DSHS BHHA Budget Manager

State of Washington; Olympia (WA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department of Social and Health Services' Behavioral Health and Habilitation Administration (BHHA) is seeking a Budget Manager to oversee the financial management of the Office of Forensic Mental Health Services and Trueblood Settlement funding.

BHHA provides around-the-clock behavioral health care and treatment services in state-operated facilities across Washington while supporting critical forensic mental health programs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, finance, economics, health administration, or a related field.
• Five years of professional experience working with a large, complex financial system.
• Or nine years of professional experience working with a large, complex financial system, including at least four years leading and managing budgets.

Responsibilities

• Manage and monitor the budget supporting the Office of Forensic Mental Health Services.
• Develop allotments with funding provided by legislature.
• Track monthly expenditures and compare spending against approved allotments.
• Partner with program staff to ensure expenditures align with available funding and settlement requirements.
• Monitor multiple funding sources and help ensure public funds are spent accurately and appropriately.
• Prepare budget analyses and provide financial recommendations to leadership.
• Maintain documentation that supports transparency, accountability, and audit readiness.
• Identify budget risks early and recommend solutions to keep the program financially on track.

Education

Bachelor's degree in business administration, finance, economics, health administration, or a related field

Job description

Description

Public funding has the greatest impact when every dollar supports the people it was intended to serve.

Public funding has the greatest impact when every dollar supports the people it was intended to serve.

The Department of Social and Health Services' Behavioral Health and Habilitation Administration (BHHA) is seeking a Budget Manager to oversee the financial management of the Office of Forensic Mental Health Services and Trueblood Settlement funding. BHHA provides around-the-clock behavioral health care and treatment services in state-operated facilities across Washington while supporting critical forensic mental health programs.

This position will play an important role in ensuring the financial stewardship that allows those services to meet legal obligations and continue serving some of the state's most vulnerable individuals.

This is more than a traditional budgeting role.

You'll help ensure spending within the program and settlement funds are tracked, managed properly, and reported accurately. You'll research and organize historical financial information dating back to 2015, maintain accurate budget records going forward, and provide the financial analysis needed to ensure funding is used as intended and in compliance with legislative intent, accounting standards and settlement requirements. Your work directly supports BHHA's commitment to responsible stewardship of public resources and its strategic goal of ensuring timely, person-centered behavioral health services. You'll likely thrive in this role if you enjoy solving complex financial questions, researching historical information, and bringing structure to large amounts of data. You're proactive, collaborative, and comfortable working with program staff to understand how budgets translate into services.

Experience with state or government budgeting is especially valuable, but just as important is the ability to navigate complex financial systems, learn quickly, and build strong working relationships.

Your first 90 days

will be about building a strong understanding of the program, its funding structure, and the financial history behind the Trueblood settlement. You'll work closely with program staff and leadership to organize historical budget information, establish reliable tracking processes, and develop a clear understanding of monthly budget monitoring and reporting expectations.

Some Of What You'll Do

• Manage and monitor the budget supporting the Office of Forensic Mental Health Services.
• Develop allotments with funding provided by legislature.
• Track monthly expenditures and compare spending against approved allotments.
• Partner with program staff to ensure expenditures align with available funding and settlement requirements.
• Monitor multiple funding sources and help ensure public funds are spent accurately and appropriately.
• Prepare budget analyses and provide financial recommendations to leadership.
• Maintain documentation that supports transparency, accountability, and audit readiness.
• Identify budget risks early and recommend solutions to keep the program financially on track.

Who Should Apply

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, finance, economics, health administration, or a related field and five years of professional experience working with a large, complex financial system.
• OR
• Nine years of professional experience working with a large, complex financial system, including at least four years leading and managing budgets in a financial or accounting environment.

Preferred

• Experience working within Washington State government or another public-sector organization.
• Experience managing complex budgets with legal, regulatory, or compliance requirements.

Questions?

Email [e-mail] and reference job number 05811.

The Department of Social and Health Services’ (DSHS) vision that people find human services to shape their own lives requires that we come together with a sense of belonging, common purpose, shared values, and meaningful work. It is crucial to our agency’s vision that you bring a fairness, access, and social justice commitment to your work with DSHS. We strive to support all Washingtonians, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, people with physical, behavioral health, and intellectual disabilities, elders, LGBTQIA+ individuals, immigrants and refugees, and families building financial security.

Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal record history may be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant’s suitability and competence to perform in the job. This announcement may be used to fill multiple vacancies. Employees driving on state business must have a valid driver's license. Employees driving a privately owned vehicle on state business must have liability insurance on the privately owned vehicle.

Washington State Department of Social and Health Services is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in any area of employment, its programs or services on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity/expression, marital status, race, creed, color, national origin, religion or beliefs, political affiliation, military status, honorably discharged veteran, Vietnam Era, recently separated or other protected veteran status, the presence of any sensory, mental, physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, equal pay or genetic information. Persons requiring accommodation in the application process or this job announcement in an alternative format may contact the Recruiter at [phone]. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6384.

Relationship and Reporting Structure (Neo?) Disclosure: If you are selected for hire, you must disclose whether you have a relative, household member, close friend, or romantic partner within your potential supervisory chain of command. DSHS has a Relationships and the Reporting Structure policy that prohibits nepotism and can be reviewed here. Applicants whose appointment would result in a prohibited reporting relationship are not eligible for appointment to that position.

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More than Just a Paycheck!

Employee benefits are not just about the kind of services you get, they are also about how much you may have to pay out of pocket. Washington State offers one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation.

We understand that your life revolves around more than just your career. Like everyone, your first priority is ensuring that you and your family will maintain health and financial security. That's why choice is a key component of our benefits package. We have a selection of health and retirement plans, paid leave, staff training and other compensation benefits that you can mix and match to meet your current and future needs.

Read About Our Benefits

The following information describes typical benefits available for full-time employees who are expected to work more than six months. Actual benefits may vary by appointment type or be prorated for other than full-time work (e.g. part-time); view the job posting for benefits details for job types other than full-time.

If the position offers benefits which differ from the following, the job posting should include the specific benefits.

Insurance Benefits

• Employees and their families are covered by medical (including vision), dental and basic life insurance.
• There are multiple medical plans with affordable monthly premiums that offer coverage throughout the state.
• Staff are eligible to enroll each year in a medical flexible spending account which enables them to use tax-deferred dollars toward their health care expenses.
• Employees are also covered by basic life and long-term disability insurance, with the option to purchase additional coverage amounts.
• To view premium rates, coverage choice in your area and how to enroll, please visit the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) website. The Washington Wellness program from the Health Care Authority works with PEBB to support our workplace wellness programs.
• Dependent care assistance allows the employee to save pre-tax dollars for a child or elder care expenses.
• Other insurance coverage for auto, boat, home, and renter insurance is available through payroll deduction.
• The Washington State Employee Assistance Program promotes the health and well-being of employees.

Retirement And Deferred Compensation

• State Employees are members of the Washington Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS).
• New employees have the option of two employer contributed retirement programs.
• For additional information, check out the Department of Retirement Systems' web site.
• Employees also have the ability to participate in the Deferred Compensation Program (DCP).
• This is a supplemental retirement savings program (similar to an IRA) that allows you control over the amount of pre-tax salary dollars you defer as well as the flexibility to choose between multiple investment options.

Social Security

• All state employees are covered by the federal Social Security and Medicare systems.
• The state and the employee pay an equal amount into the system.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

• If you are employed by a government or not-for-profit organization, and meet the qualifying criteria, you may be eligible to receive student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Holidays

• Full-time and part-time employees are entitled to paid holidays and one paid personal holiday per calendar year.

Note: Employees who are members of certain Unions may be entitled to additional personal leave day(s), please refer to position specific Collective Bargaining Agreements for more information.

Full-time employees who work full monthly schedules qualify for holiday compensation if they are employed before the holiday and are in pay status for at least 80 nonovertime hours during the month of the holiday; or for the entire work shift preceding the holiday.

Sick Leave

• Full-time employees earn eight hours of sick leave per month. Overtime eligible employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month, earn a monthly proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Overtime exempt employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month do not earn a monthly accrual of sick leave.
• Sick leave accruals for part-time employees will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Pay status includes hours worked, time on paid leave and paid holiday.

Vacation (Annual Leave)

• Full-time employees accrue vacation leave at the rates specified in WAC 357-31-165(1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Full-time employees who are in pay status for less than 80 nonovertime hours in a month do not earn a monthly accrual of vacation leave.
• Part-time employees accrue vacation leave hours in accordance with WAC 357-31-165(1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA) on a pro rata basis. Vacation leave accrual will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment.
• Pay status includes hours worked, time on paid leave and paid holiday.
• As provided in WAC 357-58-175, an employer may authorize a lump-sum accrual of vacation leave or accelerate the vacation leave accrual rate to support the recruitment and/or retention of a candidate or employee for a Washington Management Service position. Vacation leave accrual rates may only be accelerated using the rates established WAC 357-31-165.

Military Leave

Washington State supports members of the armed forces with 21 days paid military leave per year.

Bereavement Leave

Most employees whose family member or household member dies, or for loss of pregnancy, are entitled to five (5) days of paid bereavement leave. In addition, the employer may approve other available leave types for the purpose of bereavement leave.

Additional Leave

Leave Sharing

Parental Leave

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Leave Without Pay

Please visit the State HR Website for more detailed information regarding benefits.

Updated 01-07-2026