Complexity: Making sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems in a political environment.
Plans & Aligns: Planning and prioritizing work to meet commitments aligned with organizational goals.
Functional Oversight: Oversee and administer a process or function to ensure compliance with appropriate laws, policies, and procedures and meet appropriate goals and objectives. Participate in development of goals, objectives and measures related to the process or function for inclusion in strategic plans. Propose or participate in process improvements related to the function. May support clients in accomplishing objectives related to the function. May be required to work with clients to implement changes to processes or function. Ability to remain flexible to meet constantly changing and sometimes opposing demands.
Project Management: Application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements. Using project management processes of initiating, planning, executing, monitoring, controlling and closing.
Values Differences: Recognizing the value that different perspectives and cultures bring to an organization.
Drives Engagement: Creating a climate where people are motivated to do their best to help the organization achieve its objectives.

Responsibilities

Lead economic analyses independently and collaboratively that inform revenue forecasts, policy choices, and long-term financial strategy.
Translate complex financial and economic trends into clear, actionable insights.
Serve as a subject-matter expert on economic and fiscal issues.
Evaluate fiscal and economic scenarios, articulate trade-offs, and make recommendations.
Design and lead analytical projects that shape the City's financial direction.
Prepare fiscal impact analysis of legislative actions.
Drive the development of budget insights through the economic/financial research and analysis.
Plan and carry out budget procedures, including monitoring budget performance and fiscal forecasts; attend budget meetings, as needed.
Build strategic partnerships with departments in order to problem solve and assist departments.
Manage both internal and external projects from start to finish. This includes scoping, identifying issues and concerns, research, identifying resource gaps (related to project workload), drafting reports, presenting findings, and initiating follow-up analysis.
Actively participate in the continuous improvement and strategic plan initiatives.
Maintain a positive outlook and growth mindset in one's own development and work product.