Budget Director

If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference and you have a passion for making a difference in the lives of South Carolina's youth, consider joining the dedicated people of the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ). MISSION: It is the mission of the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) to impact and transform young lives, strengthen families, and support safer communities through targeted prevention and rehabilitation.

JOB PURPOSE:

The Budget Director serves as the Agency's lead for budget development, budget execution, forecasting, and financial analysis, The position leads the development and management of the Agency's annual operating and personnel budgets and provides executive leadership with timely, accurate, and forward-looking financial information necessary to make informed operational and strategic decisions. The Budget Director also monitors appropriations, expenditures, revenues, personnel costs, and other financial activity throughout the fiscal year; develops financial forecasts and funding strategies; and identifies emerging budget risks and opportunities. The position serves as a primary budget liaison with agency executive leadership, program and department management, and other stakeholders. The Budget Director is also responsible for maintaining strong budget controls, accurate financial information, effective budget processes, and appropriate SCEIS budget structures and master data.JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Serves as the Agency's lead for budget planning, execution and management.
• Establishes and coordinates agency-wide budget calendars, procedures, reporting requirements, assumptions, and internal deadlines.
• Provides guidance to executive leadership, division deputy directors, and others regarding budget development, expenditure management, personnel budgeting, funding availability, and fiscal requirements.
• Identifies significant financial risks, funding pressures, and resource issues and develops recommendations for executive leadership.
• Leads development of the Agency's annual budget request and coordinates recurring, no-recurring, personnel, operating, capital, technology, and other funding requests.
• Works with executive leadership and agency divisions to review funding requests for reasonableness, fiscal impact, available funding, and alignment with agency priorities.
• Coordinates preparation of the Agency's budget request to the Executive Budget Office and prepares supporting schedules, narratives, financial analyses, and other required documentation.
• Supports executive leadership during budget hearings, legislative review, and the appropriations process.
• Monitors legislative action affecting the agency and communicates funding decisions, provisos, and other budget impacts to appropriate stakeholders.
• Manages and monitors the Agency's operating and personnel budgets throughout the fiscal year.
• Analyzes expenditures, commitments, revenues, payroll, vacancies, position funding, appropriations, and available balances.
• Develops monthly, year-end, and multi-year financial forecasts and identifies significan variances, spending trends, funding pressures, and emerging financial risks.
• Works with agency departments to understand budget variances and develops recommended corrective actions or funding strategies when projected expenditures or revenues differ materially from approved plans.
• Develops recurring and ad hoc budget reports, operating statements, financial dashboards, forecasts, variance analyses, and executive reports and financial analyses.
• Prepares required budget and financial reports for executive leadership, the Executive Budget Office, Governor's Office, General Assembly, and other authorized stakeholders.
• Responds to fiscal impact requests, legislative inquires, management questions, and other time-sensitive financial requests.
• Maintains and oversees budget-related structures, master data, reports, projections, and processes within SCEIS and other agency financial systems.
• Ensures appropriate alignment between authorized positions, personnel costs, payroll projections, operating budgets, appropriations, funding sources, and organizational structures.
• Coordinates budget amendments, transfers, funding changes, position-related budget actions, fiscal-year rollover activities, and other transactions affecting agency budgets.
• Works with Finance, Human Resources, Payroll, Information Technology, and other stakeholders to identify and resolve budget data discrepancies and improve the reliability of financial information.
• Evaluates budget practices, reporting processes, and internal controls and recommends improvements that increase financial accuracy, transparency, accountability, and efficiency.
• Develops financial reports, forecasting tools, procedures, and analytical methods to improve budget management and reporting.
• Identifies opportunities to automate manual budget activities and improve the use of financial data, reporting tools, and technology.
• Performs special financial analysis, budget assignments, and other related duties as assigned by the Director, Deputy Director or other designated executive leadership.
• Provides budget and financial support for major agency initiatives, organizational changes, new programs, technology investments, procurements, audits, emergency requirements, and other priority activities.

STATE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS: A bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business, or related field and professional experience in a related ares, such as accounting, auditing, finance, or banking.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Extensive knowledge of governmental budgeting, financial management, accounting principles, fiscal controls, and financial analysis.
• Knowledge of South Carolina state budget development, appropriations, legislative processes, provisos, and Executive Budget Office requirements.
• Strong knowledge of operating, personnel, recurring and non-recurring budgets and the relationships between appropriations, expenditures, revenues, cash, and staffing.
• Knowledge of SCEIS or comparable enterprise financial management systems and the ability to analyze complex financial data from multiple systems.
• Ability to develop annual and multi-year budget forecasts and identify financial risks, trends, cost pressures, and emerging funding requirements.
• Ability to translate financial information into clear recommendations for executive leadership and program management.
• Ability to evaluate budget requests and determine financial impact, affordability, alignment with agency priorities, and availability of funding.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective budget controls, procedures, reporting standards, and internal management processes.
• Ability to prepare and present complex financial information to executive leadership, agency management, and other stakeholders.
• Ability to work across organizational boundaries and constructively challenge assumptions when financial or operational risks are identified.
• Advanced analytical, problem-solving, communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet statutory, executive, legislative, and fiscal deadlines.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality when handling sensitive personnel, financial, budget, procurement, and executive information.

PREFERRED AGENCY REQUIREMENTS:

A bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business administration, public administration, economics, or related field and progressively responsible professional experience in governmental budgeting, financial management, accounting, or fiscal analysis. Experience managing the budget function of a large or complex public-sector organization is strongly preferred. Experience with governmental budget development, budget execution, forecasting, personnel budgeting, financial analysis, executive-level reporting, and development of budget recommendations. Experience managing the budget data within the SCEIS system. Experience developing dashboards, management reports, and multi-year forecasts is preferred. The South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice offers an exceptional benefits package for FTE positions that includes:

• Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Health, dental, and life insurance
• 15 days annual (vacation) leave per year
• 15 days of sick leave per year
• 13 paid holidays
• State retirement plans and deferred compensation programs
• Discount Programs such as TicketatWork and WeSave

Applications are incomplete if you fail to answer all supplemental questions, education, and work history. Incomplete applications are not referred to hiring managers. Applications are accepted until 5:00 p.m. on the stated closing date.

ou will be asked to provide a certified transcript if selected for a position requiring a degree. A background investigation will be conducted that may include but is not limited to, criminal records, driver's license, and child abuse registry prior to an offer of employment. Additionally, a medical examination and drug testing will be required. Please explain any gaps in employment. A resume may be attached to your application but not substituted for completing the work history section of the application.