DEFINITION
Under administrative direction, plans, coordinates, and manages the County’s overall budget process; develops budget policies, recommendations, instructions, and guidelines for County departments and offices; conducts complex and sensitive budget and financial analyses; monitors and coordinates budget revisions and implementation; prepares and maintains the County’s financial forecast; supervises and directs staff; provides highly responsible and complex executive support to the County Executive Officer; and performs other duties as assigned.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
The Chief Budget Officer is a single position classification within the County Executive Office that operates under broad administrative and policy direction from the County Executive Officer. The role provides high-level technical oversight to professional and management staff involved in countywide budget development, budget administration, and financial forecasting, and may directly supervise analysts, technical personnel, and clerical support assigned to the County Executive Office. This position requires exceptional independence, judgment, and expert-level proficiency in interpreting and applying complex budget-related laws, regulations, policies, procedures, and analytical methods while leading the County’s most complex financial and budgetary functions. It is distinguished from the Deputy County Executive Officer, which assists with overall County policy, operations, and human resources activities, and from the Principal Administrative Analyst, which performs complex analytical work across a variety of functional areas for the County Executive Office.
EMPLOYMENT AT-WILL
This is an at-will position. The incumbent is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the County Executive Officer and may be removed at any time, with or without cause, and without any right of appeal.
EXAMPLES OF DUTIES:
(The following is used as a partial description and is not restrictive as to duties required.)
• Directs and coordinates the Countywide budget process, including development of budget systems, policies, procedures, timelines, instructions, and production processes consistent with Board of Supervisors priorities.
• Directs development of the Recommended Budget and long-term financial forecast; evaluates revenues, expenditures, service levels, resource needs, reserves, and funding alternatives; and recommends budget allocations, contingency strategies, and other measures to maintain the County’s fiscal integrity.
• Oversees monitoring and control of departmental budgets, expenditures, revenues, transfers, and budget change proposals; evaluates fiscal impacts and ensures compliance with adopted budgets and applicable policies.
• Directs complex financial, operational, organizational, program, and feasibility studies; develops analytical methodologies, workload measures, and forecasting tools; evaluates alternatives and resource allocation options; and provides recommendations to executive management and the Board of Supervisors.
• Advises the County Executive Officer and Board of Supervisors regarding the County’s fiscal condition, emerging financial issues, legislative impacts, and matters affecting County programs, services, and long-term financial sustainability.
• Develops and recommends fiscal policies, budgetary strategies, spending guidelines, and program alternatives; coordinates implementation of approved initiatives and related policy, procedural, and organizational changes.
• Reviews and analyzes proposed federal and state legislation, funding changes, and other external factors for potential fiscal and programmatic impacts on the County, and recommends appropriate responses.
• Coordinates the budget review and adoption process, including preparation of reports and presentations, participation in Board budget hearings and policy committee meetings, resolution of budget issues with elected officials and department heads, and preparation of final budget actions. • Provides Countywide budget and fiscal guidance to departments and offices; reviews departmental budget requests, organizational changes, and program proposals; and advises on service delivery, funding, and fiscal implications.
• Directs, coordinates, and evaluates the work of professional and support staff responsible for budget, financial, and management analysis; participates in recruitment, training, development, supervision, and performance evaluation.
• Oversees the maintenance and improvement of budget systems, financial information, analytical tools, records, and processes necessary to support accurate budget development, monitoring, forecasting, and reporting.
Represents the County on budget and financial matters before the Board of Supervisors, committees, commissions, County officials, departments, and external organizations, and provides executive-level staff support on assigned fiscal matters.
• Other duties as assigned.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Any combination of training and experience which would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required knowledge and abilities would be:
Education: A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in public administration, business administration, accounting, finance, or a related field. Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis.
Experience: Five (5) years of broad responsible experience for the budgetary process of a California County or a complex public agency including independently performing budget analyses, preparation, and control and analyses and development of fiscal and budgetary policies and procedures which includes experience in organizational finance including principal involvement in the development and administration of an organization’s overall budget AND Five (5) years in a management and supervisory capacity.
Special Requirements:
1. Possession of, or the ability to obtain, an appropriate valid California Driver’s License.
2. All County employees can and will be called upon to act as Disaster Workers when needed.
3. Ability to qualify for security clearance through a background investigation, including a fingerprint check.
4. Possession of professional certifications, such as the Certified Government Finance Manager (CGFM), are desirable.
Knowledge of:
Applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and procedures affecting local governmental budget and fiscal activities and operations.
Principles and practices of auditing, investment, debt management, and issuance.
Principles and practices of contract and grant administration.
Principles and practices of financial analyses, budget planning, developing, implementing, record- keeping, reporting, and controlling within local government.
Principles and practices of long-range fiscal planning and management, revenue forecasting, and funding sources.
California state guidelines and standards in the County Budget Act and Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA).
Generally accepted accounting principles.
Philosophy, objectives, trends, techniques, and principles of public administration, organization, and management.
Practices and techniques of administrative analyses and procedures, statistical methodologies, and report preparation.
Relationship between local, state, and federal governments, public interest groups, and private enterprise as they affect local government.
Modern office practices, methods, and computer equipment and applications related to the work, including word processing, database, and spreadsheet software.
Ability to:
Plan, perform, and/or direct the performance of complex financial, budget, revenue, and strategic planning analysis, budget preparation, implementation, and monitoring.
Direct work consistent with goals and priorities.
Manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
Analyze problems and data, identifying alternative solutions, projecting consequences of proposed actions, and implementing recommendations in support of goals.
Communicate information and ideas clearly and concisely orally and in written formats.
Prepare narrative, fiscal and statistical reports, records, correspondence, and proposals.
Develop timetables for obtaining needed funding for new or modified substantive government programs.
Work with financial authorities and commissions, bond issuers, underwriters, credit rating agencies, investors, and others.
Utilize spreadsheets and financial, budget, and statistical software packages to analyze financial data, spot trends, and develop forecasts.
Prepare logical, accurate, comprehensive, and legally sound narrative and statistical analyses, reports, correspondence, procedures, and other written materials.
Present complex financial and budget concepts and strategies in easy-to-understand language.
Select, supervise, train and evaluate assigned staff
Operate modern office equipment including computer equipment and specialized software applications programs.
Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
Establish, maintain, and foster positive and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
Physical Requirements/Work Environment:
Sit for extended periods; frequently stand and walk; normal manual dexterity and eye-hand coordination; lift and move objects weighing up to 25 lbs.; corrected hearing and vision to normal range; verbal communication; use of office equipment, including computer, telephone, calculator, copiers, and FAX. Work is performed in an office environment; continuous contact with other staff, other agencies, and the public.
Disaster Service Workers: All San Benito County employees are designated “Disaster Service Workers” through state and local laws (CA Government Code Sec. 3100-3109 and Emergency Services Chapter 6 via adoption of local Ordinance No. 361 § 1, 2-25-75). As Disaster Service Workers, all County employees are expected to remain at work, or to report for work as soon as practicable, following significant emergency or disaster.
SAN BENITO COUNTY BENEFITS FOR CONFIDENTIAL/CONFIDENTIAL MANAGEMENT EMPLOYEES
(This is meant to be an overview of benefits only. For full benefit terms and conditions, please see MOU)
Employees in regular, full-time positions will be eligible to participate in the following employee benefits:
Pay Day: Employees are paid bi-weekly.
Insurance Deductions: The insurance and benefits deductions will take place bi-monthly, normally the first two pay periods of the month. Bank/Credit union and 457 Retirement Deferrals deductions will take place bi-weekly.
Vacation: Based on continued years of service. Newly hired C/CM employees may be eligible for higher vacation accrual rate for previous public sector experience (verification required).Maximum accruals may apply depending on the bargaining unit.
- < 4 years of service = 10 days per year
- 5 to 9 years of service = 15 days per year
- 10 to 14 years of service = 18 days per year
- 15 + years of service = 20 days per year
Administrative Leave: Management employees receive 80 hours of administrative leave per calendar year. Forty (40) unused hours can be paid out at the end of the calendar year. Administrative leave is pro-rated.
Holidays: 13.5 holidays (including 4 floating) for most employees.
Sick Leave: 15 days per year. Maximum accruals apply.
Medical Plan: Comprehensive CalPERS medical plans available for full-time employees. Employees appointed to a regular position at a time base of 50% or higher are eligible to participate.
Increase County contributions to medical effective January 2024.
a. Employee Only: $750.00, which would include the PEMHCA Minimum
b. Employee Plus One: $1,250.00, which would include the PEMHCA Minimum
c. Family: $1,515.00, which would include the PEMHCA Minimum
The County’s contribution above shall be prorated for positions that are less than .90 FTE rounding to the nearest one-quarter time.
HRA: Employee Only Medical Plan: $1,500 maximum
Employee Plus One Medical Plan: $3,000 maximum.
Employee Plus Family Medical Plan: $4,000 maximum.
Employees who are eligible to receive a “cash in lieu of’ enrollment in the County’s medical plan shall receive a taxable payment of $150 monthly (pro-rated into biweekly installments of $69.23).
Dental Plan: County contributes $30 to Delta Dental plan for full-time employees and their families.
Vision Plan: The County pays for employee coverage and the employee can pay for dependent coverage. This benefit is available to full-time employees only.
Employee Assistance Program: The County provides confidential short-term counseling services to employees and dependents.
Life Insurance/AD&D: County pays for a $20,000 BASIC life insurance policy for each employee. Voluntary life insurance plans available.
Disability Insurance: Confidential and Management groups participate in the State Disability Insurance.
Credit Union: Membership to the Santa Clara Federal Credit Union is available to San Benito County employees.
Deferred Compensation: Employees may participate in tax-deferred retirement savings. Three 457 plans are available. Employees may rollover funds from prior 401k or 457 accounts. IRS limits apply.
Retirement: Regular employees will be enrolled into the CalPERS retirement system in accordance with the Public Employees’ Retirement Law. Employee contributions vary according to bargaining unit.
All New Miscellaneous (non-Safety) employees enrolled into the CalPERS retirement system participate in the full formula of 2% at 62. Miscellaneous employees participate in Social Security in addition to CalPERS.
Supplemental Insurance: Employees may participate in various AFLAC plans such as accident, disability, and cancer insurances.
Flexible Spending Accounts: Health and Dependent Care available, pre-tax deductions.
