Senior Management Analyst

City of San Diego; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of San Diego is seeking a Senior Management Analyst to lead complex budgetary and administrative analyses, forecast revenues, and develop strategic recommendations. This role directs research on capital improvement projects and grants, presenting findings to management, City Council, and committees.

You will guide budget requests, performance metrics, and staffing considerations to improve efficiency and economy of City operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent education (i.e., minimum completed units = 120 semester/180 quarter).
• Three years of full-time experience performing professional-level budgetary/fiscal and/or administrative/organizational analysis.
• Master's Degree in Public or Business Administration, Finance, Economics, or related field may substitute for up to one year of experience.
• Out-of-Class Assignment (OCA) may be used with documentation when qualifying.

Responsibilities

• Lead and supervise professional, subprofessional, and/or clerical staff on complex analyses.
• Perform long-range financial planning, feasibility studies, and capital improvement analyses.
• Review budget requests, conduct cost-benefit and revenue studies, and forecast revenues.
• Develop detailed research reports and present findings to management and City Council.
• Evaluate programs, identify cost-saving methods, and propose implementation strategies.

Skills

Budget analysis

Financial forecasting

Administrative analysis

Management research

Report writing

Presentation skills

Staff supervision

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Master's degree substitution (1 year max)

Job description

See NOTES below for future wage increases and/or additional compensation opportunities.

Senior Management Analyst positions lead the work of other professional, subprofessional, and/or clerical staff; perform a variety of complex budgetary/fiscal and administrative/organizational analyses, long-range financial planning, feasibility studies, capital improvement projects and specialized management research; direct, coordinate, and/or perform management research projects including, but not limited to the following: Review budget requests, cost-benefit and revenue studies, and other budgetary/fiscal factors pertaining to assignments; make financial projections and forecast revenues; estimate expenditures; evaluate City programs and identify/recommend cost‑saving work methods; determine appropriate work volumes and staffing levels to increase effectiveness and economy of work systems, procedures, and processes; develop and author detailed research reports and present findings to management, City Council, committees, and other interested individuals/groups describing data analyses, findings, recommendations, and implementation strategies; analysis required of capital improvement projects and grants; and perform other duties as assigned.

NOTES:

• Employees in job classifications represented by Municipal Employees Association (MEA) are scheduled to receive the following general wage increases:
  • 3.5% effective 7/1/27
  • 2% effective 7/1/28
  • 2% effective 1/1/29
• Eligible benefitted employees originally hired on or after July 10, 2021, will be automatically enrolled in the San Diego City Employees Retirement System (SDCERS).
• Although different assignments involve varying levels of guidance and supervision, Senior Management Analyst employees typically exercise considerable initiative and independent judgment in evaluating issues, planning studies, conducting research, analyzing data, identifying problems, determining solutions, and making appropriate recommendations.

EDUCATION:

Bachelor's Degree or equivalent education (i.e., minimum completed units = 120 semester/180 quarter).

NOTE:

• Additional qualifying professional budgetary/fiscal and/or administrative/organizational analysis experience may be substituted for education lacking on a year-for-year basis. One year of full-time experience = 30 semester/45 quarter college-level units.

EXPERIENCE:

Three years of full-time experience performing professional‑level budgetary/fiscal and/or administrative/organizational analysis work as specified below.

1. BUDGETARY/FISCAL ANALYSIS - Collecting and analyzing data to make financial projections and develop/justify budgets; conducting fiscal projects; implementing/monitoring budgets; planning and controlling the budget of a project or business; and/or developing written and oral reports to present findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
2. ADMINISTRATIVE/ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS - Collecting and analyzing management data; conducting administrative projects; performing analyses of organizational processes and structures; implementing/monitoring programs related to administrative operations, organizational development, and/or personnel administration; and/or developing written and oral reports to present findings, conclusions, and recommendations.

NOTES:

• A Master's Degree in Public or Business Administration, Finance, Economics, or a closely related field of study may be substituted for a MAXIMUM of one year of the required experience.
• City of San Diego employees using Out‑of‑Class Assignment (OCA) experience to qualify must submit written documentation signed by their appointing authority or payroll specialist, detailing the work performed, dates, and total number of qualifying OCA hours. OCA experience without the required documentation will NOT be considered.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS (MUST SUBMIT WITH APPLICATION):

• Proof of degree/transcripts, if utilized to meet the minimum requirements.
• For City of San Diego employees, proof of Out‑of‑Class Assignment (OCA), if utilized to meet the minimum requirements.

Required documents should be attached electronically to your application. If you are unable to attach at the time of application submittal, you must submit them as soon as possible via fax: [phone]; or to the Employment Information Center: City of San Diego Personnel Department, 1200 Third Avenue - Suite 300, San Diego, CA 92101. Include your name and the title of the position for which you are applying.

Please ensure all information is complete and accurate as the responses you provide on the supplemental questions will be reviewed using an automated evaluation system. If you are successful in this initial screening process, your application will be reviewed for applicable education, experience, and/or training to ensure all minimum requirements have been met. Successful candidates will be placed on a list which will be used to fill position vacancies during the next six months (180 days). For each vacancy, only those candidates with the most appropriate qualifications will be contacted by the hiring department for an interview.

PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS:

Employment offers are conditional pending the results of all screening processes applicable to this position, which may include the following: confirmation of citizenship or legal right to work in the United States; completion of a pre‑employment medical review and exam (which may include drug and alcohol testing); reference checks; and fingerprinting. Fingerprints will be submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Department of Justice for a conviction record report. Certain positions may require additional screening processes, including a polygraph examination and/or background investigation. All screening processes must be successfully completed before employment begins. A positive test result for alcohol, cannabis/marijuana, illegal drugs, or inadequately explained prescription drugs, or misrepresentation, falsification, or omission of pertinent facts in any step of the screening or selection process, may constitute cause for disqualification or termination of employment. Nothing in this job posting constitutes an express or implied contract for employment with the City of San Diego. Candidates must notify the Personnel Department of any change in their name, mailing address, email address, or phone number, otherwise they may miss employment opportunities.

Rev. 3 - October 16, 2026 (New Recruitment Date)