Senior Budget Analyst

Role Responsibilities

The Senior Budget Analyst plays a key role in a comprehensive range of budget management and fiscal analysis services for Education and Childcare. Working within the parameters of relevant Government Acts and Ministry policies and guidelines, the Senior Budget Analyst provides technical, analytical, and consultative services to the Department of Education and Childcare, the Department’s senior management (Senior Financial Officer, and
Committees) and professional staff in program areas.

This position plans and coordinates processes and initiatives to ensure Department senior management and staff are provided with instructions, guidance, and support required for short and long term budgeting, and current year revenue/expenditure forecasting. The Senior Budget Analyst also analyzes and interprets financial material from the assigned portfolio of programs, divisions, and regions (Portfolio), and will compile consolidated three-year budget plans and other financial submissions (e.g., quarterly revenue/expenditure
projections) that will be reviewed by various bodies including the Department’s senior management, Treasury Board and Finance, Treasury Board Committee, and the Legislature (e.g. Standing Committees).

The Senior Budget Analyst reports directly to the Manager, CCEP/SP. The analyst works closely with assigned Portfolio to ensure financial information is consistent with the Ministry’s and Government’s goals and objectives.

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Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Prepare financial information and variance analyses for Ministry Executive Committee, including identification of major cost pressures, funding options and overall opportunities and risks facing the Ministry. Support the preparation of Budget submission to Treasury Board based on Executive Committee decisions.
• Lead forecast submissions for accuracy and completeness, conformance with guidelines and justification of requests.
• Liaise with Ministry representatives to ensure appropriate understanding and application of planning and financial reporting processes and procedures, including impacts of results-based budgeting processes.
• Provide input on Ministerial correspondence to Treasury Board and Finance for Budget and Quarterly Update information and funding requests.
• Provide support to the reporting team in ensuring accurate divisional information has been captured in the presentation of budget and forecast briefings for legislative sessions and committees.
• Oversee provision of training to business areas to ensure expenditure officer responsibilities for budget preparation, monitoring and reporting are properly carried out.
• Respond to action requests and other enquiries and provides senior management with decision support by preparing correspondence, briefing notes and financial reports.
• Provide input to development of Government budget preparation processes and supports development and monitoring of financial processes and policies relating to business practices.
• Compile and consolidate Ministry’s annual expense and revenue budgets and three-year fiscal targets, including briefing materials and presentations for use by the Minister and Deputy Minister at Cabinet, Standing Policy Committee, Treasury Board and Committee of Supply.
• Provides guidance, expertise and recommendations to assigned Portfolio staff, Department management and program staff on initiatives that will impact the Ministry’s budget or financial position. The advice and guidance is extended to ensure that adequate internal or offsetting controls are in place and related processes and accountabilities are considered. These activities should minimize the risk of unexpected funding shortfalls and reduce the possibility of observations and recommendations for improvement from the Office of the Auditor General.
• Leads and coordinates special projects assigned by the Budget & Fiscal Analysis branch by providing technical and analytical support and ensuring provision of relevant and accurate information, analyses and projections of potential effects of proposed changes to policies, practices, legislation and guidelines.

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.

Drive for Results – You are able to determine what outcomes are important and maximize the use of resources to achieve results that are aligned with the goals of the organization, while maintaining accountability to each other and all stakeholders. 

Build Collaborative Environments – You lead and contribute to the conditions and environments that allow people to work collaboratively and productively to achieve outcomes.

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

Required:

• 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.

Assets:

• Knowledge of financial administration, monitoring, forecasting, costing and budgeting concepts.
• Experience in preparing and overseeing complex budget and forecast submissions within a large organization.
• 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).
• 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.

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. A 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. For example, January 2006 – June 2009 (part-time). This example is provided for illustrative purposes only. Applicants are encouraged to present their information clearly and thoroughly, using a format that best conveys their experience.

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

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