Executive Policy & Budget Analyst (Senior Financial Analyst)

The Executive Policy and Budget Analyst* works with a team of other finance professionals to help promote sound financial practices and develop budgets that meet the needs of the over 410,000 residents of Waukesha County. People in this position apply their technical, communication, and financial management skills to address challenges facing a wide variety of public policy areas, frequently interacting and working with county leadership.

Some of the major duties of this position:

• Reviewing and analyzing departmental operating budget requests and making recommendations to better serve the financial and programmatic interests of the county.
• Helping coordinate the budget development process, from early assumption gathering to development of a comprehensive budget document.
• Applying technical and problem-solving skills to assist in the maintenance of the automated budget system, helping ensure accurate results.
• Assembling major portions of the County Executive's annual proposed budget document, which communicates key financial and programmatic information to policymakers.
• Providing guidance to management, elected officials, and other colleagues regarding financial policies and strategies, which involves the ability to convey complex financial information in easy-to-understand terms.
• Monitoring spending and revenue trends, helping identify issues early on and strategies to address them.
• Developing fiscal projections, either individually or as part of a workgroup, for ad hoc issues that arise, such as from proposed legislation or program redesigns.

• The starting salary range for the Senior Financial Analyst is $82,077 to $95,306 (depending on qualifications; full range extends to $108,534). (Minimum requirement: Bachelor Degree and 2 years of related work experience OR Masters Degree and 1 year of work experience).
  
  
• The starting salary range for the Financial Analyst is $61,235 to $71,136 (depending on qualifications; full range extends to $80,974). (Minimum requirement: Bachelor Degree)

Under direction, to perform senior level professional work in the development, implementation, and administration of automated financial, accounting, budgeting or business management activities for a department; and to perform other duties as required.

1. Assists and advises departments in the development of budget requests and independently interprets budget proposals and data to the County Executive and committees of the County Board.
2. Provides fiscal and statistical information to the County Executive for presentations to the public, community groups, and County Board.
3. Confers with and advises department heads and other employees of generally accepted accounting principles, laws, codes, and regulations, with authority to make commitments to establish proper accounting and budgeting treatment for financial transactions and procedures.
4. Reviews department strategic business plans and links them to department budgets by determining adequate budget resources necessary to fulfill the objectives.
5. Reviews and analyzes cost/benefits of state budget and state legislative proposals and program re-designs to determine their impact on the County budget.
6. Leads and works with county departments and third-party administrators regarding computerized payroll applications, software conversions, and upgrades.
7. Schedules, creates test plans, coordinates, trains, and problem-solves various computerized applications and conversions, coordinating the needs of third-party administrators and the County.
8. Interprets, analyzes, and advises departments, elected officials, or other employees on financial related laws, codes, regulations, or accounting standards; assists in determining potential impact for the department and makes recommendations for appropriate course of action.
9. Develops, analyzes, and interprets complex financial and statistical data to determine and recommend budget assumptions, department tax levy targets, internal controls, and the costs of positions, programs, labor contracts, interdepartmental charges, and department operations.
10. Monitors the execution of operating budgets, investigates variances from projected expenditures or revenues, and recommends corrective actions to fiscal staff, department heads, elected officials, and other employees.
11. Participates in cross-divisional and cross-departmental work teams for special projects and initiatives.
12. Develops and implements office automation tools for end users which includes development and design of database interfaces that integrate with multiple applications and enterprise reporting software for budget monitoring that interfaces with databases and other applications.
13. Prepares complex and detailed multivariate cost models, such as annual wage projection, and uses these models to analyze, develop, and recommend financial forecasts, and internal and external rates/fees for services, and to assist in the automation of a large portion of individual department annual budget requests.
14. Analyzes financial and policy requests and makes recommendations to management and the County Executive and the County Board.
15. Participates on special project work groups, initiating changes and improvements to County policy and procedures.
16. Performs detailed reviews of financial reports and computerized systems to ensure that proper financial procedures have been followed.
17. Assists external auditors by compiling financial data, and assists in internal audits by performing audit fieldwork, including program evaluations and reviews.
18. Develops financial and narrative reports analyzing and interpreting accounting or budgetary systems and controls with recommendations for improvements.
19. Designs, implements, tests, and maintains detailed automated accounts, spreadsheets, ledgers, records, and procedures including performing complex account/bank reconciliations.
20. Plans, assigns, reviews, evaluates and coordinates the work of clerical and other department personnel in accounting, payroll, budgeting, or billing areas, provides necessary training and effectively recommends actions regarding staffing and organizational changes.
21. Reviews and records complex accounting or budget transactions, and makes allocations to designated accounts and funds to ensure uniform application of County financial policy.
22. Establishes and maintains effective working relations with employees at all levels within the County, representatives of other agencies, third party administrators, and elected officials.
23. Performs other duties as required.

Essential Knowledge and Abilities

1. Considerable knowledge of the modern principles, practices, and procedures of general accounting, payroll management, administration, business management, or appropriation and budgeting, as applied to governmental entities.
2. Considerable knowledge of governmental policy analysis and its relationship to government budgeting practices.
3. Considerable knowledge of the principles and techniques of financial and statistical analysis and financial modeling and forecasting.
4. Considerable knowledge of modern principles and practices of governmental fiscal reporting and accounting.
5. Considerable knowledge of the principles of auditing in the public sector, particularly as applied to budget development and control, or accounting.
6. Considerable knowledge of computer systems as applied to budgeting, accounting, payroll, or financial management applications.
7. Considerable knowledge of data processing terminology and computer applications such as; report generation, spreadsheet, data base management, Internet, and word-processing.
8. Considerable knowledge of an array of county operations, services, and programs being provided.
9. Working knowledge of modern principles and practices of administration including policy and procedure development and implementation, communications, staffing and financial and management controls.
10. Ability to plan, prioritize, organize, and effectively carry out a variety of assignments under strict time constraints.
11. Ability to participate in work groups; and to plan, coordinate, and implement projects.
12. Ability to collect, analyze, and interpret complex fiscal data and to prepare and present detailed recommendations and conclusions.
13. Ability to utilize financial and accounting spreadsheet and database applications, presentation tools, and integrated financial systems.
14. Ability to communicate and work within a team environment.
15. Ability to effectively present ideas and concepts to others, both orally and in writing.
16. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with employees at all levels within the County, representatives of other agencies, third party administrators, and elected officials.
17. Ability to prepare and maintain accurate and complete records and reports.
18. Ability to plan, organize, and review the work of others.
19. Ability to effectively interact with sensitivity with persons from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, educational, racial, ethnic, and professional backgrounds, and persons of all ages and lifestyles.

• Graduation from a recognized college or university with a bachelor's degree in business administration, public administration, accounting, finance, or a closely related field.
• Two (2) years of progressively responsible, professional work experience in the area of budget preparation and review, accounting, cost accounting, financial reporting, or internal auditing.
  • A master's degree in an area listed above may be substituted for one (1) year of the work experience requirement.

Financial Analyst:

• Graduation from a recognized college or university with a bachelor's degree in business administration, public administration, accounting, finance, or a closely related field.

About Us:
Waukesha County prides itself on operating in a business-like manner and is recognized as a leader delivering high quality services with competence and skill. With our vision of "Leading the Way", we value teamwork and collaboration, ethics and diversity, communication, efficiency and cost savings, innovation, and the wellbeing of our staff and the citizens we serve. Employees are provided professional development opportunities and encouragement to learn and practice continuous improvement and LEAN principles as we regularly ask ourselves "Is there a better way?"

Location:
Located in the City of Waukesha, our campus offers an on-site cafe and fitness center, free parking, and easy access to interstate highway systems. Waukesha County offers a perfect blend of urban and rural living where one can enjoy the benefits of quiet rural lake communities or opt for nearby attractions that the greater Milwaukee area offers including vast beach and park systems, public markets, performing arts, music festivals, and sports including the Milwaukee Admirals, Brewers, Bucks, Wave, Marquette University Golden Eagles and the UW-Milwaukee Panthers Basketball programs.