Budget Manager

The Leona Group; Okemos (MI); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Leona Group seeks a Budget Manager to collaborate with school leaders, executive management, and corporate teams to develop and manage budgets across multiple states. You will ensure accurate documentation of revenues and expenditures, monitor cash flow, and supervise Budget Assistants while supporting audits and grant allocations.

This role requires strong organizational skills, the ability to work with diverse stakeholders, and experience in public school accounting practices.

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree or higher in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• Minimum 2+ years of budget management experience.
• Experience with public school accounting practices and state coding systems preferred.
• Proficiency with Google Workspace and MS Office, especially Excel.
• Accounting software such as Business Central is preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

• Develop budgets with school leaders and executives to meet state deadlines.
• Monitor cash flows and budget positions; coordinate resolutions with leadership.
• Code invoices and supervise Budget Assistants for timely AP tasks.
• Provide reports and documentation for external audits and compliance.
• Collaborate with Grants and corporate teams on budget allocations and reporting.

Skills

Budget management

Cross-functional collaboration

Supervisory experience

Problem solving

Education

Assoc degree or higher in Accounting/Finance

Tools

Google Workspace

Excel

Business Central (optional)

Job description

Description The Budget Manager collaborates with school leaders, executive management, and corporate teams to develop and manage school budgets across multiple states. This role ensures the accurate documentation of revenues and expenditures, manages cash flow, supervises support personnel, and facilitates compliance with state and organizational accounting standards. The Budget Manager also provides critical support during audits, grant allocations, and special projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Budget Development and Oversight
• Partner with school leaders to develop proposed, revised, and final budgets while meeting state and stakeholder deadlines.
• Monitor school cash flows and budget positions; identify issues and coordinate resolutions with school leaders and executive management.
• Collaborate with Grants departments to incorporate grant revenues and expenses into school budgets.
• Expense and Invoice Management
• Approve and code invoices to ensure proper accounting for school expenditures.
• Provide guidance to Budget Assistants to ensure accurate and timely completion of accounts payable tasks.
• Address inquiries and disputes from vendors, school personnel, and other stakeholders.
• Audit and Compliance
• Ensure all revenues and expenditures are accurately documented to support external audits free of findings.
• Provide detailed reports and documentation to auditors during annual audit processes.
• Team Collaboration
• Oversee one or more Budget Assistants, providing leadership, training, and performance monitoring.
• Ensure the quality and timeliness of team deliverables, collaborating with CFO to address areas of concern as needed.
• Collaboration and Reporting
• Work with corporate service teams to allocate expenses to school budgets and resolve concerns with school leaders.
• Coordinate support for projects like charter applications and bridge loan applications.
• Provide timely financial updates and analyses to internal and external stakeholders.
• Other Duties
• Respond to ad-hoc requests and perform additional tasks as assigned.

Requirements

• Education: Associate’s degree or higher in Accounting, Finance, or a related field (preferred).
• Experience:
  • Minimum 2+ years of experience in budget management.
  • Familiarity with accounting practices for public school expenditures; experience with relevant state coding systems preferred.
• Technical Skills:
  • Proficiency in Google Workspace.
  • Proficiency in MS Office, especially Excel; prior experience with accounting software such as Business Central preferred but not required.
• Core Competencies:
  • Strong organizational and multitasking skills.
  • Excellent interpersonal, problem-solving, and supervisory abilities.
  • Ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders, including school personnel, corporate teams, and boards of directors.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of state-specific public school accounting regulations.
• Experience in managing grants or special projects in an educational setting.