Program Budget Manager (WMS Band 2)

State of Washington; Lacey (WA); Hybrid; USD 95,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

State of Washington’s Department of Ecology is seeking a Program Budget Manager to lead the Solid Waste Management Program in Lacey, WA. You will manage a large, complex portfolio of funds, monitor financial trends, and provide strategic guidance to senior leaders and program staff.

You will work at the intersection of finance, policy, and environmental stewardship, with telework eligibility and a requirement to live within commuting distance of the duty station.

Qualifications

• Seven total years of experience and/or education related to the duties of the position. Must include three years experience in public sector budget management, fiscal management, accounting, or related work.

Responsibilities

• Manage and monitor program budgets, accounts, revenues, expenditures, and financial trends to ensure financial stability.
• Develop long-range budget strategies, financial forecasts, and contingency plans to support program and agency goals.
• Provide financial guidance, recommendations, and analysis to program leadership, agency executives, and staff.
• Prepare and coordinate budget materials, reports, and information for agency budget processes and legislative requests.
• Review and approve or recommend changes to allotments, spending plans, contracts, grants, and personnel actions.
• Serve as fund manager for multiple program accounts and ensure compliance with requirements governing their use.
• Develop fiscal notes and evaluate the financial impacts of proposed legislation on program operations and funding.

Skills

Communication

Collaboration

Strategic Financial Planning

Financial Analysis and Decision-Making

Policy and Regulatory Application

Leadership

Budget Management

Forecasting and Fiscal Impact Analysis

Education

Education in accounting, finance, business, public administration, economics, statistics, or related field

Job description

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

The Department of Ecology is hiring a Program Budget Manager (WMS Band 2) within the Solid Waste Management Program.

Location:

• Headquarters Office in Lacey, WA.
• Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

Schedule:

• This position is eligible for telework and flexible schedule options.
• A minimum of two days per week is required in the office.
• Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.

Application Timeline:

• Apply by November 1, 2026
• Applications submitted after the date above may not be reviewed unless additional qualified applicants are needed.

In this role, you will manage a large and complex mix of funds and accounts, each with different legal requirements, spending rules, and financial risks. You will work in an environment where small errors in forecasting or allocation can significantly affect program operations, public services, and the agency’s credibility with policymakers. You will constantly monitor shifting financial conditions, legislative changes, and evolving program priorities, and you are expected to anticipate issues before they become problems.

You will also operate under a high level of accountability and visibility. You will regularly advise senior leaders, develop fiscal impacts for proposed legislation, and represent the program in agencywide budget discussions. This requires you to balance competing needs, make informed decisions with limited information, and communicate financial concepts clearly to both financial and non-financial audiences. Tight timelines and complex policy considerations add to the challenge.

You will have the opportunity to directly influence the future of the Solid Waste Management Program by aligning resources with environmental initiatives that benefit communities across the state. The variety of accounts, funding streams, and program activities creates a dynamic and intellectually stimulating workload. Each budget cycle brings new challenges, giving you frequent opportunities to apply strategic thinking and creative problem solving.

You will also work at the intersection of finance, policy, and environmental stewardship. You will collaborate with agency leadership, other state organizations, and legislative staff, and you play a key role in shaping policy by analyzing the financial impacts of proposed laws. This combination of analytical work, problem solving, and broad public impact makes the position both meaningful and engaging.

What you will do:

• Manage and monitor program budgets, accounts, revenues, expenditures, and financial trends to ensure financial stability.
• Develop long-range budget strategies, financial forecasts, and contingency plans to support program and agency goals.
• Provide financial guidance, recommendations, and analysis to program leadership, agency executives, and staff.
• Prepare and coordinate budget materials, reports, and information for agency budget processes and legislative requests.
• Review and approve or recommend changes to allotments, spending plans, contracts, grants, and personnel actions.
• Serve as fund manager for multiple program accounts and ensure compliance with requirements governing their use.
• Develop fiscal notes and evaluate the financial impacts of proposed legislation on program operations and funding.

For detailed information on how we calculate experience and responses to other frequently asked questions, please visit our Recruitment website.

Required Qualifications:

Seven total years of experience and/or education related to the duties of the position. Must include three years experience in public sector budget management, fiscal management, accounting, or related work.

Competencies include:

• Communication – Ability to clearly explain financial information to help others understand issues and make informed decisions.
• Collaboration– Ability to work effectively with staff, leaders, and partners to keep financial activities coordinated and aligned with organizational needs.
• Strategic Financial Planning – Ability to develop long-term financial plans to ensure resources support program and organizational goals.
• Financial Analysis and Decision-Making – Ability to evaluate financial data and make sound decisions to maintain financial stability and guide program actions.
• Policy and Regulatory Application – Ability to understand and apply financial policies, rules, and legislation to ensure consistent and compliant budgeting practices.
• Leadership – Ability to guide and support staff and financial processes to ensure accuracy, efficiency, and strong performance.
• Budget Management– Ability to create, monitor, and adjust budgets to ensure resources are used appropriately and remain aligned with priorities.
• Forecasting and Fiscal Impact Assessment – Ability to project revenues, expenditures, risks, and legislative impacts to support planning and timely organizational decisions.

Education in accounting, finance, business, public administration, economics, statistics, or a related field.

Examples of how to qualify:

• 7 years of experience.
• 6 years of experience AND 30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter college credits.
• 5 years of experience AND 60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter college credits (Associate’s degree).
• 4 years of experience AND 90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter college credits.
• 3 years of experience AND a Bachelor’s degree.
• 1 years of experience AND a Master’s degree or higher.

Desired Qualifications:

• Five (5) years' experience in Washington State Agency budget management.
• Experience using Washington State budget and accounting systems and tools.
• Supervisory experience.
• Strong oral and written communication skills with ability to communicate complex information to diverse audiences including executive management, legislators, staff, and the public.
• Service focus: Treat our fellow employees, our clients and the public as partners and collaborators who are equally committed to a healthy, prosperous Washington. Build and maintain internal and external satisfaction with the services offered by the agency. Consistently strive to exceed expectations.
• Adaptability and flexibility: Solve problems, consider different perspectives, and find new, creative ways to accomplish our work. Adapt easily to changing needs, conditions, and work responsibilities. In dynamic situations, adapt approaches, goals, and methods to achieve successful solutions and results.
• Accountability: Accept personal responsibility and accountability for the quality and timeliness of our work and for meeting workplace expectations. Achieve excellent results with little need for oversight. Link agency mission/vision/values to everyday work.
• Trust and integrity: Remain objective at all times and ensure that professional judgment, rather than personal opinion, influences our work. Earn the trust, respect, and confidence of coworkers and customers through consistent honesty, forthrightness, and professionalism in all interactions.
• Relationships: Build and maintain cooperative relationships characterized by a high level of acceptance and cooperation.
• Knowledge and Creativity: Develop and maintain a knowledge base, including a deep understanding of Ecology programs, authorities and resources and a creativity that facilitates high level problem-solving. Demonstrate leadership to achieve consistent outcomes that address a client’s needs, while achieving the Agency's mission.

Ecology does not use the E-Verify system; therefore, we are not eligible to extend STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT). For more information, please visit www.uscis.gov.

Our Commitment to DEIR

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Respect (DEIR)are core values central to Ecology's work. We strive to be a workplace where we are esteemed for sharing our authentic identities, while advancing our individual professional goals and collaborating to protect, preserve, and enhance the environment for current and future generations.

Diversity: We celebrate and appreciate diversity; our unique perspectives and abilities enrich us all and lead to innovative approaches and solutions.

Equity:We champion equity, recognizing that each of us need different things to thrive.

Inclusion: We intentionally create and hold space so that we all have meaningful opportunities to participate and contribute to Ecology’s work.

Respect:We treat each other with respect and dignity, acknowledging the inherent worth of our diverse perspectives and lived experiences, even in times of uncertainty and disagreement.

We believe that DEIR is both a goal and an action. We are on a journey, honoring our shared humanity and taking steps to demonstrate our commitment to a vision where each of us is heard, seen, and valued.

Application Process

Ecology seeks diverse applicants: We view diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect through a broad lens including race, ethnicity, class, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration status, military background, language, education, life experience, physical disability, neurodiversity, and intersectional identities.

Need an Accommodation?

• Please contact us at 360-407-6186 and select #2 for Recruitment or email [e-mail]
• If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 711 or 1-800-833-6384.

Questions?

• For specific questions about the position location options, schedule, or duties, please contact Peter Lyon at [e-mail]
• If you need assistance applying for this job, are inquiring about the status of your application, would like to request the full position description, or have any other questions, please contact the Recruitment Team at [e-mail]

About the Solid Waste ManagementProgram

The mission of the Solid Waste Management Program is to reduce wastes through prevention and reuse, keep toxics out of the environment, and safely manage what remains.

About the Department of Ecology

As the State of Washington’s environmental protection agency, we are deeply committed to protecting, preserving, and enhancing Washington’s environment for current and future generations. Joining Ecology means becoming part of a team dedicated to protecting and sustaining healthy land, air, water, and climate in harmony with a strong economy. A career in public service at Ecology allows you to help solve some of the most challenging problems facing our state, while keeping your health and financial security a priority. We combine one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation with a strong commitment to life/work balance. We invest in our employees to create and sustain a working environment that encourages creative leadership, effective resource management, teamwork, professionalism, and accountability.

Ecology employees may be eligible for the following

• Medical/Dental/Vision for employee & dependent(s)
• Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)
• *Vacation, Sick, and other Leave
• *11 Paid Holidays per year
• *Public Service Loan Forgiveness
• *Tuition Waiver
• *Long Term Disability & Life Insurance
• *Deferred Compensation Programs
• *Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP)
• *Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA)
• *Employee Assistance Program
• *Commute Trip Reduction Incentive
• *Combined Fund Drive
• *SmartHealth *
• *Click here for more information

To learn more about Ecology, please visit our website, explore Working at Ecology, check out our Strategic Plan, and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or our blog.

Equal Opportunity Employer: The Washington State Department of Ecology is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, veterans, military spouses or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.

Note:This recruitment may be used to fill other positions of the same job classification across the agency.

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