Hybrid Senior Budget Program Analyst presso San Diego Association of Governments, CA

About the Department

Role

The Senior Budget Program Analyst will be a reliable individual who is detail-oriented and organized, demonstrates initiative, and has the flexibility to meet changing priorities and workload demands. Excellent communication and customer service skills, and the ability to utilize sound judgment when working with internal and external stakeholders are essential to this position. The Senior Budget Program Analyst will perform numerous technical, analytical, and coordination functions to develop the Annual Program Budget, participate in expense and revenue forecasting, monitor ongoing budget performance, prepare budget amendments, and prepare various reports for Executives, the Board of Directors and Policy Committees, funding agencies, and other organizations.  The Senior Budget Program Analyst is an integral member of the Budget team.

Overview of the Financial Planning, Budgets and Grants Department

SANDAG has great pride in being a fiscally responsible public agency and is committed to providing easily understood information about its priority projects and programs to its stakeholders.  The annual budget is where the agency’s strategic initiatives and priority projects come to life. In May 2025, the Board of Directors adopted the FY 2026 Annual Program Budget totaling approximately $1.3 billion to advance transportation in the San Diego region.  

The Financial Planning, Budgets and Grants Department coordinates development of the Program Budget which has three key components – the Overall Work Program budget (this represents the agency’s core planning and research functions), the Regional Operations budget, and the Capital Improvement Program budget. Through a highly collaborative effort that includes project managers and agency Executives, the annual budget identifies numerous programs, projects, and services that align to the SANDAG strategic goals and priorities, and allocates funding from various federal, state, and local sources that are provided in the form of formula and discretionary grants, city revenues, and local transportation sales tax revenues.

Position Duties

• Serve as the central Budgets team’s lead for developing multi-year Capital Program budgets and revenue forecasts, ensuring alignment with organizational goals, funding availability, and regional project priorities.  
• Perform technical, analytical, and administrative functions related to preparing, reviewing, monitoring, and administering program and project budgets.  Coordinate with and advise project managers and directors on budget development, amendments, and project revenue.

• Serve as a project manager for preparation of the Annual Program Budget; plan and communicate timelines, deliverables, and other key information needed by contributors and ensure critical milestones are met; collaborate and coordinate activities with project managers, department budget coordinators, and Executives. 
• Assemble draft and final documents for the major sections of the Annual Program Budget – the Overall Work Program (OWP), Regional Operations and Services, Capital Program, TransNet, Administration, Board, and Personnel budgets; ensure elements of the Program Budget conform to federal and state requirements. 
• Participate in expenditure and revenue forecasting activities; conduct historical program/project cost analyses and prepare estimates for future budget cycles; allocate available federal, state, and local funds in accordance with funding agency requirements and consistent with SANDAG policy. 
• Implement budgetary controls and ensure proper use of funds.   Ensure adherence to policies for budget amendments.  
• Act as the central point of contact between project managers, accounting/finance, procurement and executive leadership to keep assigned project budgets on track; monitor and adjust actual expenditures and reconcile appropriated funds; prepare accurate and timely budget amendments.
• Facilitate clear communication on project funding status, timing of expenditures and reporting requirements.  Coordinate quarterly and annual monitoring and reporting activities. 
• Coordinate quarterly progress reporting to funding agencies such as the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and Caltrans; coordinate and lead the annual Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Planning meeting with these agencies.
• Assist project managers with new discretionary grant awards; work with funding agencies to ensure compliance with grant funding requirements and maximize use of funding opportunities. 
• Provide supporting materials and input to the methodology used for the Indirect Cost Allocation Program (ICAP); provide supporting schedules for the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR).
• Evaluate fiscal policies and procedures; develop recommendations to enhance internal controls, financial system procedures, financial reporting, and inter-agency fund transfers.
• Represent the FPB&G Department in budget related matters to other SANDAG departments, Policy Advisory Committees, other committees, elected officials, and outside agencies; prepare and make public presentations regarding various program elements; explain and interpret budget policies and activities.
• Provide training, as necessary, on the use of and enhancements to the enterprise resource planning tool (Tyler Munis), other internal financial software systems (PMTools).

Minimum Qualifications

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, with major course work in finance, accounting, business administration or a related field. A Master’s degree is desirable.

• A minimum of five years of increasingly responsible, recent budget management experience.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the principles and practices of large and complex budget preparation and administration, including forecasting and grant and project cost accounting. 
• Experience with capital project development and budget oversight, familiarity with funding sources for regional transportation infrastructure is highly recommended.  
• Demonstrated understanding of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, leadership technique, and coordination of people and resources.
• Demonstrated experience with laws, regulations, and reporting requirements pertaining to governmental budget preparation and administration; familiarity with various federal, state, and local funding sources used for regional transportation projects is highly desirable. 
• Ability to communicate technical information effectively, both orally and in writing, to a broad range of audiences; ability to prepare and deliver public presentations and recommendations regarding various program elements to upper management, Boards, community groups, and other audiences.
• Experience participating in the development and implementation of new procedures and process improvements.
• Demonstrated experience preparing clear, concise, and comprehensive budgetary financial statements, spreadsheets, correspondence, reports, studies and other written materials appropriate to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience evaluating expenditure trends, analyzing financial commitments, and preparing revenue projections; ability to collect and analyze financial information, and provide recommendations for efficient use of resources and procedures.
• Demonstrated ability to research and analyze financial issues, evaluate alternative solutions, develop sound conclusions and prepare recommendations, and keep management apprised of issues and concerns.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the roles and functions of various federal and state agencies in funding regional planning and transportation programs and projects; experience participating in various committees or groups and representing key issues, positions, and policies.
• Excellent customer service skills, including strong communication skills; demonstrated ability to establish, maintain, and foster cooperative working relationships with those contacted in the course of work including project managers and external agencies.
• Excellent organizational skills, and the ability to manage several concurrent projects at various stages of completion; ability to establish and maintain priorities and work independently.
• Demonstrated computer software proficiency using various programs from the Microsoft Office Suite particularly Excel and SharePoint, budget and financial software systems, and other PC-based applications; experience with Tyler Munis is desirable.