Occ. Code 2000400

ASSOCIATE BUDGETING ANALYST, GRADE 23

New York State Department of Civil Service

Classification Standard

NATURE OF WORK

Associate Budgeting Analysts prepare and supervise the preparation of agency budget estimates, program justifications and workload forecasts, narrative and tabular ports indicating agency expenditure components and monitor agency expenditures. These positions are normally located in business administration or budgeting offices in various State agencies and provide staff to support to agency program managers.

CLASSIFICATION CRITERIA AND DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

Associate Budgeting Analysts typically supervise a staff of Senior Budgeting Analysts (including Trainees) and a supporting clerical staff.  The Associate serves either as the highest level budgeting position in an agency or in cases where the budgeting process and related activities require a large budgeting staff the Associate may supervise all such activities for a major segment of an agency's program or the administration of federal grants.  The critical budgeting responsibilities include not only the preparation of the agencys budget document but also the imposition and evaluation of expenditure controls; the evaluation of programs and their costs in terms of efficiency and effectiveness; the forecasting of future workload and cash expenditures and the evaluation of the necessary resources to implement new programs and services.

Generally, positions of Associate Budgeting Analyst are supervised by a fiscal or business management administrator responsible for an agency's overall fiscal and/or business management activities.   Where the volume and scope of budgeting activity is complicated by agency size, variety of program and relationships with other public jurisdictions; the Associate reports to a higher level budgeting analyst having agency-wide budgeting responsibilities.

This class is distinguished from high level supervisory account clerical positions by its emphasis on using the budget process for program review and forecasting workload and cash expenditures along with the evaluations of the use of alternative resources to accomplish program objectives.

Other classes that have budget analysis responsibilities include Institution Steward, Business Officer, and Finance Officer.  However, these classes also have major responsibilities for directing an agency's or facility's fiscal and support services program.

Specialists in the Division of the Budget, Executive Department, classified at various levels in the Budget Examiner series, act on agency budget requests, determine and control specific requests for the expenditure of funds and review and act on agency organization proposals.

TYPICAL ACTIVITIES, TASKS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Supervises a staff of budgeting, clerical and account clerical employees in preparing the agency's budgets, monitoring expenditures, maintaining fiscal and accounting records, evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of agency programs and preparing required forms and reports for submission to the Division of the Budget and OSC.

· Assigns tasks to subordinate staff, usually through lower level supervisors and may issue specific instructions and guidelines in carrying out such assignments.

· Reviews staff reports for accuracy, completeness and soundness of recommendations.

· Discusses inadequate performance with staff members and suggests corrective measures.

· Personally performs the tasks of major assignments affecting agency wide programs listed below, assigning portions to the staff under specific written and verbal guidance.

· Trains new employees in the procedures and techniques required in the performance of the job.

Under general direction from the fiscal officer prepares the agency's regular annual operating budget and supplemental and deficiency budgets for review and approval by agency administrators and for submission to the Division of the Budget, based on a knowledge and understanding of Division of the Budget guidelines, the State Finance Law, agency programs and policy, proposed new program, program changes, previous budget requests, and applicable federal policies and rules.

• Prepares written instructions on budgetary policies and procedures for presentation to agency staff and may meet with staff to verbally explain the information.

• Analyzes budget proposals for various agency programs, including those for federally funded programs to compare need and available resources by using program information and agency priorities to identify appropriate methods of best utilizing the available resources.

• Compiles workload statistics from activity reports for use in budget justifications.

• Based on existing workload and future forecasts determines the need for personal and non-personal service funding.

• Confers with program director and agency administrators to discuss budget proposals and justifications and to choose a fiscal plan considering various alternatives.

• Compiles a draft agency budget proposal from materials submitted by program managers, decisions made at budget conferences, workload data and forecasts, refining narrative and statistical information into a form which best describes the agency needs in order to accomplish the goals and objectives.

• Presents draft document to agency administrators or fiscal officer for final
  clearance and confers with them to explain and support the fiscal plan.

• Makes appropriate changes in the document as directed by agency administrators.

• Following submission of the document by Agency head to Director of the Budget may meet with representatives of Division of the Budget to clarify, support and explain the fiscal plan.

Prepares a spending plan based on agency goals, translating legislative authorized program funds into available organizational funds.

• Compares the legislative budget for the agency with the proposed budget to identify differences between the two.

• Prepares written recommendations on necessary budget modifications, staffing limits and expenditure ceilings and presents this information to program managers and agency administrators.  May discuss this information in conferences.

• Where supplemental and deficiency budget requests are determined to be necessary by the agency head the budget process described above is again followed.

Monitors expenditures to assure that work is done efficiently and within fiscal guidelines established by the Governor, the legislature and when appropriate, the federal government.

• Reviews the agency's monthly expenditure report to identify differences between projected and actual expenditures and determine reasons for such differences.

• Reviews production and workload reports to determine whether funds are being used efficiently by comparing workload statistics over a specific period of time to identify trends.

• May conduct on-site inspections and participate in discussions with
  program managers to determine the effective and efficient use of funds.

• Based on above information makes written recommendations to fiscal officer or agency administrators for alternate fiscal plans which may involve transfer of funds between program areas or request for temporary service funds for a period of time to cover peak workload periods or unanticipated workload.

• Reviews requests to fill vacant positions, establish new positions and change the allocation of existing positions and makes written recommendations based on need and available funds.

Prepares five year expenditure forecasts comparing prior expenditure patterns and workload and program information with anticipated staffing, workload and program changes and converts this information into projected costs.  Information is compiled through a review of selected agency reports and interviews with program managers.

In addition to the above tasks and activities some positions may also supervise certain central agency services involving building maintenance, security, reproduction services, central files, development of contracts for services and equipment, etc.

RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS

The nature of the tasks performed by an Associate Budgeting Analyst requires frequent verbal and written communication with program managers and agency administrators in order to mediate budgeting problems and those emanating from program evaluations. This communication also involved the exchange of ideas and findings in order to identify priorities and recommend agency policy.  In addition, the incumbent meets with these managers and administrators and gather program information, workload data and actual and anticipated fiscal expenditure data and to obtain supplementary explanations of information previously received in written form.  The Associate Budgeting Analyst also prepares written instructions and procedures governing the submission of budget materials.

Communication with representatives of the Division of the Budget is at two levels.  Incumbents provide written supplement budget requests or specific expenditure requests.  They may also meet with representatives of the Division of the Budget to support and convince them of the necessity for approving agency requests.  This latter activity frequently involves conferences in which other agency administrators and program managers are also active participants.

NATURE OF SUPERVISION

Associate Budgeting Analysts typically supervise a group of lower level budgeting analysts and may also supervise clerical and/or account clerical staff. In this capacity, the Associate assigns specific activities for projects to the subordinates, reviewing each phase of the assignment as it is completed for accuracy, completeness and logical conclusions.  The Associate provides the analysts with written and verbal guidelines and instructions which provide the basis for the Associate's review of the assignment.

In turn, the Associate receives less direct supervision in that incumbents are supervised by an Administrator with varied responsibilities in addition to budgeting. Assignments are generally broad in scope leaving the Associate free to determine the methodology to be used, the depth of information required and the range of possible conclusions to be drawn.

In preparing the agency's annual budget, specific instructions regarding the process are issued by the Division of the Budget and guide the budgeting staff in their drafting of the agency's annual, supplemental and deficiency budgets.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

• Good knowledge of the State's budget preparation process.

• Good knowledge of agency and Division of the Budget guidelines, procedure and policies governing the budget process.

• Good knowledge of the agency's program, goals and objectives.

• Good knowledge of Office of the State Comptroller rules and regulations governing the maintenance of fiscal records.
• Working knowledge of supervisory practices.

• Good knowledge of the techniques of monitoring the expenditure of funds.

• Good knowledge of the techniques of forecasting expenditures.

• Working knowledge of the principles of cost analysis.  

• Working knowledge of the legislation authorizing agency activities.

• Ability to identify and establish priorities.

• Ability to apply guidelines, procedures and policies governing the budget preparation process.

• Ability to organize, consolidate and prepare narrative and tabular information into a clear logical report.

• Ability to gather and analyze program and fiscal information and draw conclusions.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff and program officials of the agency and with officials of the Division of the Budget.

• Ability to supervise a staff of administrative and clerical personnel.

• Ability to support written reports verbally at conferences or with individual program managers.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

            Positions of Associate Budgeting Analyst are normally filled by the promotion of employees with at least one year of permanent service as a Senior Budgeting Analyst.

Reviewed:  10/04

NOTE:  Classification Standards illustrate the nature, extent and scope of duties and responsibilities of the classes they describe.  Standards cannot and do not include all of the work that might be appropriately performed by a class.  The minimum qualifications above are those which were required for appointment at the time the Classification Standard was written.  Please contact the Division of Staffing Services for current information on minimum qualification requirements for appointment or examination.