Remote Policy Consultant

Job Summary Under general supervision, the budget and policy analyst is responsible for all areas of state budget and finance in support of Colorado's public colleges and universities, as well as the internal department budget and finance functions, including tracking of budgets to actuals, assisting programs with developing budgets, evaluating expenditures, forecasting revenues, and maintaining collaboration across teams. This position does not supervise any employees. Scope of Responsibilities This intermediate level position is responsible for independently performing specialized budget duties for the Department of Higher Education. Positions at this level exercise judgment and initiative in their assigned tasks, receive only occasional instruction or assistance as new or unusual situations arise, and are fully aware of the operating procedures, practices and policies of the work unit. Job Duties The duties listed below reflect the different types of work that may be performed. The omission of any specific duty will not prevent the assignment of work that is appropriately related to this position. Internal Budgeting For assigned portfolios, regularly track budget to actuals including collaborating with accounting and program staff and advise on expenditure adjustments needed to stay within budget Problem solves through changes needed to avoid over or under expenditure, and escalates issues when needed Advise and assist assigned portfolio teams in creating future budgets and budget requests Develop and maintain complex financial models to project multi-year revenue and expenditure trends for higher education portfolios. This includes expenditures, budgets, and revenues for assigned portfolio areas to ensure proper appropriations and revenue to cover costs and then advice leadership on changes needed to ensure adequate funding As needed within the analyst's portfolio, maintain, administer, and run allocation formulas for programs that allocate funding across institutions Serve as a subject matter expert in CORE and infoAdvantage reporting to ensure real-time accuracy of appropriations and budgets tracking. Establish and maintain long range budget plans Ensure proper payments and distributions to partners, subrecipients, and institutions for programs under the assigned portfolio to ensure proper fiscal controls and funds available Ensure expenditures and fiscal operations are in alignment with state laws and applicable policies. Maintain proper coding structures for assigned portfolio programs to ensure proper inputs into CORE and tracking of budgets to actuals Budget Development Maintain a robust knowledge of the budget cycle, how appropriations change, and where spending authority comes from Assist in the development of decision items and fiscal notes through budget analysis including modeling, caseload forecasting, and data collection Assist in defending budget proposals to the Governor's Office, Joint Budget Committee, legislative staff, and other groups Analyze state government and federal actions to advise Department staff on budget implications Recommend when state laws or applicable policies should be updated related to the fiscal management of programs and advice on the fiscal impact of those changes Analyze financial and staffing patterns, organizational structure, and management practices in order to recommend budgetary, organizational, and programmatic changes from a fiscal perspective that enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the Department. Budget Decision Tracking Assist in tracking Governor Office decisions on budget requests and legislative requests with fiscal impact and advice on how decisions will impact Department appropriations, spending authority, revenue, and fiscal operations. Assist in tracking decisions by the Joint Budget Committee, Appropriations Committees and the legislature for the impact the Department's appropriations, spending authority, and revenue Data and Reports Maintain and develop necessary financial data such as historical expenditures, awards, or recipients on assigned portfolio Create necessary financial reports or budget related reports that fall within the assigned portfolio Engagement Activities As necessary, collaborate with stakeholders, subrecipients, and/or institutions to ensure proper payments, fiscal procedures, and budgets As necessary, prepare and present materials to the Colorado Commission on Higher Education and its subcommittees Qualifications Education and Experience Education: Bachelor's degree from an accredited university or college in finance, accounting, public policy, political science, higher education, economics, or a related field Substitution: Four (4) years of experience in state government accounting, public sector budgeting, or financial analysis can replace the education requirement of a bachelor's degree Experience: Budget forecasting and modeling experience Experience in any of the following: financial aid, higher education, finance, policy, or accounting Experience with stakeholder engagement Preferred Qualifications Experience in Power BI Knowledge of: Standard office practices, procedures, software and equipment, including the use of personal computers, telephones, Zoom, and Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Power Point, Outlook, and Teams) State statutes, rules and regulations, policies, procedures, and guidelines Knowledge of Colorado's Long Bill process and Joint Budget Committee (JBC) cycles. Ability to: Work effectively in both independent and team situations Produce comprehensive analytical documents Analyze financial fiscal data and program data Create and deliver presentations to various audience members Take the initiative to solve problems in an innovative manner Communicate effectively, both written and verbally Employ attention to technical detail and accuracy Apply time management skills to prioritize work Establish and maintain relationships with internal/external stakeholders Read and interpret new and existing statutes to identify the impact of proposed legislation on the department Physical and Mental Standards (Hybrid Setting) Frequently sit/stand at a desk for extended periods of time Frequently move from one area/building to another and sit/stand during the course of a day/week/month for meetings Occasionally may push or pull an object Frequently use finger dexterity and operate a keyboard Regularly lift 10 pounds and occasionally lift 25 pounds Frequently use vision to read documents, view computer screens, and see close and distant objects Frequently use speech and hearing to engage in conversation, in person, and over the telephone If you have a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to View email address on click.appcast.io Typical Working Conditions The employee typically works in a standard office environment where the noise level is moderate, and the office has controlled temperatures. Works a 40-hour work week, either remotely, hybrid, or in-office, depending on the arrangement met during employment with the supervisor during normal office hours of Monday Friday 8:00 am 5:00 pm. Job duties may occasionally require working extended hours or hours outside of the regular schedule. #J-18808-Ljbffr