DSHS HCLA Budget Forecast Administrator

State of Washington Dept. of Social and Health Services; Lacey (WA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

The State of Washington Dept. of Social and Health Services seeks a Budget Forecast Administrator to lead forecasting, budgeting, and financial analysis for HCLA and DDA. You will guide complex decisions and develop reliable fiscal estimates with a focus on outcomes for Washington residents.

Hybrid role in Lacey, supervising a team of 12, collaborating with executive leaders and partners to improve processes, prepare fiscal notes, and support policy outcomes in a fast-moving budget cycle.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of budget development, forecasting, and financial reporting experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead development, submission, implementation, and monitoring of biennial and supplemental budgets for HCLA and DDA.
• Direct Medicaid caseload, per-capita, and expenditure forecasts across services.
• Supervise and develop a 12-person professional staff while fostering collaboration.
• Serve as a primary resource to executive leaders and partners on budget and forecasting questions.
• Guide preparation of fiscal notes, legislative budget requests, and financial reports.

Skills

Budget forecasting

Leadership

Financial modeling

Policy interpretation

Executive communication

Data-driven decision making

Education

Master's degree in business, public administration, accounting, economics, statistics, or related field

Bachelor's degree with related professional experience

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Budget Forecast Administrator: Home and Community Living Administration – Management Services Division

You will help shape how Washington invests in services that support people to live with greater choice, independence, and safety. As the Budget Forecast Administrator, you will bring together budget expertise, forecasting skills, sound judgment, and a practical understanding of how funding decisions affect programs and the people they serve.

This is a senior-level role with a broad view of the financial picture for two of the DSHS’ largest administrations: Home and Community Living Administration (HCLA) and Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA). Together, they manage a biennial budget of approximately $19.65 billion and more than 7,000 full-time equivalent staff. You will lead a team of 12 professional staff while working closely with executive leaders, program teams, the Office of Financial Management, legislative fiscal staff, the Caseload Forecast Council, and other state partners.

Every week brings something different as you move through Washington’s budget cycle. You may be helping an executive team understand funding needs, guiding a decision package, responding to questions about caseloads and expenditures, preparing a fiscal note, or helping a forecast team understand whether the numbers tell the right story. You will have room to chart a path for the team, improve how the work gets done, and build trusted relationships throughout state government.

Some of what you will do

• Lead the development, submission, implementation, and monitoring of HCLA and DDA biennial and supplemental budgets, including decision packages, allotments, spending plans, and year-end projections.
• Direct Medicaid caseload, per-capita, and expenditure forecasts for nursing home, in-home, community residential, waiver, and other services, using available data to identify trends, explain variances, and recommend adjustments.
• Supervise, coach, and develop the professional staff, providing direction on complex assignments while creating an environment where people can ask questions, share ideas, and grow their skills.
• Serve as a primary resource for executive leaders, program managers, the Central Budget Office, the Office of Financial Management, legislative fiscal staff, and other partners on budget, forecast, and funding questions.
• Guide the preparation of fiscal notes, legislative budget requests, financial reports, and other materials that clearly explain the fiscal impact of proposed legislation, policies, and program changes.
• Participate in the financial modeling for complex issues, such as Adult Family Home collective bargaining, by working with rates, labor relations, program, and budget teams to develop reliable fiscal estimates.
• Oversee budget management, modeling, and reporting for the Washington Cares Fund and respond to changing legislative, program, and agency requirements.
• Provide technical guidance and practical solutions on complex fiscal questions while looking for ways to make processes more efficient and help the team meet changing demands throughout the budget and forecasting cycles.

Fast forward one year

You have developed trusted working relationships with executive leaders, program teams, the Office of Financial Management, and legislative partners. You can confidently lead the decision package process, identify gaps and help teams determine how to address them, and guide the budget and forecast team through the demands of the state budget cycle. You understand HCLA and DDA programs and can connect funding needs to the services they provide. You have also identified opportunities to make the work more efficient and have begun putting your own ideas into practice.

Who should apply

You bring a combination of public-sector budget experience, financial expertise, leadership skills, and curiosity about how government funding supports services. We are looking for someone who can:

• Lead complex budget development, forecasting, financial modeling, and expenditure projection work.
• Supervise and develop professional staff while balancing independent decision-making with collaboration.
• Interpret legislation, policies, regulations, financial reports, and other complex information and translate it into clear recommendations.
• Communicate complex financial information clearly in writing and conversation with executives, staff, legislators, state agencies, and other partners.
• Manage multiple priorities and deadlines, particularly during the fast-changing state budget cycle.
• Research unfamiliar issues, ask thoughtful questions, and use sound judgment to develop practical solutions.
• Build productive working relationships and remain patient, flexible, and constructive when priorities or circumstances change.
• Use financial database software and business systems, including Microsoft Excel, at an advanced level.

Required qualifications:

You have at least 10 years of professional experience in budget development, financial reporting, expenditure and revenue projections, and related financial practices. This experience must include at least 3 years supervising professional staff and a thorough understanding of Washington state’s financial environment. This includes experience using state financial systems related to budget, accounting, human resources, fiscal notes, bill tracking, or enterprise reporting.

A master’s degree in business, public administration, accounting, economics, statistics, or a related field may substitute for some of the required professional experience, consistent with the applicable job classification. A bachelor’s degree may also be considered with the corresponding additional professional experience.

Preferred experience includes legislative processes and fiscal notes, Medicaid or Medicare funding, long-term services and supports, grant funding, and HCLA or DDA programs. Experience working with Washington state government is also helpful, but DSHS experience is not required.

Work location

This is a hybrid role based in Lacey, with an expectation of working from the Lacey HCLA headquarters approximately two days each week. Occasional travel may be available to connect with staff and programs across the state.

DSHS partners with people to access support, care, and resources. This role is classified as Washington Management Services 3 (WMS3) and offers an opportunity to do more than manage numbers. You will help connect Washington’s resources with the services people rely on—and help a talented team find better ways to do that work.

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 (Nevostr?) 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.

Please contact the Recruiter, Jenny, at [e-mail] or 360-725-5810 and reference #06891. Learn more about DSHS.

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