Senior Budget Analyst

Role Responsibilities

The Senior Budget Analyst provides support and guidance to the Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM) and Executive Directors in the department of PPHS, providing financial expertise in the management and administration of department finances. The position is responsible for coordinating with professional and technical staff to ensure the integrity of financial information. To be effective in the role, the incumbent must consult directly with forecast preparers, reviewers and expenditure officers, in addition to providing strategic advice regarding budgeting, forecasting, reporting, grants, and internal controls.

This position requires an in-depth understanding of accounting and finance functions including economic/forecast modeling, a comprehensive knowledge of programs and operations offered by the Ministry. The incumbent must demonstrate sound analytical skills, the ability to multi-task and provide leadership and guidance to one divisional budget analyst (Budget Officer 2 classification) in an environment where the objectives are not always clear with tight timelines.

This position plans and coordinates processes to ensure staff are provided with instructions, guidance and support required for budgeting and forecasting. The incumbent also reviews, analyzes, compiles and consolidates budget/forecast information prior to submission to the Corporate Financial Planning area (FP) for exercises such as funding requirements, salary and benefit reconciliations and business planning requirements. The incumbent will identify best practices regarding grant processes and reporting. The incumbent must demonstrate sound analytical abilities, the ability to multi-task and the ability to balance the needs of divisions with those of FP.

Providing strategic advice, and responding to divisional inquiries on budgeting, forecasting, and information requests from the Minister, Executive Team and Treasury Board and Finance is also a function of this position.

.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Provide strategic and operational support to the assigned division for the development and preparation of the annual budget to ensure resources are best aligned and appropriately managed.
• Manage and recommend allocations of the assigned areas' annual budget to ensure assigned division's meet their business plan goals.
• Co-ordinate and assist program staff in preparing forecasts and monitoring expenditures.
• Answer questions and follow up on forecast inquiries from program staff and the corporate financial planning area.
• Ensure compliance and uniform application of accounting principles and practices.
• Ensure program staff has the understanding of financial requirements in order to provide accurate and complete financial information.
• Ensure grants are administered according to department policies and procedures.
• Work closely with branch staff and Financial Policy and Operations staff to ensure that grants are properly approved.
• The Senior Budget Analyst interacts with staff throughout the Department, with an emphasis on providing advice and guidance to forecast preparers, program managers, and senior and executive managers to support decisions relating to financial and budget matters.
• Effectively communicate with branch management, budget analysts, and program area contacts.
• Provides supervision/mentoring to a budget analyst on a priority setting, time management, and ensuring effective and efficient operations focused on professionalism and attention to detail.
• Communicates financial planning direction/expectations to program staff, in the undertaking of budgeting/forecasting in support of preparing the Ministry's budget and fiscal updates to Treasury Board and Finance.

Please click on this link to view the job description for this position.

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

Agility – You are able to anticipate, assess, and readily adapt to changing priorities, maintain resilience in times of uncertainty and effectively work in a changing environment.

Creative Problem Solving – You are able to assess options and implications in new ways to achieve outcomes and solutions.

Systems Thinking – Ability to consider the whole system and recognize links between everything from the complex network of global to departmental priorities. Set goals within the context of long-term outcomes and broad perspectives.

Develop Self and Others – Desire to invest in the development of the long-term capability of self and others.

This link will assist you with understanding competencies: https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/psc-alberta-public-service-competency-model.pdf.

Qualifications

Four-year university degree in a related field such as Business, Finance, Accounting, Commerce or Management plus four years related experience.

Equivalency: An equivalent combination of education and experience which includes as a minimum, completion of a recognized applied accounting degree or diploma program.

Required:

• Knowledge of financial administration, monitoring, forecasting, costing and budgeting concepts.
• Experience in preparing and overseeing complex budget and forecast submissions within a large organization.
• Experience preparing briefing materials that translate financial data into meaningful information for decision makers.
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Office, including Word, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Experience working with relevant financial information systems, reporting tools, and software (e.g., Excel, Power BI, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) / System Analysis Program (SAP) and ability to manipulate data sets.
• Experience in data management software or language (Business Intelligence Tools, SQL, VBA, Python, Tableau, Power BI)

Assets:

• Canadian professional accounting designation (CPA or legacy designation) or equivalent.
• Experience working in financial planning area within public sector (Federal, Provincial, Municipal) in the last five years
• Knowledge of government financial legislations, regulations and policies.
• Experience using Fiscal Amounts Tracking Sheet (FATS) and 1GX

A cover letter must accompany your application and should indicate how your previous work experience aligns to the qualifications and competencies required. Please provide clear examples of how you meet the criteria and skills required in your cover letter. Failure to provide a cover letter will lead to the application being screened out. Cover letter will be one of the ways to assess communication skills of candidates.

In your resume, please include dates (including months and years) associated with all education and work experience. As well, please indicate whether your work experience is casual, part-time or full-time. For example, January 15, 2006 - June 25, 2009: Assistant (PT three 8 hrs. shifts/week).

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification. Refer to https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-minimum-recruitment-standards.

Notes

Hours of Work: 36.25 hours per week.

Candidates will be required to undertake a written assessment. An interview may follow, contingent upon the outcome of the assessment.

Final candidates will be required to undergo a security screening.

Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses, will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in.

What we offer:

• Working for the Alberta Public Service – https://www.alberta.ca/advantages-working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx
• Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) – https://www.pspp.ca
• Alberta Public Service Benefit Information – https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-benefits
• Professional learning and development – https://www.alberta.ca/professional-development-support-directive
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool – https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance
• Leadership and mentorship programs