Senior Budget Analyst

Senior Budget Analyst

City of Spruce Grove, AB

Competition number: RR2025016
Department: Finance

The City of Spruce Grove is a fast growing, dynamic city committed to building and maintaining a fiscally responsible community that serves our residents, attracts visitors, and promotes future growth.

The “Values, We Live By” are accountability, communication, leadership, integrity, and respect while we work towards maintaining a work/play balance. We are an organization that cares, an organization that is committed to our city and committed to you.

The City of Spruce Grove is committed to public service, where everyone feels empowered to contribute their best work. We believe that by working together in a spirit of collaboration and respect, we can achieve great things.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

Under the leadership and direction of the Assistant Controller, Budget and Financial Planning, the Senior Budget Analyst will provide a comprehensive range of financial services with a focus on supporting the organization’s Corporate Plan and Budget, quarterly forecasting, variance analysis and other required analysis. This will include operating and capital budget preparation, long term planning, and providing
collaborative financial support to departments. The Senior Budget Analyst will have an overall responsibility for support within the Finance team ensuring completion of regular financial reports, financial data, reporting, and analyses. This position reports to the Assistant Controller – Budget and Financial Planning.

This is a permanent full-time position (35 hours per week. The salary range for this position is: $86,486.40 – $102,793.60.

1. Budgeting and Forecasting

• Work in partnership with the Controller and Assistant Controller, Budget and Financial Planning in the development, execution and completion of the City’s annual budget and Corporate Plan, quarterly forecast, and variance analysis (prepare, compile, advise, review, analyze, facilitate, support, inform, interpret organizational objectives for budget managers).
• Support and coordinate with departments to prepare all aspects of their operating and capital budgets including developing budget values, highlighting changes from the prior year, preparing follow up information, and assisting with financial analysis.
• Preparation of budget documents including providing content for written reports, financial schedules, and presentation slides.
• Assist and provide recommendations for corporate process efficiency improvements; continue to standardize and improve the budgeting and forecasting processes.

2. Financial Analysis & Reporting

• Provide financial and non-financial analytics related to operating and strategic business decisions (examples: should we buy or lease a piece of equipment, add a section or new program, restructure staff, achieve budget targets).
• Develop, implement, monitor, and review management information systems to fulfill the unique reporting requirements of business units (examples: provide regular management reports to inform leaders of their expenditures versus budgeted targets, ad hoc queries and reporting, identification of trends that may be opportunities or risks, development and reporting of key performance indicators).
• Prepare and presents complex financial analysis to support communication of financial strategies to Council.
• Participate in the process of complying with external reporting requirements (examples: review data for completeness and accuracy, provide key information).
• Contribute to the preparation of year-end financial statements and complete year-end budget-to-actual variance reporting.

3. Budget & Financial Planning (organizational) Support

• Provide support for development of policies and procedures that encompass sound business and financial processes and internal controls including process reviews and business process analysis.
• As a senior member of the team, provide coaching or training to members of the financial planning team.
• Assist in maintaining the integrity of information in the financial systems and ensuring adherence to financial controls. (example: perform testing of financial and budget system upgrades).
• Assist in other special projects and assignments from time to time as a financial resource and represent the department on task forces, work groups, committees, and projects.

4. Other Duties

• Understand and adhere to City policies, procedures and standards, whether written or implied, as amended from time to time.
• Contribute to a positive safety culture by always acting in a safe manner and complying with City safety policies and procedures for staff and contractors.
• Act as a steward of the City's Corporate Culture by following the “Values, We Live By”.
• All employees shall act in a safe manner at all times and will report any unsafe conditions, procedures or acts for the benefit of the City. Continual adherence to the City Safety Policy is mandatory.
• Employee are expected to stay current on WHMIS and other safety-related procedures.
• Perform other job-related duties.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Chartered Professional Accountant designation.
• Bachelor’s degree in finance, Accounting, or related field of study.
• Three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in accounting, financial analysis, operating and capital budgets, and strategic planning in the public sector environment.
• Knowledge of municipal financial reporting standards, procedures, and compliance requirements including Public Sector Accounting Standards (PSAB).
• Strong analytical and critical thinking and problem-solving abilities to analyze data, identify problems and recommend solutions.
• Proficiency in using financial modeling tools and Excel for scenario analysis.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills to convey financial information clearly to both financial and non-financial stakeholders.
• Proficient in using financial software and tools, with a keen interest in leveraging technology to improve financial processes.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced work environment, with multiple projects/tasks concurrently, with priorities often shifting.
• Ability to work in a team environment and independently.

ASSET QUALIFICATIONS:

• Budget collaboration and reporting systems; experience with Questica software.
• Municipal government finance experience.
• Knowledge of the Municipal Government Act and legislation impacting municipal financial planning, developer charges, utility rate analysis, asset management planning.

COMPETENCIES:

Thinking & Acting Strategically – Forward-thinking. Sees the big picture and imagines the future. Links long-range visions, strategies, and concepts to daily work. Aligns personal actions and initiatives with customer needs, and with organizational priorities and direction. To think and act strategically requires an understanding of our organizational direction, as well as the internal and external factors that
influence decision-making.

Building Influential Working Relationships – Strengthening and developing working relationships and strategic alliances that are founded on ethics, trust, and guided by our corporate values of respect, leadership, accountability, communication, and integrity.

Optimizing Performance & Results – Reaches for excellence for oneself, one’s team, and the organization. Determined and focused on achieving outcomes that align with organizational goals. Creates goals and priorities that maximize resources while using an enterprising, resourceful approach to deliver outcomes and achieve customer expectations. Maintains accountability for results.

Growing Talent & Workforce Capacity – Honouring the individual differences that make each person unique. Being curious and committed to listening, reflecting, and learning. Developing individual and workforce capabilities to enhance the organization’s capacity to accomplish strategic goals, enhance program and service delivery, and provide an exceptional customer/client experience. Contributes to a
learning and teaching culture.

Fostering Innovation & Steering Change – Creates an environment for transformation. Advances the City through improvement based on innovation and guides the associated change. Uses the skills, attitudes and behaviours needed to produce new or improved programs and services to meet current and future needs of our customers, our organization, and our community.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• Criminal Record Check Clearance.
• Proof of, and maintenance of, Chartered Professional Accountant designation.

IMPACT AND MAGNITUDE OF JOB (SCOPE):

• This position will support the effective development and delivery of the organization’s strategic long-term financial planning and the Corporate Plan.
• The position will act as the Assistant Controller – Budget & Financial Planning in their absence.
• Additional resource to meet the organization’s demand for more complex financial analysis and organizational budget support.
• The Senior Budget Analyst could significantly influence and inform operational, management, and strategic decisions. Examples may be providing analysis and recommendations about staffing, internal controls, and operating processes with a financial impact.
• Errors, omissions, and delays could have a serious impact on the operations and could lead to financial loss, embarrassment, lack of confidence, and inefficient use of resources and negatively impact long-term goals.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT:

• Monday to Friday.
• Hours of Work: 8:30am to 4:30pm.
• Overtime may be required.
• Travel may be required
• Working in an office environment.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Sitting, standing, walking, climbing, stairs, kneeling, manual dexterity, visual acuity/color vision.
• Lifting to 5kg (11lbs).

WHAT WE OFFER:

• Competitive annual salary
• Pension
• Medical & Dental Benefits
• Life Insurance
• Wellness Initiatives
• Work/Life Balance
• Recognized General Holidays
• Leave Options
• Flexible Work Arrangements
• Perks
• Positive Work Atmosphere
• Employee Awards
• Volunteer and Fundraising Opportunities
• Professional Development

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Please visit www.sprucegrove.org/careers for more information and to apply.
Only those candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted.