Budget Advisor - Compensation

Description

Please Note: The starting salary offer will be determined based on the successful candidates’ qualifications within the starting salary range of $112,000 - 138,000 annually.

Hybrid: Our physical office is in Olympia, WA. Our physical office is in Olympia WA. This position is flexible/hybrid, with the ability to work from home, and some travel to in-person activities, meetings, and events.

Why work for the Office of Financial Management (OFM)?

The Office of Financial Management (OFM) serves as the backbone of Washington state government. Our vision at OFM is to work together for the equitable future of all Washingtonians. Our mission is to make our state a better place by connecting people, budgets, policies, data, and systems for state agencies and the Legislature.

We’re also committed to creating an environment that fosters our core values – Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, Integrity, Innovation, Collaboration and Operational Excellence. All staff are expected to embed these values in their team and work. Join us in filling a key role in enhancing how state government serves its citizens, making a meaningful difference and taking public service to another level.

The job opportunity:

The Budget Advisor- Compensation position is an essential Budget Division team member that supports government-wide budget development and analysis for the Governor, OFM Director and the OFM Budget Director.

Duties

What you’ll work on:

• Perform independent research and analysis of complex fiscal matters related to compensation and pensions.
• Develop and implement comprehensive strategies aimed at effectively meeting the Governor’s objectives and advancing the key priorities outlined for the state. Model fiscal impacts of budget and legislative proposals, including support of collective bargaining.
• Serve as an OFM member of the Pension Funding Work group, actively contributing to its efforts and providing ongoing support to the Pension Funding Council in its initiatives. Prepare both written and verbal communication and presentations to the Governor, executive staff, Director of OFM, Assistant Director for Budget, statewide human resources and statewide accounting, agencies, the legislature, and the public.
• Serve as lead for state employee compensation budget matters, including salaries, benefits and pensions, as well as state pension systems for most local government employees. Collaborate and coordination with agency and legislative counterparts is required.
• Provide assistance in coordinating budget development, analysis, monitoring, and reporting processes.
• Collaborate with budget and policy advisors to develop, monitor, and analyze legislation pertaining to fiscal issues.
• Collaborate with OFM Communications to respond to inquiries and disseminate fiscal information and policy positions to the Legislature, elected officials, agencies, stakeholders, media, and the general public.
• Work closely with state counsel and Statewide Human Resources to manage and resolve legal issues and activities related to the state budget, fiscal reporting, and compliance matters. This includes providing guidance and support on collective bargaining agreements, ensuring alignment with legal requirements, and facilitating effective communication between all involved parties to maintain smooth operations and adherence to policies.

Qualifications

What we need you to bring

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in public administration, business, economics, political science or related field (additional 2 years of experience as a budget or policy analyst, or as a manager with fiscal and policy responsibilities may substitute for the educational requirement)
• Five years of experience as a budget or policy analyst, or as a manager with fiscal and policy responsibilities *
• Familiarity with state budgeting practices and procedures and a general understanding of accounting concepts
• Possess Analytical and communication skills

Desired Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in public administration, business, or related field
• Experience in Washington state government, including current or prior experience at OFM or the legislature, experience in a state central budget office, or as part of agency management
• Experience in using and improving cost models, particularly for insurance, pensions, or salaries
• Experience with or knowledge of collective bargaining processes
• Experience with data analysis tools such as Power Query, Power BI, SQL and R

We are invested in acquiring the best and most innovative candidate for the job, and that candidate may be one from a less traditional background. Don’t let doubts stop you from applying for this position. If you have transferable experience, please tell us about it or contact us with questions about the required qualifications and how your experience relates to them.

Supplemental Information

What we offer:

At OFM, we foster a culture of integrity, innovation, inclusion, and belonging. We value both learned and lived experiences, believing that diversity makes us stronger. To support your health and well-being, we offer a variety of benefit programs for our employees.

Please visit our Recruitment Page for a full list of benefits available to employees. Here’s a quick glance at some of the unique benefits that OFM offers:

• A culture that values and strives to advance diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging
• Tuition reimbursement
• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance
• 12 paid holidays, 14 paid vacation days (minimum), and 12 days of sick leave per year
• State retirement programs

Application Process: Once you’ve decided to apply for a state government job, you’ll complete an online application to showcase your qualifications. Keep in mind that once you submit the application, a real person is going to read it. We do not use AI or other technology that screens your application. Please be sure to provide clear and detailed information about your work history so your qualifications can be accurately assessed. We will contact the top candidates directly to schedule interviews. If you need reasonable accommodation in applying, please call 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6384.

When completing your application, we encourage you to attach all of the following:

• Cover letter: describing your qualifications for this specific position
• Resume: that details your applicable experience and education.
• References: at least three professional references and their contact information.

Questions: OFM's Staff ASL interpreter is available to all deaf and hard of hearing applicants. For questions about this recruitment or to request a reasonable accommodation in the application or interview process, please email us at TalentAcquisition@ofm.wa.gov.

The Office of Financial Management is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, and disabled and Vietnam-era veterans are encouraged to apply.

This position is exempt from civil service rules.

For more information, please see WAC 357-19-195.