Budget Operations Specialist

Position Overview

Our client is seeking an experienced Budget Operations Specialist to support budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, and process improvement. This role will partner with department leaders to analyze current budgeting practices, improve financial visibility, optimize reporting capabilities, and drive operational efficiencies.

The ideal candidate will have strong analytical and financial planning skills, experience managing departmental budgets, and a proven ability to identify and implement process improvements in a collaborative business environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist with forecasting budget utilization and funding needs through year-end, with a specific focus on IT spending and financial planning.
• Analyze current budget management processes within IT and Marketing & Communications and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, streamline workflows, and enhance financial oversight.
• Evaluate the organization’s use of Solver reporting tools and recommend enhancements to improve budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting for cost center managers.
• Support the transition from Great Plains to a new accounting platform by assessing budgeting and reporting processes and identifying opportunities to leverage expanded project-level budgeting capabilities.
• Review existing budget administration practices and recommend process improvements that increase consistency, visibility, and operational effectiveness.
• Identify training opportunities and develop recommendations that promote standardized cost center management across departments.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to gather requirements, document current processes, and develop actionable recommendations.
• Prepare and present findings, analysis, and recommendations to department leadership and key stakeholders.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, or a related field.
• 3+ years of experience in budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis, or business operations.
• Strong understanding of cost center management, budgeting, and financial reporting principles.
• Experience working with financial reporting and budgeting tools.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including reporting, analysis, and modeling.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting IT and/or Marketing department budgets.
• Experience with Solver reporting solutions.
• Familiarity with Great Plains (Microsoft Dynamics GP) and ERP/accounting system migrations.
• Experience with financial process improvement and operational efficiency initiatives.
• Knowledge of project-based budgeting and forecasting methodologies.