Budget Director - Policy, Management, & Grants

City of New Haven; New Haven (CT); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of New Haven is seeking a qualified candidate for a cabinet-level position within the Office of the Mayor. The role focuses on directing, coordinating, and planning the city’s budgetary requirements while ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations.

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in municipal finance, public administration, and proven leadership skills. Responsibilities include advising on tax policies, monitoring implementation, and engaging with various departments to oversee financial functions.

Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university.
• At least five years of experience in governmental budgeting.
• Experience in supervision of budgetary work.

Responsibilities

• Directing and preparing long-range budgetary requirements.
• Advising the mayor on tax policies and financial strategies.
• Conducting budget presentations to management.

Skills

Municipal budget preparation

Public administration

Financial analysis

Communication skills

Problem-solving

Education

Master’s degree in municipal finance, public administration, or business administration

Job description

Primary Functions

Responsible cabinet level, professional and administrative position within the Office of the Mayor directing, coordinating, planning, and preparing for current and long‑range budgetary requirements of the city and monitoring implementation. Oversees the development and execution of the City budget; advises the mayor on tax policies, collection rates, overall financial strategies, and city direction; advises on policies, procedures, and complex fiscal problems.

Typical Duties and Responsibilities

• Providing leadership, direction, and guidance in financial strategies and priorities, including long‑range financial software needs, evaluating city needs, and determining financial resource requirements and goals.
• Establishes, plans and directs the preparation, administration, and monitoring of the budget program of the Board of Alders under the general direction of the Mayor.
• Estimates resources for budget purposes by analyzing and recommending anticipated operating revenue levels by analyzing state and federal legislation and regulations involving the distribution of grant funds to the city.
• Monitoring, analyzing, and responding to legislation and budgetary proposals and requests, particularly during the annual budget process.
• Developing and executing a communications plan for messaging to multiple audiences around budgetary and policy issues.
• Confers with departmental officials to resolve questions pertaining to budgetary requirements; attends intra‑departmental conferences on budget requests; presents budget requests orally to management and fiscal officials.
• Attend budget hearings to review departmental budget requests; provides information and assistance to the Board of Alders in their budget and financial responsibilities.
• Coordinates financial functions between the Office of Policy, Management, and Grants, the Department of Finance, other municipal departments, and external parties with respect to financial policy, budget analysis, and other financial affairs.
• Conducts investigations of the functions, organizations, and accounting of operating departments and recommends improvements and reports results to the Mayor and Controller.
• Advises department heads on the solution of day‑to‑day management and fiscal problems; performs a wide variety of responsible management or program duties that are not readily assigned to a given department.
• Plans and directs the conduct of comparative analyses of the management and budgetary practices of other governmental jurisdictions and the city.
• Assists the Office of Labor Relations in negotiations with various bargaining units or overall bargaining unit contract implementation, re‑classifications of job duties or other budgetary/financial impact of labor.
• Performs related duties as required.

Education, Qualifications & Experience

Graduation from an accredited four‑year college or university; possession of a master’s degree in municipal finance, public administration, or business administration; at least five (5) years of experience in governmental budgeting, public administration, and supervision of budgetary, public administration, or municipal finance work.

Knowledge, Experience, Skills & Abilities

• Proficiency in using standard office equipment such as copiers, scanners, and fax machines.
• Thorough knowledge of the theory, principles, and practices of modern municipal budget preparation and public administration.
• Thorough knowledge of the organization and operations of municipal departments and agencies.
• Considerable knowledge of municipal accounting and auditing principles and data processing practices related to financial accounting and reporting.
• Knowledge of state and local laws as they pertain to municipalities.
• Ability to analyze and evaluate budgetary and management problems and recommend solutions leading to improved service delivery.
• Ability to organize and present oral and written reports of budgetary and management studies and recommendations.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with department heads, staff associates, city officials, various boards and commissions, and the public.
• Ability to work independently and follow instructions.
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.