Budget Advisor

Please Note: The starting salary offer will be determined based on the successful candidates’ qualifications within the starting salary range of $104,000 - $128,000 annually. Please note that there is career salary growth beyond this starting range for the successful candidate.

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: 

Are you ready to be part of something impactful and shape the fiscal future of our state? We are looking for a Budget Advisor who is passionate about planning, analysis, and working collaboratively to make a difference in the way our state allocates resources. In this role, you’ll have the opportunity to directly influence the state’s budgets, providing expert analysis and strategic recommendations that support the Governor’s priorities.

As a Budget Analyst, you’ll be at the forefront of state budgeting, analyzing budget requests, developing proposals, and presenting those proposals to the Governor’s Executive Team, stakeholders, and the Legislature. Your deep expertise will be crucial in ensuring the state’s budget aligns with key objectives and that state agencies are performing efficiently and effectively in line with these goals. You’ll work closely with a range of partners across the executive and legislative branches, offering insights that help guide decisions that impact the future of our communities.

This is a challenging position, but one that offers immense rewards and the opportunity to grow. Your work will help drive policies that make a real difference, impacting lives across our state.  If you’re someone who is ready to roll up your sleeves, engage with leaders from all sectors, and contribute to shaping the future of our state’s fiscal policies, we encourage you to apply now!

What you’ll work on:

• Develop and implement the K-12 Mega Model for developing budget proposals and analyzing fiscal impacts.
• Prepare detailed fiscal analyses and budget recommendations related to specific issues. 
• Perform independent research and analysis of policies and proposals including expected outcomes, state and local costs, implementation strategies, and stakeholder positions.
• Analyze legislative bills and budget proposals and communicate impacts to senior-level staff.
• Develop and present recommendations to the executive team and the Governor concerning the costs and effects of budget-related fiscal and policy proposals.
• Develop budget provisos, summary texts, and backup documentation to clearly communicate the intent of the governor’s budget proposal to legislators, legislative staff, and other stakeholders.
• Review and approve fiscal notes within short timelines during the legislative session.
• Monitor evolving issues and fiscal status of agencies and programs.
• Represent OFM on internal and external workgroups, including with education labor union and educational-focused groups, or other group assignments related to the specific K-12 education, and participate in study committees and work groups as needed.

What we need you to bring

Required Qualifications:

• Two years of experience as a state or local government fiscal, payroll, accounting, or public policy analyst. 
• Familiarity with state budgeting practices and procedures and a general understanding of accounting concepts.
• Expert in Excel and related tools for modeling, analyzing, tracking and reporting information.

The most successful candidate would also possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Detail oriented; research, analytical and communication skills.
• Ability to research and analyze budgets, models and legislation.
• Understanding of policy and budgetary systemic context.
• Knowledge of how budget decisions are made and the ability to articulate the assumptions behind decisions and understand the complexities of competing priorities and scarce resources.
• Understanding of state budgeting and the complexities of state fiscal issues and labor issues.

Desired Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in finance, public administration, political science or similar field.
• Experience working on Washington State agency budgets and with related systems.
• Experience working in K-12 education.

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.

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. 

Salary : $104,000 - $128,000