Budget Analyst

The Budget Analyst reports directly to the Comptroller and serves as the primary operational resource for institutional budget development, budget administration, budget analysis, position budgeting, and budget reporting. The position coordinates the preparation, review, implementation, maintenance, and monitoring of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College's annual operating budget and prepares analyses and recommendations for review by the Comptroller.

The Vice President for Finance and Operations provides executive oversight and final review of significant institutional budget recommendations and submissions, as appropriate. The Budget Analyst works closely with the Comptroller, institutional leadership, Human Resources, Payroll, departmental budget managers, and other campus stakeholders to ensure budgets and related financial structures are accurate, appropriately supported, properly authorized, and aligned with institutional priorities and University System of Georgia requirements.

Day-to-day supervision, work assignments, performance management, and operational direction for this position are provided by the Comptroller. Because the position has access to highly sensitive and confidential institutional and personnel information, including proposed personnel actions, budget reductions, organizational changes, and potential reductions in force before decisions are finalized or communicated to affected employees, the Budget Analyst must exercise exceptional discretion and maintain strict confidentiality.

The ability to safeguard this information and limit its disclosure to authorized individuals is essential to the effectiveness, credibility, and integrity of the position. MAJOR DUTIES Budget Development and Planning Coordinate the institution's annual budget development process under the direction of the Comptroller.

Prepare the annual operating budget, including state appropriations, tuition and fee revenues, departmental operating budgets, personnel budgets, auxiliary operations, and other institutional funds. Analyze historical activity, enrollment and revenue assumptions, compensation commitments, operating needs, and other financial information used in budget development.

Identify budget gaps, funding pressures, inconsistencies, and potential risks and prepare recommendations for review by the Comptroller. Budget Monitoring, Analysis, and Decision Support Monitor institutional revenues, expenditures, personnel costs, commitments, and budget balances throughout the fiscal year. Conduct budget-to-actual variance analysis and identify significant budget concerns.

Investigate significant budget variances and work with departments to determine causes and appropriate corrective actions. Prepare financial forecasts and budget projections. Monitor vacancy savings, compensation commitments, position funding, and other personnel-related budget activity. Prepare executive budget summaries and supporting analyses for the Comptroller and Vice President for Finance and Operations.

Budget Administration and Financial Structure Prepare and process budget amendments, transfers, and budget journal entries. Review budget adjustments for accuracy, funding availability, supporting documentation, and compliance with institutional and University System of Georgia requirements. Maintain the official institutional budget and reconcile approved budgets to the financial system.

Maintain budget records, supporting schedules, reconciliation documentation, and approval records. Maintain signature authorization forms and the official signature authorization listing. University System of Georgia Budget Reporting Prepare quarterly budget amendments and required quarterly reports for the University System of Georgia Budget Office.

Coordinate required annual budget reports and other budget-related submissions. Monitor reporting requirements and deadlines and maintain supporting documentation for institutional submissions. Personnel and Position Budgeting Manage position numbers, position funding structures, and personnel budget records in coordination with Human Resources and Payroll.

Review the budgetary impact of new hires, vacancies, promotions, transfers, salary changes, supplemental compensation, and other personnel actions. Process and validate new-hire budget information and verify the availability and source of funding for proposed personnel actions. Maintain schedules of filled and vacant positions, budgeted compensation, funding distributions, and projected personnel costs.

Departmental Support and Training Prepare and distribute monthly budget activity reports to departments. Serve as the primary Business Office resource for departmental budget questions and provide timely guidance to departmental budget managers and administrative staff. Provide budget training sessions and develop budget procedures, instructions, reference materials, and standardized reports.

Assist departments in interpreting financial reports, resolving budget errors, and improving budget management practices. Purchasing Card and Internal Control Responsibilities Maintain and use a Business Office purchasing card as assigned in accordance with institutional purchasing card policies and procedures. Other Duties as Assigned Perform additional professional responsibilities and special projects as assigned by the Comptroller to support Business Office operations and institutional goals.

Maintain confidentiality and handle highly sensitive financial, personnel, and institutional information with sound judgment and discretion. Protect the confidentiality, availability, and integrity of sensitive information by adhering to applicable cybersecurity, privacy, records-management, and institutional requirements.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS REQUIRED BY THE POSITION Knowledge of budgeting, financial analysis, general accounting principles, and financial-reporting practices. Knowledge of governmental or higher education accounting and budgeting principles and procedures. Ability to analyze complex financial information and identify trends, risks, inconsistencies, and potential corrective actions.

Ability to develop financial forecasts, models, projections, and alternative budget scenarios. Advanced spreadsheet and data-management skills used to organize, reconcile, analyze, and present complex financial information. Ability to prepare accurate, complete, timely, and well-supported budget analyses, reports, amendments, forecasts, and submissions.

Strong written, oral, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex financial information to financial and nonfinancial audiences. Strong attention to detail, organizational ability, time management, and capacity to manage multiple priorities and fixed deadlines. Ability to exercise sound professional judgment, maintain confidentiality, and work independently with minimal supervision while maintaining effective communication with the Comptroller.

Ability to build collaborative relationships and provide responsive service to campus stakeholders. Commitment to accountability, accuracy, continuous process improvement, and responsible stewardship of institutional resources. COMPLEXITY/SCOPE OF WORK The position performs complex analytical and administrative work supporting the College's budget development, personnel budgeting, financial forecasting, reporting, and ongoing budget control.

Work requires the interpretation and reconciliation of financial and personnel data from multiple systems; evaluation of budget requests and funding alternatives; maintenance of departments, projects, and related financial structures; and identification of material variances, risks, and emerging financial issues. The employee must balance recurring reporting requirements and fixed deadlines with unanticipated analyses and institutional priorities.

The accuracy and timeliness of this work directly support management decisions, internal controls, institutional compliance, and financial stewardship. PHYSICAL DEMANDS/ WORK ENVIRONMENT Work is performed primarily in a professional office environment using computers, financial systems, spreadsheets, and standard office equipment.

The position regularly requires extended periods of sitting, computer use, reviewing detailed financial information, and communicating by telephone, video conference, and in person. The employee may be required to stand or walk across campus and may occasionally lift or move items weighing up to 10 pounds. Additional work hours may be required during annual budget development, fiscal year-end, quarterly reporting periods, system implementations, audits, or other peak operational periods.

Occasional local or out-of-area travel may be required for training, meetings, or University System of Georgia activities. SUPERVISORY AND MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY This position reports directly to the Comptroller and does not currently have direct reports. The Budget Analyst provides functional guidance, training, and technical assistance to departmental budget managers and administrative staff.

The position may coordinate assigned budget activities and special projects involving personnel from multiple departments.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business administration, public administration, or a directly related field from an accredited college or university. Three years of progressively responsible experience in budgeting, financial analysis, accounting, finance, or a closely related area. Demonstrated experience preparing budgets, analyzing financial data, reconciling information, and preparing management reports.

Demonstrated proficiency using spreadsheets and standard business software to organize and analyze financial information.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Five or more years of progressively responsible experience in budget development, financial analysis, governmental accounting, or higher education finance. Experience with University System of Georgia budget practices and reporting requirements. Experience using People. Soft Financials, People. Soft HCM, Workday, Workday Adaptive Planning, or comparable enterprise financial and human-capital systems.

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 25 institutions of higher education and learning as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards.

More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct . Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found on-line at https://www.

usg.edu/policymanual/section6/C2653 .

Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran status, or genetic information in its programs and activities, including admissions and employment, as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and changes made by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and other applicable statutes, regulations, and USG and ABAC policies.

For questions or more detailed information, please contact Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College's Human Resources Office at (229) 391-4887.