DSHS HCLA Budget Forecast Administrator

Budget Forecast Administrator

You will help shape how Washington invests in services that support people to live with greater choice, independence, and safety. As the Budget Forecast Administrator, you will bring together budget expertise, forecasting skills, sound judgment, and a practical understanding of how funding decisions affect programs and the people they serve.

This is a senior-level role with a broad view of the financial picture for two of the DSHS' largest administrations:
Home and Community Living Administration (HCLA) and the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA). Together, they manage a biennial budget of approximately $19.65 billion and more than 7,000 full-time equivalent staff. You will lead a team of 12 professional staff while working closely with executive leaders, program teams, the Office of Financial Management, legislative fiscal staff, the Caseload Forecast Council, and other state partners.

Every week brings something different as you move through Washington's budget cycle. You may be helping an executive team understand funding needs, guiding a decision package, responding to questions about caseloads and expenditures, preparing a fiscal note, or helping a forecast team understand whether the numbers tell the right story. You will have room to chart a path for the team, improve how the work gets done, and build trusted relationships throughout state government.

Some of what you will do:

• Lead the development, submission, implementation, and monitoring of HCLA and DDA biennial and supplemental budgets, including decision packages, allotments, spending plans, and year-end projections.
• Direct Medicaid caseload, per-capita, and expenditure forecasts for nursing home, in-home, community residential, waiver, and other services, using available data to identify trends, explain variances, and recommend adjustments.
• Supervise, coach, and develop the professional staff, providing direction on complex assignments while creating an environment where people can ask questions, share ideas, and grow their skills.
• Serve as a primary resource for executive leaders, program managers, the Central Budget Office, the Office of Financial Management, legislative fiscal staff, and other partners on budget, forecast, and funding questions.
• Guide the preparation of fiscal notes, legislative budget requests, financial reports, and other materials that clearly explain the fiscal impact of proposed legislation, policies, and program changes.
• Participate in the financial modeling for complex issues, such as Adult Family Home collective bargaining, by working with rates, labor relations, program, and budget teams to develop reliable fiscal estimates.
• Oversee budget management, modeling, and reporting for the Washington Cares Fund and respond to changing legislative, program, and agency requirements.
• Provide technical guidance and practical solutions on complex fiscal questions while looking for ways to make processes more efficient and help the team meet changing demands throughout the budget and forecasting cycles.

Fast forward one year

You have developed trusted working relationships with executive leaders, program teams, the Office of Financial Management, and legislative partners. You can confidently lead the decision package process, identify gaps and help teams determine how to address them, and guide the budget and forecast team through the demands of the state budget cycle. You understand HCLA and DDA programs and can connect funding needs to the services they provide.

You have also identified opportunities to make the work more efficient and have begun putting your own ideas into practice.

Who should apply

You bring a combination of public-sector budget experience, financial expertise, leadership skills, and curiosity about how government funding supports services. We are looking for someone who can:

• Lead complex budget development, forecasting, financial modeling, and expenditure projection work.
• Supervise and develop professional staff while balancing independent decision-making with collaboration.
• Interpret legislation, policies, regulations, financial reports, and other complex information and translate it into clear recommendations.
• Communicate complex financial information clearly in writing and conversation with executives, staff, legislators, state agencies, and other partners.
• Manage multiple priorities and deadlines, particularly during the fast-changing state budget cycle.
• Research unfamiliar issues, ask thoughtful questions, and use sound judgment to develop practical solutions.
• Build productive working relationships and remain patient, flexible, and constructive when priorities or circumstances change.
• Use financial database software and business systems, including Microsoft Excel, at an advanced level.

Required qualifications:

You have at least 10 years of professional experience in budget development, financial reporting, expenditure and revenue projections, and related financial practices. This…