Budget Manager

Posting Type: Closed Competitive

Work Type: Full-Time

Nature of Work: This is advanced professional administrative and supervisory accounting work in the development, analysis, and administration of the city budget. Work involves the responsibility for directing and coordinating the budget division within the Finance department. This position is responsible for managing accounts payable, long-term financial analysis, and budget planning. An employee in this classification exercises considerable independence in the performance of duties, supervises several professional, technical, and clerical subordinates, and receives general guidance from a superior. Work often requires a high level of judgment and discretion, is subject to limited review, and has a major impact on City policy.

Education and Experience: The knowledge, skills, and abilities may be acquired through, but are not limited to, the following combination of education and/or experience.

Bachelor's degree in accounting AND
seven (7) years of experience in governmental budgeting or accounting work, three (3) years of which must have been in a supervisory capacity
OR
an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Pay Range: $114,774.40 with step increases to $161,096.00 Annually

Benefits: Forty-hour work week. Paid leave per year: twelve days vacation; five days management; fifteen days sick; and fifteen holidays. Employee's group health insurance, including major medical, vision, and dental, for individual or family. Defined benefit pension plan, plus Social Security, and more. See hr.cityofomaha.org for detailed information.

Who Can Apply: Applicants for a closed competitive posting are required to meet the following: Candidates must be a current or former City of Omaha employee in any of the following categories: Part-time, Seasonal, Classified, Unclassified, or Probationary, who has worked, at the time of application, at least 1,040 cumulative hours within the last 5 years and has been employed by the City at sometime within the last 18 months and who meets the qualifications as set forth in the posting.

How to Apply: Completed City of Omaha employment applications must be submitted using the online application from the City website. It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to check and ensure that any and all required application materials and supplemental forms are received by the City of Omaha Human Resources Department by the stated deadline. You may confirm receipt of any materials and forms by contacting the Human Resources Department. If the materials are not received in the Human Resources Department by the stated deadline, they will not be considered. There will be no exceptions to this rule.

Examination Information: The examination will consist of a structured interview, which will be scheduled at a later date. The structured interview is designed to assess job-related knowledge, skills, and abilities for this position. The final eligibility list will be assembled from those candidates achieving a passing score of 60% on the structured interview (100% weight).

Veteran Points: Not applicable to this posting.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

* Knowledge of the principles and practices of large-scale governmental finance administration.
* Knowledge of the current laws, rules, regulations, administrative policies, and procedures related to City budget practices and skill in applying the full range of methods of research and analysis to provide highly effective budget management and resolve complex issues.
* Knowledge of accounting principles and techniques, and the ability to apply and adapt established accounting methods to varied and complex accounting and budgetary problems.
* Knowledge of current literature, trends, and developments in the fields of governmental accounting and public finance administration.
* Knowledge of the theory and practices of governmental accounting, auditing, budgeting, purchasing, investments, financial analysis, and strategic and financial planning.
* Knowledge of Federal, State, and local laws, Federal Regulations, and City policies and procedures.
* Knowledge of the principles of supervision, organization, administration, labor relations, and personnel management.
* Knowledge of, and ability to operate, computers and other technology using standard or customized computer or systems software applications appropriate to the assigned tasks.
* Skill in using technology to support City budget work and promoting the adoption of technological advancements among financial staff citywide.
* Skill in hiring, training, supervising, coordinating, and evaluating the work of subordinate professional, paraprofessional, clerical, and technical staff.
* Skill in reading and interpreting complex documents, including budgets and government documents.
* Skill in independently performing complex accounting and financial analyses and preparing accurate financial and statistical reports.
* Skill in developing and implementing accounting, budgeting, and recording methods, procedures, and techniques, as well as writing effective procedure manuals and instructing prospective users.
* Skill in developing, presenting, and defending recommendations to the Mayor, City Council, Department Directors, and other executive-level staff.
* Ability to use, understand, evaluate, and train employees on the principles and proper techniques of the City's financial software applications.
* Ability to evaluate the fiscal impacts of labor contract modification and related proposals.
* Ability to exercise objective judgment in the analysis, interpretation, and reporting of research findings.
* Ability to maintain honesty, integrity, and confidentiality, in adherence to the fundamental principles of ethical behavior for financial personnel.
* Ability to work effectively under pressure and tight time constraints to produce high-quality work.
* Ability to set priorities for oneself and others when concurrently working on multiple projects.
* Ability to understand written or oral instructions.
* Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing.
* Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, subordinates, and members of the general public.
* Ability to adhere to safety policies, guidelines, and procedures.
* Ability to sit and type continuously, and to climb, reach, balance, bend, stoop, squat, kneel, crouch, stand, walk, push, pull, or lift occasionally.
* Ability to use up to ten (10) pounds of force to move objects occasionally.

Essential Functions: Any one position may not perform all of the duties listed, nor do the listed examples include all of the duties that may be performed in positions allocated to this class. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

* Plans and manages the operations of the Budget division of the Finance department, including selecting, hiring, assigning, training, scheduling, supervising, and evaluating subordinate personnel.
* Provides leadership, policy direction, and expert advice to professional and technical staff in the functional areas of municipal budget development, program evaluation, financial management, and purchasing services.
* Participates as a member of the department leadership team, furthering the vision and mission of the department.
* Represents the Finance Department and makes presentations to the Finance Committee, Mayor's Office, City Council, other public bodies, and the public.
* Posts various journal entries, including chargebacks, payroll, benefits, accruals, deferrals, budgets, encumbrances, and other correcting entries.
* Supervises the accounts payable function, providing guidance to the payables team and city personnel across departments.
* Serves as a liaison between purchasing staff and city departments, with decision-making authority to resolve conflicts.
* Manages the citywide budget development process, including facilitating the creation of the initial budget targets, establishing deadlines for department budget submissions, coordinating the technical and analytical review process, and ensuring the efficiency of the citywide budget submission process.
* Oversees the operating budget process, directing staff in the timely analysis of department requests, preparation of cost and revenue estimates, development of budget narrative, and production of annual budget documents.
* Oversees the development of the City's budget application, maintaining knowledge of current governmental budgeting practices and incorporating improvements into the City's system.
* Prepares agendas for, and participates in, budget committee briefing meetings with Mayor's Office staff.
* Assists the Finance Director in analyzing and reconciling proposed expenditures with anticipated revenues and determining budgetary recommendations in relation to the City's short- and long-term goals.
* Facilitates citywide budget decision process by coordinating department presentations to the Mayor, as well as assisting directors and budget staff in framing budget choices for review.
* Presents the Mayor's proposed budget to the City Council in conjunction with department staff, responds to City Council inquiries, and assists with analysis and preparation of City Council budget resolutions while ensuring the city budget remains in balance and in compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations.
* Monitors, prepares, and reviews financial statements for each fund in the budget, summarizing revenues, expenditures, and fund balances as required by the City Charter.
* Researches and implements improved methods of budget construction and administration.
* Participates in structuring the six-year capital improvement planning in order to make prudent financial decisions and plan for future operating expenses expected as a result of capital projects.
* Evaluates the budgetary and operating impact of proposed or adopted state legislation.
* Engages with external public policy colleagues in framing and developing state fiscal policy through committee work and informal policy review and analysis.
* Provides information to the Mayor, Finance Director, and City Comptroller as to the most effective uses of general funds, special revenue funds, enterprise funds, and cost reimbursement fees.
* Coordinates response materials for budget requests by the general public regarding budget or tax policy and public record requests related to fiscal and budget issues, which may include assigning or conducting analysis,
* Evaluates and analyzes the financial implications of union bargaining proposals for use by the City labor negotiations team.
* Creates and reviews City Council ordinances to ensure compliance with financial and purchasing policies, City charter provisions, and funding availability, and prepares ordinances and resolutions to transfer unencumbered balances between departments and divisions to support projects and other activities.
* Improves the management of City services by ensuring City officials and departments understand the cost of services, relationships between expenditure levels and service levels, and the opportunities to improve productivity and service quality.
* Investigates discrepancies in accounting and other internal system deficiencies, makes recommendations for resolutions, and prepares statements and reports of audit findings.
* Conducts ongoing audits of departmental accounts and financial records, ensuring compliance with City charter provisions, ordinances, and applicable guidelines; monitors expenditures for adherence to budgetary limits; and oversees the internal audit function, including setting project priorities and assigning audit work.
* Maintains regular job attendance in accordance with a schedule established for the position by the supervisor.
* Performs other related duties as assigned or as the situation dictates within the scope of this classification.

Conditions of Employment: Candidates must provide proof of U.S. citizenship, permanent residence, or authorization to work without sponsorship. The City of Omaha reserves the right to conduct pre-employment inquiries or evaluations of candidates for employment as it deems appropriate for the particular position. Pre-employment inquiries may include, without limitation: verification of employment history and educational attainment; review of driving, credit, and criminal convictions; hearing, drug, functional capacity, psychological, vision, and medical tests; and/or any other relevant background information deemed appropriate to determine the suitability of the applicant for the position. Failure to provide the information requested in the application and hiring process in a truthful, timely, accurate, and complete manner may result in disqualification, revocation of a conditional offer of employment, or termination.

Reasonable Accommodation: The City of Omaha does not discriminate on the basis of disability. If you need a disability-related accommodation during the job application or selection process, advise the Human Resources Department at least 48 hours prior to the need by emailing employment@cityofomaha.org.

For a complete description of this job classification, visit hr.cityofomaha.org

Contact Points:

City of Omaha Human Resources Department
1819 Farnam St, Suite 506
Omaha, NE 68183

Phone: (402) 444-5300
Fax: (402) 444-5314

Website: hr.cityofomaha.org
Email: employment@cityofomaha.org