Senior Budget Analyst (Senior Fiscal Analyst)

Overview

The Judicial Branch of California is accepting applications for the position of Senior Fiscal Analyst for the Budget Services Program Budget Unit (PBU). 

The PBU is primarily responsible for management of the Judicial Council’s approximate $300 million budget. The senior budget analyst provides advanced, complex, and specialized analytical and technical budget support to the largest and most complex Judicial Council (council) offices, Courts of Appeal, and Supreme Court. This position provides support in budget development and management, expenditure forecasting, technical assistance in accordance with state budget processes, and in developing cost analyses as required.

The incumbent is responsible for developing and implementing forecasting methods, workload assessment measures, and trend analyses. The analyst will complete fiscal analyses for legislation, monitor legislative bill status, review and maintain position and appropriation control, reconcile position count for the annual Schedule 8 process, and provide technical support and review of budget proposals from concept to implementation. This position conducts specialized research and analyses to assist Budget Services management and the Judicial Council Executive Office with budgetary planning and decision-making. In addition to technical expertise, the incumbent will be familiar with reporting structures, funding, and chart fields for the assigned council offices as the reviewer and approver of purchase orders submitted in FI$CAL including providing troubleshooting and reporting structure and chart of account maintenance.

The Judicial Council 
The Judicial Council of California is the policy setting body for the state court system and has constitutionally conferred statewide rule-making authority. This authority includes developing, advocating for, and allocating the judicial branch budget. A majority of Council members are California state justices and judges; however, the Council also includes lawyers, legislators, and court administrators.
By enhancing its role as a leadership, knowledge, and service resource for the judicial branch, the Judicial Council’s staff organization seeks to continue to evolve as one of California’s most dynamic public service entities, focused on improving access to justice for all Californians by innovating and responding to the changing needs of the courts and the public. As a government body charged with improving the statewide administration of justice, the Judicial Council has multiple offices with diverse responsibilities relating to court policy and operations. As employees of the council, every member of staff should view and approach their work as one Judicial Council with a public service mission that is greater than the sum of its parts.

The Judicial Council strives for work-life balance, including substantial vacation and holiday time. In addition, we offer an excellent benefits package, including pension, medical, dental, and vision coverage, flexible spending, up to $130 per month reimbursement for qualifying commuting costs, and retirement savings plans. In San Francisco, the office is only a 7-minute walk from the downtown Civic Center BART station. In Sacramento, the office is minutes from downtown, just north of Discovery Park.

The Judicial Council offers hybrid work arrangements for many positions. The successful candidate will be expected to work in person at the Judicial Council’s San Francisco or Sacramento office at least two days per week, based on their office leader’s direction, and reside in the areas surrounding these locations.
 

Responsibilities

• Provide analytical and technical support regarding budget development and management and expenditure forecasting for assigned areas.
• Develop, reconcile, and analyze initial budget allocations by fund for assigned areas.
• Analyze and reconcile allocations to enacted state budget, including budget changes resulting from authorized budget adjustments. Research and correct any areas that do not reconcile accordingly.
• Reconcile and prepare budgetary drills and other requests for submission to the Department of Finance (DOF).
• Conduct most complex specialized research and analysis of fiscal budgeting issues, including cost analyses and special requests for assigned offices, and/or upon request of the Executive Office.
• Review and provide technical assistance to programs for the development of budget concepts and budget proposals that support judicial branch funding priorities for Judicial Council advisory body consideration and submission to the DOF.
• Prepare section letters and other documentation for current year adjustments to authority in accordance with Budget Act provisions for submission to the DOF and the legislature.
• Prepare legislative analyses of proposed and pending legislation.
• Review and approve purchase orders for the more complex Judicial Council offices, as assigned.
 

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree, preferably in business, finance accounting, or a directly related field, and four (4) years of professional experience in accounting, finance, budgetary, or contract administration. An additional four years of professional experience in the assigned function as noted above may substitute for the bachelor’s degree. Or, additional directly related experience and/or education may be substituted on a year-for-year basis.  

OR

Juris doctor, Master of Business Administration, or master’s degree in a directly related field for the assigned discipline such as finance or accountancy, and one (1) year of experience as identified above.

OR

One year as a Fiscal Analyst, in the assigned field, with the Judicial Council of California or one year of experience performing the duties of a class comparable in the level of responsibility to that of a Fiscal Analyst in a California Superior Court or California state-level government entity.

Top Candidate must possess:

• Experience at government entity.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, public speaking, and writing skills.
• Experience with state, local, or federal budget processes.
• Experience with financial forecasting models. 
• Strong Microsoft Suite skills.
 

Other Information

Please note, if you are selected for hire, verification of employment authorization to work in the United States will be required.

How To Apply

To ensure consideration of your application for the earliest round of interviews, please apply by 5:00 P.M. on April 14, 2025. This position requires the submission of our official application, a resume and a response to the supplemental questions. 

To complete an online application, please click the Apply for Job button.

The Judicial Council provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities who request such accommodation.  Reasonable accommodation needs should be requested through Human Resources at (415) 865-4260
 

Pay and Benefits

$7,710.00 - $11,565.00 per month

Some highlights of our benefits package include:
• Health/Dental/Vision benefits program
• 14 paid holidays per calendar year
• Choice of Annual Leave or Sick/Vacation Leave
• 1 personal holiday per year
• Up to $130 per month reimbursement for qualifying commuting costs
• CalPERS Retirement Plan
• 401(k) and 457 deferred compensation plans
• Employee Assistance Program
• Basic Life and AD&D Insurance
• Flex Elect Program
• Pretax Parking
• Long Term Disability Program (employee paid/optional)
• Group Legal Plan (employee paid/optional)
 

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Judicial Council of California Is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Supplemental Questions

To better assess the qualifications of each applicant, please provide a response to the following question:

1. Describe your professional budget development experience and specific roles in the budget process, including your primary areas of responsibility, and any work related to budget preparation and/or review, financial forecasting, and/or analysis. 

2. Describe a project, program, process, or function in which you had a leadership role. In your response, include the intended audience, the stakeholders involved, the analytical tools you used, the outcome, and any lessons that you learned from the experience.