Assistant to City Manager - Budget

Assistant To The City Manager – Budget

The City of Lancaster is seeking a highly analytical, collaborative, and strategic professional to serve as Assistant to the City Manager – Budget within the City Manager's Office.

This position serves as a key resource to executive leadership in the development, analysis, administration, and long-range planning of the City's financial priorities. The Assistant to the City Manager – Budget coordinates the City's annual budget process, supports development of the Capital Improvement Program (CIP), prepares financial forecasts and analysis, monitors departmental budget performance, and provides recommendations that support responsible and effective use of City resources.

Working closely with the City Manager's Office, Finance Department, department directors, and other City leadership, this position transforms complex financial and operational information into clear recommendations for executive leadership and City Council.

The ideal candidate is more than someone who enjoys working with numbers. We are looking for someone who can see the story behind the numbers, identify trends and concerns, ask the right questions, develop solutions, and clearly communicate what the information means for City operations and future priorities.

At the City of Lancaster, we take PRIDE in the services we provide and the community we serve. This position supports those values through responsible stewardship of public resources, thoughtful analysis, collaboration, integrity, and a commitment to excellence.

Essential duties and responsibilities include:

• Leading and coordinating the development and administration of the City's annual operating and capital budgets
• Evaluating departmental budget requests, financial needs, priorities, and proposed adjustments
• Preparing financial analysis and recommendations regarding funding levels, programs, services, personnel, operating costs, revenues, expenditures, and other financial matters
• Developing and analyzing multi-year financial forecasts for major City funds
• Monitoring City revenues and expenditures and analyzing monthly and periodic financial reports
• Conducting fiscal-impact analysis related to proposed programs, services, initiatives, staffing, capital projects, policies, and other City decisions
• Performing cost-benefit analysis and evaluating funding or financing alternatives for programs, projects, and operational requests
• Developing and monitoring financial and departmental performance measures associated with the City's annual budget, strategic priorities, and organizational goals
• Providing financial and budgetary information, analysis, reports, and recommendations to the City Manager, executive leadership, and City Council as requested
• Preparing and assisting with executive-level presentations, budget workshops, City Council presentations, Town Hall materials, reports, and other financial communications
• Translating complex financial and technical information into clear, understandable reports, presentations, and recommendations for executive leadership, elected officials, employees, and the public
• Conducting benchmarking, surveys, financial research, and comparisons with other municipalities and organizations to evaluate programs, services, costs, revenues, staffing, and financial practices
• Researching and evaluating financial policies, procedures, practices, and processes and recommending improvements that promote efficiency, accountability, transparency, and responsible stewardship of City resources
• Coordinating with the Finance Department and City departments to help ensure accounting, revenue, expenditure, and financial processes remain consistent with the approved budget and organizational priorities
• Maintaining and analyzing…