Budget Manager, Temporary

SEATTLE CENTER; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 148,781,000 - 223,171,000; Full time

Job summary

Seattle Center is seeking a qualified candidate for a 6-month temporary Budget Manager assignment, open to external candidates and internal candidates (out of class). The role provides fiscal oversight of operating and capital improvement budgets and ensures policies are implemented consistently.

The Budget Manager will balance the biennial budget, track revenue and expenses, and support strategic budget planning under the Director of Finance and Administration.

Qualifications

• Three or more years of demonstrated expertise in complex budgeting and financial preparation and analysis.
• Advanced technical skill level in Microsoft Office applications, especially MS Excel and MS Word.
• Experience with Questica or other budget software.
• Excellent communication skills for both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to meet tight deadlines.
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural workplace.

Responsibilities

• Preparing and monitoring a large and complex operating and capital improvement budget.
• Performing complex fiscal and policy analysis.
• Developing recommendations and strategies related to fiscal and budgeting policies.
• Leading year-end fiscal close activities and reconciliations.
• Tracking and forecasting department revenue and expenditures.
• Researching and reporting on use of grant funds and ensuring compliance with grant requirements.
• Developing and implementing a budget development work plan.
• Operating budgeting software and data querying tools.
• Working with accounting data to develop and interpret coding structures and reports.
• Leading, coaching and developing employees to improve efficiencies and ensure quality performance.

Skills

Budgeting & financial analysis

MS Excel

MS Word

Questica

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Cross-cultural collaboration

Leadership & coaching

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration/Finance/Accounting/Public Administration

Tools

Questica budget software

budgeting software

Job description

Position Description

About Seattle Center - The Cultural Heart of the Pacific Northwest

Seattle Center is a 74-acre civic, arts, and cultural gathering place in the heart of Seattle and home to more than 30 partner organizations, including Climate Pledge Arena, KEXP, Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP), Pacific Northwest Ballet, Seattle Opera, Pacific Science Center, SIFF, and many others. Anchored by world-class attractions, historic venues, public art, and a dynamic calendar of free and affordable events centered around the iconic International Fountain, Seattle Center brings together arts, culture, sports, and community year-round.

As a department of the City of Seattle and anchor of the Uptown Arts and Cultural District, Seattle Center serves residents from across the Puget Sound region alongside visitors from around the world.

In partnership with Friends of Waterfront Park, Seattle Center provides operations, maintenance, and public safety services for Waterfront Park, while Friends leads park experience, programming, and stewardship along Seattle’s downtown waterfront.

About This Position

Seattle Center is seeking qualified candidates for a 6-month temporary Budget Manager assignment, open to both external candidates and internal candidates (serving in an out of class capacity).

This role provides fiscal oversight of the department’s Operating and Capital Improvement budgets and ensures fiscal strategies, controls and policies are implemented consistently. The Budget Manager also ensures revenue sources are correctly tracked, and the biennial budget is accurately prepared, monitored, and balanced. The Budget unit provides financial analysis, budgeting, reporting, and revenue and expense forecasting to support Seattle Center operations.

We are looking for a leader with fiscal management and budgeting experience to support the department. Seattle Center has a complex business model with a wide variety of revenue streams, blending governmental, entrepreneurial, and not-for-profit activities with a focus on entertainment. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to learn new skills and contribute to overall strategic budget planning for Seattle Center. This position reports to the Director of Finance and Administration.

Job Responsibilities

To be successful in this role, you have demonstrated abilities in:

• Preparing and monitoring a large and complex operating and capital improvement budget that informs and ensures fiscal accountability
• Performing complex fiscal and policy analysis
• Developing recommendations and strategies related to fiscal and budgeting policies that directly impact the Seattle Center’s ability to effectively fund and support various programs
• Leading and performing year-end fiscal close activities (e.g., reconcile accounts, reviews final revenue and expenditure transactions, process adjustments, ensuring compliance with city policies, and preparing year-end reports).
• Tracking and forecasting department revenue and expenditures, bringing anomalies to the attention of program managers and division directors
• Researching and reporting on use of grant funds and ensuring compliance with grant requirements
• Developing and implementing a budget development work plan, including revenue, expense, and staffing budget adjustments
• Operating budgeting software and expertise with data querying tools
• Working closely with accounting data to develop and interpret coding structures and develop reports
• Leading, coaching and developing employees to improve efficiencies and ensure quality performance

You Will Enjoy This Role If

• You are looking to expand your career by gaining hands-on experience managing a robust and interesting department budget
• You are interested in assessing and resolving complex business, technical and operational issues
• You have excellent research, evaluation, and technical skills with the ability to craft and present reports and materials consisting of complex technical information to a wide variety of audiences, including non-technical staff
• You are collaborative and appreciate the value of creating and maintaining relationships
• You have an excellent track record of accuracy in your work
• You like a varied work environment with multiple deadlines that involves completion of significant projects and regularly advising, presenting, and defending financial policy recommendations
• You would take pride in successfully managing the full range of day-to-day budget operations for a purpose-driven organization, with a 2-person team

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

Experience

In addition to the qualities mentioned above, you will need to possess the below required qualifications (or a combination of education, training or experience which provides an equivalent background required to perform the job):

• Experience of three or more years of demonstrated expertise in complex budgeting and financial preparation and analysis skills, and a working knowledge of business systems substitute for degree requirements.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Finance, Accounting, or similar field.

OR:

An equivalent combination of education and experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the position duties.

Though not requirements, strong candidates will have some of the following experience or are able to describe comparable experience:

• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, with the ability to analyze large data sets, determine the most salient information resulting from the analysis and create presentation tools that convey results in an easy-to-follow format
• Advanced technical skill level in Microsoft Office applications, specifically MS Excel and MS Word
• Previous experience with Questica, or other similar budget software
• Highly effective communication skills for both technical and non-technical audiences
• Strong customer service skills
• Excellent organizational skills, ability to respond to unanticipated requests, prioritize work, and meet tight deadlines
• Effectively work in a multi-cultural workplace with a diverse customer base

Work Environment/Conditions

The work is performed in an office environment. Hybrid work arrangements will be considered, but the budget office is open to department staff during regular work hours and some in-person work will be required.

Additional Information

The full salary range for this position is $51.88 - $77.82 per hour.

This is being offered as an Out-of-Class opportunity for qualified City of Seattle Employees, or a temporary, non-benefited assignment for external candidates. Preference will be given to internal candidates who meet our minimum qualifications for the position.

This posting will be open until filled. The first review will take place on Wednesday, September 30, 2026.

Background Check

Applicants must successfully pass a background check, which will be conducted in accordance with Seattle's Fair Chance Employment Ordinance, SMC 14.17. Applicants will be given a chance to explain or correct background information and provide verifiable information of good conduct and rehabilitation.

Why work at the City?

The City of Seattle recognizes every City employee must play a role in ending institutional and structural racism. Our culture is the result of our behavior, our personal commitments, and the ways that we courageously share our perspectives and encourage others to do the same. To cultivate an antiracist culture, we seek employees who will engage in dismantling racist policies and procedures, unlearn the way things have always been done, and create and provide equitable processes and services. Seattle Office of Civil Rights)

More About Seattle Center

Seattle Center welcomes nearly 12 million visits annually, generating nearly $3.3 billion in total economic activity, supporting 19,400 jobs, and producing more than $37 million in local tax revenue for the City of Seattle.

With the support of our Official Partners - Alaska Airlines, The Climate Pledge, Coors Light, Pepsi, Symetra, T-Mobile, and WaFd Bank - Seattle Center is the #1 most-visited arts and cultural destination in the Pacific Northwest.