DSP Budget, IV-E Fiscal & Policy Analyst

State of Wisconsin; Milwaukee (WI); Hybrid; USD 79,000 - 89,000; Full time

Job summary

Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF) is seeking a DSP Budget, IV-E Fiscal & Policy Analyst to perform professional, confidential analysis of budgets, expenditures, and policies division-wide. The role includes contract management and analytic support to the Division, with hybrid work options up to 90% depending on needs.

The position focuses on tracking complex funding structures for child welfare (IV-E, IV-B, TANF, and others), coordinating with the Budget Office, and guiding

Qualifications

• Experience conducting budget analysis and sharing findings with partners.
• Experience administering programs within or adjacent to the child welfare system, including policy development and implementation.
• Experience with administrative and fiscal responsibilities in program settings (budget management, contracting, grants, etc.).
• Ability to use data to inform decisions and communicate insights to leadership.

Responsibilities

• Lead biennial budget issue identification and development for the Division.
• Monitor spending across funding sources (IV-E, IV-B, TANF, etc.) and coordinate with policy offices.
• Serve as contract manager for major Division-wide contracts and oversee fiscal management.
• Provide project management support for major department initiatives and Title IV-E program oversight.

Skills

Budget analysis

Policy development

Contract management

Data-driven decision making

Job description

Introduction

The Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF), Division of Safety & Permanence (DSP), Bureau of Compliance, Research, and Analytics (BCRA), Fiscal and Support Services Section is currently recruiting to fill a DSP Budget, IV-E Fiscal & Policy Analyst (Budget and Policy Analyst-Division-Advanced) position. DCF offers great benefits, personal growth opportunities and work-life balance as a State of Wisconsin employee; and the intrinsic reward associated with serving the children and families of Wisconsin. To learn more about DCF’s complete compensation package, please visit our Total Rewards Calculator!

This position may allow hybrid work for a portion of the work schedule up to 90% depending on the employee’s preference and needs of the work unit. Any hybrid work flexibility that may be available will be discussed in more detail in the interview process.

For positions that do allow hybrid work flexibility, employees may need to report to a DCF office location on short notice. There is no mileage reimbursement when traveling to the headquarter location. Our DCF locations are in the following cities: Madison, Milwaukee, Green Bay, Eau Claire, and Rhinelander. Employees need to report to the 201 W. Washington Ave. Madison, WI office or the 635 N 26 St. Milwaukee, WI office on their first day for onboarding and orientation. High speed internet access is required to meet the needs of remote work.

Come see why DCF is such a great place to work!

DCF is committed to the important work of helping children, youth and families become safer, more secure and progress down the road to true independence. For more information about DCF, visit our website at http://dcf.wi.gov/.

This recruitment may be used for similar vacancies that become available in the near future.

Position Summary

DSP Budget, IV-E Fiscal & Policy Analyst performs professional, confidential analysis of budgets, expenditures, and policies of a division-wide or agency-wide applicability. This position will serve as the contract manager for major Division-wide contracts and provides fiscal and analytic support to the Division.

This position is responsible for maintaining sufficient working knowledge of DCF agency operations and fund sources to perform complex assignments supporting agency decision making regarding program, policy, fiscal management, and/or potential initiatives and their implementation. This includes leading biennial budget issue identification and development for the Division, serving on and/or leading project teams for development of strategic issues with a department-wide or cross-division scope, and coordinating budget development and monitoring within the division.

This position is specifically responsible for tracking the complex funding structure and appropriations for child welfare services in Wisconsin. Child welfare funding is made up of several different funding sources (Title IV-E, Title IV-B, TANF, Adoption Incentive, Chafee and other miscellaneous grants and appropriations). This position coordinates with DCF Office of Budget and policy to monitor spending within and across these various funding sources and works with Division leadership on budget and funding strategies. This position also is responsible for understanding the various federal rules and policies that govern the use and spending of those federal resources. A key area of focus for this position will be serving as the contract manager for the Division’s largest contract, the State-County Child Welfare contract. The position develops funding allocations and monitors expenditures over the contract period. The position monitors the Division’s overall operating budget to identify areas of under- or over-spending on a timely basis. The position provides support to program staff in the Division on fiscal and contract management issues.

As a budget and policy analyst for the division, this position will also provide project management support and leadership for major initiatives within the department, including substantive oversight and support of the Title IV-E program.

Keeping the Bureau and Division leadership informed, the position works independently with staff at all levels of the division, including the department budget analysts, accountants, and other technical staff. The position is responsible for providing internal and external customers with timely and accurate information, explanations, and assistance. The position may conduct special program analyses assigned by Division leadership.

For a complete copy of the position description, click here.

Salary Information

The starting salary for this position is between $38.00 and $43.00 per hour ($79,040 and $89,440 annually), depending on qualifications. Pay for current State of WI employees will be based on the compensation plan in effect at the time of the appointment. Pay for current state employees who are transferring will be determined based upon the pay on transfer rules (higher level duties or equity) as outlined in the compensation plan in effect at the time of appointment. The position is included in the classification of Budget and Policy Analyst-Division-Advanced within the pay schedule/range is 81-03. A one year probationary period may be required.

Job Details

Due to the nature of the position, final candidates may be required to allow DCF to conduct a security background check to determine whether the circumstances of any pending charges or convictions would be substantially related to the job being filled.

Applicants must be legally entitled to work in the United States (i.e., a citizen or national of the U.S., a lawful permanent resident, an alien authorized to work in the U.S. without DCF sponsorship.) The Department of Children and Families does not sponsor visas, either at time of hire or at any later time.

The State of Wisconsin is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to applicants of any race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national original, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. We provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. The State of Wisconsin offers a special program for qualified veterans with a 30% or greater service-connected disability. If you are a qualified veteran, please visit the Veterans Employment page for application instructions to be considered for the Veterans Non-Competitive Appointment program.

Qualifications

Minimally qualified applicants will have:

• Experience conducting budget analysis and sharing findings with partners
• Experience administering programs within or adjacent to the child welfare system (developing policy, implementing procedures, monitoring operations)
• Experience with administrative and fiscal responsibilities in a program setting (budget management, contracting and procurement, administering grants or other funding, etc.)

Well-qualified Applicants Will Have

• Direct experience with Title IV-E federal funding source (data analysis, claiming, compliance, and administration of this particular funding source)
• Experience with data driven decision making (identifying data needs, identifying data sources and methods, leveraging data to promote program improvement, and using data to tell a story, etc.)
• Experience with large scale contract management (compliance monitoring, quality assurance oversight, and financial management of contractor)

Deadline to Apply

The deadline to apply is 11:59 PM on September 24, 2026.