FINANCIAL ANALYST IV

City of Houston; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Houston is seeking a Budget Analyst in the Financial Management Services line. The role reports to the Budget Division, with a Monday–Friday schedule and a 611 Walker reporting location, focusing on monthly financial reporting, annual budgets, and variance analysis.

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's in Finance/Accounting/Business Admin, 4 years in finance/budget, and proficiency in SAP and Excel. Master's degree can substitute for two years of experience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; four (4) years of professional finance/budget experience required.
• Master's degree may substitute for two years of the experience requirement.
• Experience with SAP or similar ERP systems is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Prepares, monitors, and forecasts monthly financial reporting and the annual operating budget.
• Liaises with service lines to support projections, budget development, and routine budget maintenance.

Skills

Budget analysis

Forecasting

Variance analysis

Stakeholder communication

Data interpretation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Finance/Accounting/Business Administration

Master's degree substitution for experience

Tools

SAP

Excel

Job description

Position Overview

Applications accepted from: All Persons Interested

Service Line: Financial Management Services

Reporting Location: 611 Walker

Workdays & Hours: * Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm*

• Subject to change

Description Of Duties/Essential Functions

• Prepares, monitors, and forecasts monthly financial reporting and the annual operating budget; provides monthly line-item projections based on year-to-date actuals, historical trends, and service line inputs.
• Serves as a liaison to service lines to support monthly projections, annual budget development, and routine budget maintenance activities, including budget transfers and journal entries (as applicable).
• Investigates and analyzes budget items of medium complexity, including funding variances, trend changes, and forecasting risks; develops recommendations and proposed solutions for leadership review.
• Prepares, edits, and maintains budget guides, templates, and procedure documentation; responds to correspondence and requests for information as assigned; ensures information is accurate and accessible.
• Compiles and interprets financial and operational data; prepares management-ready deliverables (reports, variance narratives, charts/graphs, briefing materials) to support decision-making at the Division Manager level and above.
• Performs analytical work of average complexity involving financial and trend analysis; identifies drivers behind variances and communicates findings clearly to stakeholders.
• Participates in the evaluation and improvement of budget workflows and reporting processes; identifies opportunities to streamline steps, standardize tools, and strengthen internal controls and customer experience.
• Uses SAP and Microsoft Excel extensively to run and reconcile reports, manipulate datasets, and support financial monitoring and reporting requirements.
• Handles confidential financial and operational information with discretion and professionalism.
• Represents the supervisor/management in meetings as needed to gather information, coordinate responses, and support resolution of moderately complex issues.
• Performs other duties and special projects as assigned.

WORKING CONDITIONS

There are occasional minor discomforts from exposure to less-than-optimal temperature and air conditions. The position is physically comfortable: the individual has discretion about walking, standing, etc.

This is a Houston Public Works position at the Tier III Level

Minimum Requirements

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

Requires a Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or a closely related field.

Experience Requirements

Four (4) years of professional experience in finance, economics, budget analysis or a closely related field are required.

Substitutions: Experience cannot be substituted for the Bachelor’s degree requirement.

A Master's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or a closely related field may be substituted for two years of the above experience requirement.

License Requirements

None

PREFERENCES

• Preference shall be given to eligible veteran applicants provided such persons possess the qualifications necessary for competent discharge of the duties involved in the position applied for, such persons are among the most qualified candidates for the position, and all other factors in accordance with Executive Order 1-6.**
• Preference will be given to those that have the following experience:
• Demonstrated ability to perform budget-to-actual variance analysis, develop forecasts/projections, and prepare clear management reporting and recommendations.
• Annual operating budget development support
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, data modeling, charts/graphs, conditional formatting, and data manipulation.
• Experience with SAP or similar ERP systems for financial reporting and data reconciliation.
• Ability to interpret data, summarize findings, and recommend solutions
• Stakeholder liaison experience and strong written communication (briefings/variance narratives)

GENERAL INFORMATION

SELECTION/SKILLS TESTS REQUIRED: None

The Department may administer a skill assessment evaluation.

SAFETY IMPACT POSITION: No

If yes, this position is subject to random drug testing and if a promotional position, candidate must pass an assignment drug test.

Salary Information

Factors used in determining the salary offered include the candidate's qualifications as well as the pay rates of other employees in this classification.

Pay Grade:

25

EOE Equal Opportunity Employer

The City of Houston is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.