Budget Advisor

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

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: 

As a Budget Advisor, you will be responsible for analyzing budget requests and developing budget proposals to meet the Governor’s objectives. You will monitor agencies and collaborate with them to ensure policies and budget activities are implemented efficiently and effectively. You will coordinate with various legislative and executive branch counterparts, Governor’s policy staff, and other external partners.

It’s a great fit for detail-oriented professionals who want to make a real impact while growing their career in a supportive and dynamic environment. Join us and be part of a team that values critical thinking, teamwork and creative problem-solving!

What you’ll work on:

• Monitor and support state agencies in budget development, budget implementation, program performance, and other fiscal matters
• Develop and present detailed fiscal analysis, recommendations, and additional options to the executive team and the Governor for decisions on budget-related fiscal and policy proposals related to the criminal legal and carceral systems

• Perform independent research and analysis of policies and proposals including expected outcomes, state and local costs, implementation strategies, and positions of internal and external partners
• Work with budget analysts, Governor policy staff, legal counsel, agencies, and legislative counterparts to develop estimates for forecasted and non-forecasted caseloads and other budget drivers for carceral systems
• Develop and implement models for analyzing fiscal impacts
• Develop budget provisos, public communications, summary texts, and backup documentation to clearly communicate the intent of the Governor’s budget proposal to legislators, legislative staff, and other interested parties
• Analyze legislative bills and budget proposals and communicate impacts to decision makers and senior-level staff
• Review and approve the fiscal impact estimates for bills within short timelines during the legislative session
• Prepare analysis and recommend gubernatorial action on enrolled bills
• Make presentations, attend meetings, and respond to inquiries on budget and fiscal matters to the Governor, senior staff, legislators, and other interested parties  
• Represent OFM on internal and external workgroups or other group assignments related to incarcerated youth and adults
• Evaluate patterns and trends in data, and identify other factors affecting budget drivers

What we need you to bring

Required Qualifications:

• Three years of experience as a state or local government fiscal or public policy analyst.

• Familiarity with state budgeting practices and procedures and a general understanding of accounting concepts.
• Able to understand, interpret and use financial information

Desired Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in finance, public administration, political science or similar field
• Experience working on correctional, criminal legal, or human services budget and/or policy

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 Lori.Leiter@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 : $106,000 - $130,000