Budget Analyst III

Budget Analyst III

Position Summary

Full-time position available on or after December 1, 2025 in University Budget Services. This position's responsibilities are carried out independently under general supervision. The incumbent is responsible for performing advanced budget analysis work by exercising lead oversight for most projects and responsibilities. Applies advanced budgeting job skills, detailed knowledge of budgeting policies and procedures, project management skills, and organizational and stakeholder acumen to complete substantive assignments, projects, and related work of significant technical scope and complexity.

Exercises advanced discernment in selecting methods and techniques for obtaining solutions. In collaboration with management, oversees, assesses, formulates, and evaluates programs, policies, and procedures. Work is focused on ensuring alignment with overall objectives and may provide lead work direction with accountability for results.

Job Duties

• Performs advanced budget analysis work with lead oversight for most projects and responsibilities.
• Consults with and advises campus officials on budget requests, including projections, revenue costs, and budgetary controls.
• Analyzes position control, labor cost distribution, and budgetary control functions to ensure fiscal integrity.
• Leads campus preparation and submission of annual budget allocations and required Chancellor's Office reporting (e.g., FIRMS), ensuring accuracy and compliance.
• Provides consultative guidance to campus divisions on administering budgetary and financial policies in alignment with CSU and campus requirements.
• Identifies and recommends improvements to budget and labor cost distribution processes based on analysis of recurring issues and emerging needs.
• Surveys and researches complex budget matters, including comparative analysis using state databases, other institutions, and external financial sources.
• Provides input on financial system upgrades, including design considerations, testing, and verification of results.
• Conducts in-depth troubleshooting of financial system issues and recommends corrective actions.
• Performs advanced forecasting of revenues and expenditures across multiple funding sources, including student fees, self-support funds, and trust funds.
• Synthesizes large-scale financial data into actionable recommendations for campus leadership and budget committees.
• Analyzes and resolves complex or sensitive budget issues requiring discretion and coordination across divisions.
• Recommend and implement campus-level budget plans, initiatives, and process improvements.
• In collaboration with management, reviews, assesses, and evaluates programs, policies, and procedures to ensure effectiveness and compliance.
• Develops and refines campus budget processes, standards, and procedures to improve transparency and efficiency.
• Provides lead work direction, training, and mentoring to other analysts and staff to ensure consistency and accuracy in budget practices.
• Designs and implements advanced budget models, tools, and templates to support campus planning, scenario modeling, and decision-making.
• Represents the Budget Office on campus budget advisory committees and related meetings, presenting analysis and communicating budget implications.
• Collaborates with management to evaluate and recommend campus-level budget policies and initiatives.
• May be required to obtain additional training and/or certification as part of professional development, based on department and/or campus needs, to stay current with industry standards.
• At the direction of appropriate administrator, may provide support to other areas within department as needed.
• The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, a logical assignment to this classification, or if it involves performing duties of a lower-level classification as required.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience
:
Equivalent to four (4) years of relevant experience. (An advanced degree in a related field may be substituted for the required experience on a year-for-year basis.)

Education
:
Equivalent to a bachelor's degree in a related field. (Additional experience which demonstrates acquired and successfully applied knowledge and abilities shown below may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis.)

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a higher education or university setting.
• Experience in CSU or higher education budgeting or finance.
• Experience working with data query and reporting tools.
• Experience with People Soft Financials and Human Resources or another large, complex enterprise financial system.
• Experience preparing budget materials for executive-level decision-making (e.g., variance analyses, funding proposals, or feasibility summaries).
• Experience supporting or coordinating financial system testing, upgrades, or integrations.
• Familiarity with position management processes in higher education or large…