Occ. Code 2000700

 

CHIEF BUDGETING ANALYST, M-2

 

 

New York State Department of Civil Service

 

Classification Standard

 

NATURE OF WORK

 

Chief Budgeting Analysts plan, direct and supervise the preparation of agency budget estimates, program justifications and workload forecasts, narrative and tabular reports indicating agency expenditure components and monitor agency expenditures. They provide staff support to agency program managers and administrators, recommend alternative fiscal plans and forecast the adequacy of available fiscal resources to meet long-range needs.

 

CLASSIFICATION CRITERIA AND DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

 

Typical of this class is the supervision of a staff of Associate and lower level budgeting analysts and a support clerical staff, and responsibility for a significant budget function whose volume and scope is complicated by such factors as agency size, variety of programs and services, number of clientele, large amounts of monies, a number of different funds, relationships with other public jurisdictions, and frequent program changes in addition to the volume and scope of the budgeting process, the critical budgeting responsibilities include preparing the agency's budget document; imposing and evaluating expenditure controls; evaluating programs and their costs in terms of necessary resources to implement new programs and services; and providing advice on alternative fiscal plans. The Chief serves either as the highest level budgeting position in an agency or may supervise all such activities for a major segment of: the agency program in particularly large and complicated budgeting programs such as exist in the Office of Mental Health or the Department of Transportation. Generally, positions of Chief Budgeting Analyst are supervised by either a fiscal officer or business management administrator responsible for an agency's overall fiscal and/or business management activities; an agency budget officer or by an administrator with other responsibilities.

 

The Supervising Budgeting Analysts and Associate Budgeting Analysts are other supervisory levels in this series.   Positions at these levels function either as an assistant to a Chief Budgeting Analyst or may serve as the highest level budgeting position in an agency with a substantial and active budgeting function which does not meet the criteria of this standard.

 

Positions in the Budgeting Analyst series are distinguished from high-level supervisory account-clerical positions by their emphasis on using the budget process for program review and analysis, forecasting workload and cash expenditures, and evaluating the use of alternative resources to accomplish program objectives.

 

There are other classes that have budget analysis responsibilities such as 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, analyze and 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

 

Plans and coordinates the budgeting functions for an entire agency or a major segment of a large agency.

 

·      Reviews and analyzes current listing of budgeting problem areas, proposed or mandated new legislation, status of current projects and deadlines to be met, new or changing programs, Division of the Budget and agency guidelines, and the availability of trained analysts to determine possible study and project priorities. Confers with supervisor for input on such considerations.

 

·      Investigates, identifies and evaluates new ideas, techniques, practices and systems which may be of value in budgeting analysis.

 

·      Plans the scheduling and conduct of continuing and special studies, surveys and projects relating to the budget process. Estimates tentative requirements for a given study in terms of personnel, time and monies. Depending on the nature of the study and the expertise required, considers possible use of interdisciplinary survey teams or outside consultants.

 

·      Coordinates the planning of projects, studies and budgeting inputs involving other agencies, local and federal jurisdictions by means of conferences, visits, and oral and written communications with appropriate concerned officials.

 

·      Plans for the acquisition, training and development of .subordinate staff.

 

·      Plans for effective channels of communication with agency planners, program managers and Division of the Budget representatives for the interchange of pertinent information.

 

·      Plans for long-range cost projections in keeping with agency program planning and fiscal policy.

 

·      Plans for a budgeting presentation reflecting individual program costs to facilitate management decisions on priority funding problems.

 

Directs and supervises a staff of budgeting and support clerical employees in preparing and analyzing agency budget requests and justifications, developing and evaluating program costs and projections, preparing the agency's budgets, monitoring expenditures, conducting studies of the efficiency and effectiveness of agency programs, maintaining fiscal and accounting records and preparing required forms and reports for submission to the Division of the Budget and the Office of the State Comptroller.

 

·      Assigns tasks to subordinate staff usually through lower level supervisors. May provide specific instructions in carrying out given assignments.

 

·      Reviews studies and staff reports for timeliness, completion and soundness of recommendations. May direct additional fact-gathering and explorations of alternate solutions.

 

·      Provides technical guidance and assistance to staff as needed.

 

·      As necessary, directs changes in project assignments based on changing priority considerations and availability of trained analysts.

 

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

 

·      Evaluates individual work performance. Initiates corrective action as appropriate.

 

·      Personally performs the tasks affecting the assigned area of budgeting responsibility listed below, delegating portions to the staff under specific written and oral guidance.

 

Within assigned area of responsibility, 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 programs, program changes, previous budget requests, and applicable federal policies and rules.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oversees the preparation of five-year expenditure forecasts comparing past and current expenditure patterns, workload and program information against anticipated staffing, workload and program changes to provide projected estimated costs.  Analyzes available data on agency program planning and fiscal policies and related pertinent considerations, to advise on the adequacy of fiscal resources to meet long-range needs. May review, analyze and make recommendations on the financial impact of certain proposed State and federal legislation. May confer with legislative financial committee staff to provide data in area of responsibility.

 

RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS

 

The nature of the tasks performed by an incumbent in this class requires frequent oral and written communication with program managers, agency administrators and others in order to mediate budgeting problems and those emanating from program evaluation. This communication also involves the exchange of ideas and findings in order to identify priorities and recommend agency policy. In addition, the Chief meets with these managers and administrators as well as agency planners to gather program information, workload data and actual and anticipated expenditure data and to obtain supplementary explanation of information previously received in written form.  The Chief also prepares written instructions and procedures governing the submission of budget materials.

 

Communications with representatives of the Division of the Budget are at two levels. Incumbents provide written and verbal information to clarify or 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 involves conferences in which other agency administrators and program managers are also active participants. In addition, the Chief may participate in similar type conferences with legislative financial committee staff.

 

NATURE OF SUPERVISION

 

Chief Budgeting Analysts typically supervise a group of lower level budgeting analysts and a supporting clerical and/or account-clerical staff.  In this capacity, the Chief assigns specific activities for projects to the subordinates, reviewing major phases of assignments as they are completed for accuracy,
completeness and logical conclusions. The Chief provides the analysts with written and oral guidelines and instructions which form the basis for the Chief's review of the assignment.

 

In turn, the Chief is generally supervised by a higher level fiscal officer or an administrator with varied responsibilities in addition to budgeting and receives less direct supervision. Assignments are generally broad in scope leaving the Chief free to determine the methodology to be used, the depth of information required and the range of alternative 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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

 

One year of permanent service as an Associate Budgeting Analyst.

 

 

Reviewed:  2/05

 

 

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.