Budget Analyst - Full Performance

National Reconnaissance Office (NRO); Chantilly (VA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 158,000; Full time

Job summary

National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) budgets are essential to delivering advanced space systems supporting national security. This role supports the NRO by analyzing financial data, formulating budgets, and coordinating funding with program managers and industry partners.

You will work within a team to prepare congressional budget justifications and manage funding from Congress, ensuring alignment with mission priorities and project milestones.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in a related occupation; a PhD is qualifying for GG-11 or experience-based qualification.
• Experience with the federal budget process including formulation and justification.
• Experience using financial databases and spreadsheets to accomplish budget-related tasks.

Responsibilities

• Perform all phases of budget administration: formulate, execute, and justify budgets.
• Develop program spend plans and funding documents; monitor contractor performance and provide assessments.
• Prepare multi-year funding strategies in line with program cost estimates and future budget requests.
• Communicate analysis, conduct research, and coordinate recommendations to address budgetary challenges.

Skills

Budget analysis

Financial databases

Spreadsheet proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Business/Finance

Tools

Financial software

Budget databases

Job description

WE ARE THE NRO

For over sixty years, the NRO has developed, acquired, launched and operated the satellites that are the foundation for America’s advantage and strength in space. Using a diversified architecture of spacecraft, NRO collects and delivers the best space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance content on the planet.

WE ARE THE NRO

For over sixty years, the NRO has developed, acquired, launched and operated the satellites that are the foundation for America’s advantage and strength in space. Using a diversified architecture of spacecraft, NRO collects and delivers the best space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance content on the planet.

Learn more at NRO.gov.

Basic Eligibility For A Position With The NRO

• You must be a U.S. Citizen
• You must be able to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI security clearance
• You will be subject to pre-employment and periodic drug testing
• You will be subject to pre-employment and periodic polygraph examinations

Location

Chantilly, VA

Salary

2026 Salary Range For The Washington, DC Area

• GG-11: $85,447 - $111,087
• GG-12: $102,415 - $133,142
• GG-13: $121,785 - $158,322

Position Summary

Budget analysts are critical to the NRO's ability to deliver cutting edge technology and emerging capabilities to the Warfighter and Intelligence Community. Working in every office within the NRO, at every level, budget analysts work hand-in-hand with their contracting and technical counterparts to enable the development and procurement of mission enabling systems while ensuring they have the financial resources required for mission success. As a budget analyst, you will analyze, distill, and transform financial, schedule, and performance data from multiple sources into the products that are essential to program managers and NRO leadership. On a day-to-day basis, you will leverage your expertise to exercise core NRO financial processes to include the preparation of congressional budget justification materials, managing funding appropriated by Congress and provided by other government organizations, and working closely with NRO and Industry counterparts to ensure seamless execution of the NRO mission in a dynamic environment.

What You Will Be Doing

• Performing work in all phases of budget administration, including formulation of budgets to support plans, programs and activities; execution of budgets; and, presenting and justifying budget estimates.
• Performing budget execution through development of program spend plans, creation of funding documents, monitoring/analysis of contractor performance providing assessments/recommendations to management.
• Preparing multi-year program funding strategies through budget formulation, consistent with program cost estimates, in support of future budget requests.
• Effectively communicating analysis of issues, conducting research, and drafting or coordinating recommendations to address budgetary challenges.

What You Need

• Highly desired: a Bachelor’s Degree in a related occupation (business, finance, etc.). A PhD in a related occupation is qualifying for the GG-11 level, or you may qualify based on experience.
• Experience with the federal budget process such as budget execution/budget formulation, and justification that demonstrates knowledge of commonly used budget methods, processes, procedures, and regulations.
• Experience using financial databases and systems, and spreadsheets to accomplish budget-related tasks.

Qualifying experience may have been acquired in any public or private sector job, but will clearly demonstrate past experience in the application of the particular competencies/knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to successfully perform and is typically in or directly related to the duties of the position as described above. Experience must be reflected in your resume.

Applicants submitting a resume that exceeds the two-page limit per OPM Memorandum, “Merit Hiring Plan,” dated May 29, 2025, https://www.opm.gov/chcoc/latest-memos/merit-hiring-plan.pdf will not be eligible for consideration. For more information regarding resume writing, see “Guidance for Applicants on 2-Page Resume” and visit the Resume Help Center.

Other Information

• Overtime Statement: MAY be required to work other than normal duty hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and/or holidays.
• Travel Statement: MAY be required to travel in military or commercial aircraft to perform temporary duty assignments.
• Financial Disclosure: MAY be required to file an OGE Form 450, Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, upon appointment and will be required to file annually.
• Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) coded positions: If selected for a DAWIA coded position, the incumbent must meet appropriate certification requirements IAW the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) no later than 24 months after accepting this position. Individual shall maintain, at a minimum 80 continuous Learning Points every 24 months via the services acquisition management system. DAWIA requirements may be located at the Defense Acquisition University website.
• DoW FM Certification: This position requires DoW Financial Management Level III certification. The employee will be allotted 24 months in which to achieve the Financial Management certification requirement in accordance with DoW Directive 5118.03 and section 1599d of Title 10, USC.

• Once certified, the position has a continuing requirement for professional education and training in order to maintain and improve their Financial Management proficiency and skills.

• Geographic Mobility Agreement: MAY be subject to directed reassignment as required to address mission effectiveness, and/or career development.

• Information Assurance (IA): Must achieve the appropriate IA certification within six months of assignment.

• Emergency Essential: Certain positions MAY be deemed emergency essential and incumbents must be willing to meet all position requirements.

• This position is a Full Performance level DCIPS position. The NRO is accepting applications from U.S. Citizens and current federal government employees for this position. To qualify for the position, federal government employees MUST currently be at the GG-11 to GG-13 level and may ONLY apply for a lateral reassignment at their current grade level and step. Federal applicants who exceed the advertised grade may voluntarily request acceptance at the lower grade per IAW DoD 1400.25 Volume 2006

Who May Apply

• This position is open to the public.
• Federal government employees MUST currently be at the grade level or higher as indicated in this announcement. This is NOT a promotion opportunity for current Federal government employees. If selected for the position, Federal government employees will transition laterally at their current grade level and step.
• Federal applicants who exceed the advertised grade may voluntarily request acceptance at the lower grade IAW DoD 1400.25 Volume 2006.
• The NRO is only accepting external applicants for this job announcement. Current NRO Cadre employees should apply internally.
• This position does not qualify for the appointment of a Reemployed Federal Annuitant IAW DoDI 1400.25 Volume 300.

The NRO Cadre is collecting resumes for consideration against current and future opportunities for full performance level Budget Analysts (GG11-13), occupational series 0560. For more information on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) occupational series,

This is a full time position. Your resume may be considered for other positions which your skills and experience may be a good match.

Hiring Incentives

The NRO may offer hiring incentives and other entitlements at management’s discretion.

Trial Period

All new DCIPS employees will be required to serve a 2-year trial period.

Veterans’ Preference

DoD Components with DCIPS positions apply Veterans’ Preference to preference eligible candidates as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 USC, in accordance with the procedures provided in DoD Instruction 1400.25, Vol 2005, DCIPS Employment and Placement. If you are a veteran claiming veterans’ preference, as defined by section 2108 of Title 5 USC, you must submit documents verifying your eligibility upon request.

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) for federal employees & job applicants

Reasonable Accommodation Policy

Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process should follow the instructions in the job opportunity announcement. For any part of the remaining hiring process, applicants should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

A reasonable accommodation is any change to a job, the work environment, or the way things are usually done that enables an individual with a disability to apply for a job, perform job duties or receive equal access to job benefits.

Under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodations when:

• An applicant with a disability needs an accommodation to have an equal opportunity to apply for a job.
• An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to perform the essential job duties or to gain access to the workplace.
• An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to receive equal access to benefits, such as details, training, and office-sponsored events.

You can request a reasonable accommodation at any time during the application or hiring process or while on the job. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis. Please send your request to [email protected].

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