Budget Director.

Department Information

This position is open only to Colorado state residents.

Find a rewarding career making a difference: Join the Office of the Attorney General!

The Office of the Attorney General/Department of Law is seeking a Budget Director to provide strategic leadership and oversight for the Department’s $165 million budget across multiple funding sources. This role serves as a key advisor to an elected state official and plays a critical part in shaping financial strategy, anticipating resource needs, and supporting sound public policy through transparent and accurate budget management. We are looking for an experienced public-sector budget professional who excels at strategic thinking, thrives in a complex funding environment, and can actively manage and guide the Department’s budget and resources.

Who We Are

The Office of the Attorney General/Department of Law is the "People's Lawyer." The Attorney General, Phil Weiser, was elected by the people of Colorado and is the State's chief lawyer and law enforcement official. Our vision for the Department of Law is: "Together, we serve Colorado and its people, advancing the rule of law, protecting our democracy and promoting justice for all." Our core values and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, drive our actions and demonstrate our focus on being principled public servants who are innovative and better together.

Learn more about the Colorado Attorney General’s Office here.

Description Of Job

The Budgeting Unit provides strategic budgetary planning, guidance, and support to meet Department of Law (DOL) objectives and provides the efficient delivery of services.

What You Will Do

The Budget Director (Budget & Policy Analyst IV) reports to and collaborates with the department's Chief Financial Officer to provide leadership and management of the Department’s budget by establishing and executing broad financial policies and strategies for the annual $165M budget and spending plan from a variety of funding sources including general fund, appropriated cash-funds, non-appropriated custodial funds, and federal funds.

The Budget Director is responsible for budgetary and fiscal analysis and providing direction regarding all budget-related activities, such as annual budget creation, fiscal note preparation, and supplemental/budgetary amendment requests. This role ensures accurate, timely submissions to the Joint Budget Committee (“JBC”), Office of the State Auditor (“OSA”), Office of the State Controller (“OSC”), and Office of State Planning & Budget (“OSPB”). Additionally, this position provides budgetary, legislative, and policy guidance to support Departmental objectives and assists leadership in aligning resources with departmental goals.

Job Responsibilities Include

• Budget Direction and Oversight
  • Manage the Department of Law budget and interpret business needs set out by the Strategic Plan
  • Determine systems and provide oversight to ensure the DOL can implement Attorney General initiatives
  • Actively manage budget expenditures by the sections
  • In conjunction with the Chief Financial Officer, this role will:
  • Determine whether to approve or deny requests based on existing budget and spending authority/ revenue
  • Determine impact of expenditures on the Department
• Oversee, coordinate, and finalize the Department’s budget request and all written correspondence with Joint Budget Committee staff
• Develop Statewide Common Policy figures for Legal Services to State Agencies (LSSA), coordinating with client Budget Directors (including financial staff for Institutions of Higher Education), DOL attorneys, and JBC staff
• Determine the best strategies to advance Department initiatives through the budget process, accommodating for differing sister agency input, to best support good public policy for the State and Department
• Monitor and adjust resource allocations to address evolving Department needs, coordinating with program leaders to reallocate funds as required to meet both strategic goals and unexpected demands within established budgetary limits
• Forecast budget availability to advise and direct internal business decisions on resource implementation consistent with Department strategic initiatives and priorities
• Determine whether expenditures are in compliance with legislative intent against appropriated/allocated budgets
• Ensure compliance with appropriation headnotes, footnotes, and expenditure limits in alignment with legislative intent and state fiscal rules
• Collaborate with program staff to set and adjust fees for cash-funded programs, ensuring sufficient revenue to support programmatic operations
• Monitor cash fund balances and grant expenditures to ensure compliance with statutory reserve requirements, spending authority limits, and grant deliverables

This recruitment may be used to fill other Budget & Policy Analyst IV positions within the Administration section at the Department of Law.

Salary note: Although a salary range is listed, salary will be set commensurate with the successful candidate's qualifications and in compliance with the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act. Salary will be paid on a biweekly basis.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions Of Employment & Appeal Rights

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Residency Requirement

This posting is only open to residents of the State of Colorado at the time of submitting your application.

Class Code & Classification Description

H8E4XX

Budget & Policy Analyst IV

Minimum Qualifications and Substitutions:

Experience Only

• Eight (8) years of professional experience in budget analysis, development, and implementation. Experience must include public sector budget experience.

OR

Education And Experience

• A combination of related education and/or relevant professional experience in budget analysis, development, and implementation equal to eight (8) years. Experience must include public sector budget experience.
  • Please note, relevant education may substitute for four (4) years; qualified candidates must demonstrate at least four (4) years of related experience.
• Current, valid licensure as a CPA by the Colorado Board of Accountancy will substitute for up to four (4) years of the degree requirement and two (2) years of the required experience.

If you are qualifying under the Education and Experience option listed above, you must submit a copy of your transcripts at the time of application. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.

Note: Candidates possessing a foreign degree must submit a translation (evaluation) of their degree from an accredited institution, such as The National Association of Credential Evaluations Services in order to be given credit for the degree.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of Colorado state or public sector fiscal processes, including experience with the Colorado Operations Resource Engine (CORE) system
• Knowledge of the Colorado legislative process, including the development of fiscal notes
• Experience creating, managing and executing budgets as the primary role of the job for an organization with multiple funding streams
• Knowledge and ability to write financial reports and make formal presentations of financial data to internal and external parties
• Ability to use job-specific software including databases, spreadsheets, word processing, and analytical tools
• Ability to work effectively with a wide variety of stakeholders
• Experience managing agency-wide administration related programs
• Experience delivering financial services-related support in a public sector environment, including applying agency policies, procedures, and service standards.

Required Competencies:

• Financial management; understanding of financial processes, economic analysis, and internal controls; ability to monitor expenditures and uses cost-benefit thinking to set priorities; understanding of the principles and concepts of public finance
• Strong critical thinking/problem solving skills, including the ability to analyze budget and fiscal data, make recommendations, and take action based on the analysis
• Ability to work collaboratively with internal and external customers to develop solutions that meet the needs of customers while abiding by fiscal constraints, regulations, policies and rules
• Excellent written and oral communication skills

Conditions Of Employment

• Applicants must pass a thorough background investigation prior to appointment.
• Colorado Department of Law participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.
• This position offers flexible work arrangements. New employees are expected to work in-office 3 days a week. Additional flexibility will be considered for employees after a successful onboarding and training period. Please note, flexible work arrangements may change at any time based on business needs.

Assessment Information

Colorado Revised Statutes require that all state employees be hired and promoted through comparative analysis of merit and fitness. Upon meeting the minimum qualifications, the next phase of the process is typically a structured application/resume review by a panel of subject matter experts against the job duties and/or preferred qualifications in this job announcement to determine technical competence, depth and breadth of experience and potential job fit.