06/08/2007 07830

EXECUTIVE BUDGET SPECIALIST 2

DEFINITION:

This is professional fiscal policy, legislative review, and budget analysis work in the Governor’s Budget Office.

An employee in this job analyzes and develops fiscal policy and legislative reviews for a community of practice of government agencies and provides oversight to agency budget activities. Work includes designing and conducting studies of current policy problems, assessing the social, economic and fiscal implications of alternatives, and developing fiscal policy recommendations. Duties also include the review of proposed legislation and regulations, their potential impact on the budget, and preparation of recommendations to support or reject proposals. Work involves the examination and analysis of departmental budgets throughout the budget and rebudget cycles and the provision of direction to agencies for the implementation and monitoring of programs. Work also includes meeting with local, state and federal officials to gather information and identify program and policy conflicts in governmental services; contacting program recipients, providers and managers to gather information to support research findings; and, providing advice to agency executives and fiscal officers on difficult budgetary problems. Significant aspects of this work include the management of projects within the community of practice and the communication of fiscal policy and budget analysis reports through various media, including public presentations and electronic documents. Work is assigned by an executive budget specialist supervisor or manager and reviewed through discussions and written reports for soundness, completeness, and adherence to state budgetary and fiscal policies.

EXAMPLES OF WORK:

Designs and conducts research on selected specialized policy issues and develops recommendations.

Reviews selected state programs in a community of practice and develops fiscal policy recommendations as part of a major study.

Confers with federal, state and local officials to gather information and identify areas of program and policy conflict in governmental services.

Provides input on information submitted to legislative committees as to research considerations and interpretation of policy recommendations.

Provides direction to agencies to implement programs and to report on the progress of implementation.

Acts as lead analyst on selected projects and is responsible for project results.

Reviews proposed legislation and prepares fiscal notes.

Develops comments on legislation to present a position on the bill.

Prepares amendments to bills.

Examines budget estimates for completeness, accuracy, and conformance with procedures, regulations, and policies.

Examines requests for budget revisions and drafts correspondence to explain why budget revisions are being altered or denied.

Provides technical advice and assistance to agency officials in the preparation of departmental budgets, including the interpretation of budget policies.

Prepares and assembles fiscal and statistical data, charts, graphs, and reports for use in budgetary evaluations and budget hearings.

Attends meetings and budget hearings with high level government officials to communicate fiscal policy and budget analysis information.

Participates in the development of instructions for the preparation, analysis, and control of departmental budgets.

Performs the full range of supervisory duties.

May participate in the performance of subordinates’ work consistent with operational or organizational requirements.

Performs other duties as assigned.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

Knowledge of principles and methodology used in fiscal analysis including trends analysis/modeling techniques, economic analysis, cost accounting, cost estimating, fiscal planning, fiscal management and budgeting.

Knowledge of the principles and methodology used in the collection, analysis, and presentation of statistical, economic, or administrative data.

Knowledge of techniques used in policy research, program analysis and planning.

Knowledge of the structure and operations of state government, and its relationship to Federal, regional and local governments.

Knowledge of the Legislative process, and the authority and responsibility of various legislative committees.

Knowledge of standard office software, such as word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation packages.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

Ability to communicate effectively orally.

Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING:

One year as an Executive Budget Specialist 1, Fiscal Policy Specialist 1 or a Budget Analyst 3;

                                                                                                                                or

Three years of experience in budget policy and program analysis in a government agency and a bachelor's degree in policy analysis and planning, public analysis, or a closely related field;

                                                                                                                               or

One year of experience in policy and program analysis in a government agency and a master's degree in policy analysis and planning, public or business analysis, or a closely related field;

                                                                                                                              or

An equivalent combination of experience and training.