State of Maryland

An Agency Budget Specialist, Lead is the lead level of work preparing, presenting and executing agency budgets. Employees in this classification assign, review and approve the work of and train lower-level Agency Budget Specialists.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from an Agency Budget Specialist Supervisor or higher-level administrator.

Positions in this classification are evaluated using the classification job evaluation methodology. The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of a class specification.

The Agency Budget Specialist Lead is differentiated from the Agency Budget Specialist II in that the Agency Budget Specialist Lead assigns, reviews and approves the work of and trains Agency Budget Specialists while the Agency Budget Specialist II performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.  The Agency Budget Specialist Lead is differentiated from the Agency Budget Specialist Supervisor in that the Agency Budget Specialist Supervisor has supervisory responsibility for lower-level Agency Budget Specialists.

Assigns,reviews and approves the work of lower level Agency Budget Specialists;

Trains lower-level Agency Budget Specialists on unusual problems in the preparation, presentation and execution of agency budgets;

Prepares and distributes budget instructions to assigned units to provide baseline information and guidelines for unit budget submissions;

Reviews unit budget submissions to determine adherence to established budgetary guidelines and procedures;

Prepares draft budgets to delineate unit requests; Makes recommendations on additions, deletions or changes to unit requests based upon agency guidelines and fiscal priorities;

Meets with program heads to discuss and clarify changes made to budgetary submissions;

Presents budgetary information to agency executive management at agency level budget hearings;

After the budget is approved by supervisor and agency executive management, prepares the finalized budget for submission to the Office of Budget Analysis (OBA), Department of Budget and Management;

Prepares testimony and provides background information to respond to inquiries from agency executive management, OBA budget analysts and members of the legislature;

After the budget is approved by the legislature, notifies agency personnel regarding appropriation levels;

Monitors and approves expenditures by analyzing budgetary priorities and constraints;

Prepares object transfers, budget amendments and supplemental requests to reconcile appropriations with actual and estimated expenditures;

Prepares budgetary data that is included in monthly and quarterly statements of fund expenditures and balances and apprises agency management of budgetary status;

Analyzes past and present budgetary data to identify trends and to project budgetary needs;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the principles and practices of business and public administration, budgeting and governmental appropriations accounting;

Knowledge of the analytical procedures and techniques and mathematical concepts used in developing and monitoring agency budgets;

Knowledge of the Maryland State capital and operating budget processes;

Skill in interpreting and applying laws, rules, regulations and policies related to agency budgets;

Skill in applying various technical guidelines and methodologies in deciding among various alternatives for the resolution of budgetary issues;

Skill in organizing and presenting accurate and concise reports of findings, conclusions and recommendations related to agency budgets;

Skill in using computers and the software related to the formulation and administration of agency budgets;

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, agency program staff and analysts at State fiscal control agencies;

Ability to assign, review and approve the work of lower-level Agency Budget Specialists;

Ability to train lower-level Agency Budget Specialists.

Experience: Eight years of experience in budget preparation, presentation and execution.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and four years of experience in budget preparation, presentation and execution for the required experience.

2. Candidates may substitute graduate education from an accredited college or university in accounting, business administration, economics, finance, political science or public administration at a rate of 30 credit hours for five years of required experience.

3. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in the Budget Officer classifications or Financial Management specialty codes in the Budgeting field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies.  Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.  

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.  

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit G, Engineering, Scientific and Administrative Professionals classes.  As provided by the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.