Analyst II - Sr. Budget Analyst

Analyst II - Sr. Budget Analyst

Location

Skyline Center, 929 N. Front Street, NC

Job Type

Full Time-Regular

Job Number

FY27-00068

Department

Finance

Opening Date

11/05/2026

Closing Date

11/18/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

Post-Offer Required Pre-Employment Screenings

Driving History Check

Criminal History Check

Credit History Check

Education Verification

Drug Screen

Approved Hiring Salary/Range

$79,427.92 - $101,000

Full Salary Range

$79,427.92 - $123,113.38

Working Hours

M-F 8am-5pm. Additionally hours may be needed to complete assigned job duties from time to time. Position will report to the office.

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

The City of Wilmington is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Position Description

One City. One team. One mission.

Do you like to help guide financial decisions that move a community forward?

We are looking for a Sr. Budget Analyst to help shape the financial future of our City by turning complex financial data into meaningful insights that drive decisions, strengthen services, and support community priorities. This is more than a budgeting role-its an opportunity to partner with City departments and leadership, influence strategic investments, and ensure public resources are working where they matter most.

This position provides complex budget, management, financial, and strategic planning analysis, with responsibilities to include consulting, planning, budgeting, monitoring, and evaluating city-wide governmental operations. Work includes analyzing, reviewing and making professional recommendations for the allocation and distribution of revenues and expenditures for city operations; linking the needs of the City with the desired strategic direction; providing budgetary and operational oversight throughout the year; consulting with departments on organizational resource allocation; evaluating current operations and making recommendations for improvements in areas related to operations, management, and budget; providing direction in financial and statistical analysis; performing complex analysis of goals, objectives, and needs of the general operating and political environment; participating in business planning; developing and monitoring performance measures; and facilitating city-wide meetings.

Typical Tasks

Facilitates the annual city-wide budget development and monitoring process to include but not limited to:

• Conducts data analysis and research on budget, performance, and policy issues to support financial and policy recommendations.
• Analyzes and reviews requests for merit in relationship to current fiscal and political realities.
• Provides recommendations to the City Manager's Office on the validity of departmental requests.
• Prepares the annual recommended operating and capital budgets to include publication, presentation, budget in brief and other materials.
• Develops solutions or options for proceeding.
• Researches, gathers and assembles disparate information from a variety of sources into usable formats (manuals, guidelines, process report, and/or research white papers etc.)
• Gathers, analysis and/or reviews data for trends affecting financial, programmatic and personnel needs.
• Synthesizes large sets of data and determines high level key messages and gaps.
• Assists management in program design, development and implementation; conducts program evaluations.
• Analyzes service delivery identifying solutions to improve resource allocation
• Develops financial models such as expenditure and revenue projections as well as compensation and benefit increase scenarios and summaries data for multiple stakeholders.
• Collaborates with Departments on business plan development, budget request development and justifications, city-wide strategic plan linkage by supporting business case development.
• Assists Departments in their improvement efforts by providing analytical support in the areas of finance, processes, and communications.
• Facilitates, consults and/or participates in initiatives that involve changing current business practices.
• Offers critical feedback to ensure viability of proposed initiatives.
• Approves and posts budget revision requests.
• Develops and recommends cost effective and efficient budgets.
• Monitors and analyzes revenues and expenditures for alignment with adopted operating budgets.
• Develops, presents and defends findings and recommendations to stakeholder groups and City decision-makers.
• Monitors assigned departments annual expenditures and budget performance balancing departments need with city-wide needs.
• Assists departments in reviewing programs/services for process changes and provides recommendations for potential cost cutting measures.

Assists with the multi-year strategic planning process:

• Links department requests with the overall strategic direction of the city.
• Assists in the implementation and application of the citys strategic plan and organizational performance measurement and monitors service level data, including output, effectiveness, efficiency, and outcome trends.

Specific Responsibilties by specilaized assignment area:

• Position Control/Salary Position Projections:

• Provides direct support to the Budget Team in the following areas: position control management, compensation modeling, budget scenario development, salary interfaces, and year-end balance analyses, in close coordination with Human Resources, based on annual position movements and compensation rollout plans, and in accordance with the City's adopted financial policies and procedures and recognized financial (accounting and budgeting) standards.

• Financial Trends and Forecasting:

• Tracks revenues over time to determine the direction of the trends; generates models and recommendations for actions required for budgeting and compliance; identifies root causes for changes identified; generates forecast reports for Council and budget publication; designs, develops, and maintains ongoing metrics, reports, analyses, dashboards, and provides support for the annual indirect cost development, and other data solutions.

Qualifications

Education and Experience

• Bachelors Degree or higher and at least three years of relevant experience in government budget development and administration.
• Intermediate to advanced experience using Microsoft applications including Excel, Word, Powerpoint, Outlook.
• Valid driver's license

Ideal candidates should possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities:

• Problem solving skills:

• Ability to evaluate budgetary requests from different perspectives to determine the benefits as well as the drawbacks if they move forward.

• Ability to assess not only spending trends but resource allocations across city functions and disciplines.

• Ability to develop and recommend cost effective and efficient city services to include recommendations for both process changes and resource allocation.

• Technical skills:

• Ability to collect and analyze data using intermediate to advanced Excel techniques.

• Ability to create visuals that show data findings.

• Ability to develop manuals, research papers and present findings to multiple stakeholders.

• Ability to facilitate groups to gather input.

• Ability to communicate written and orally in many styles (persuasive, narrative, expository and descriptive) for multiple audiences.

• Ability to complete mathematical tasks required to gather historical data, produce a data model set, forecasting models and perform directional analysis.

Supplemental Information

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Exerting up to 10 lbs. occasionally or negligible weights frequently; sitting most of the time.

WORKING CONDITIONS: This position generally requires work in an indoor office setting.

Our Core Values:

INCLUSION | COLLABORATION | CREATIVITY | ACCOUNTABILITY

Our Mission Statement: Through forward-thinking policies and responsible stewardship, we are creating a better city every day with excellent core services and quality of life for all.

What we offer:

The City of Wilmington believes that employees are one of our most important resources. We offer an excellent salary and competitive benefits package to serve the needs of our employees and their families. Our benefits package includes:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance + many other insurance options
• Excellent retirement benefits, including a city provided 4.5% contribution each pay period into a 401(k) account and automatic enrollment into the North Carolina Local Government Employees' Retirement System
• Employer-paid health & wellness clinic
• Free on-site city gym access
• Paid sick and vacation leave + 13 paid holidays per year
• 6-weeks paid parental leave
• Paid volunteer & blood donation leave to give back to our community
• Flex schedule and telework availability, depending on your position
• Professional development trainings & leadership initiatives
• Tuition assistance benefits

Applicant Status Updates: After the closing date for this position, applications will be screened by Human Resources. Applicants who meet the minimum and/or preferred qualifications will be referred over to the hiring department. All updates regarding an application can be viewed through your applicant portal.

Health Benefits are offered to employees working at least 30 hours per week.

Health Insurance - The City offers two options for health coverage: a standard PPO plan and a High Deductible Health Plan with an associated Health Savings Account. Coverage becomes effective the first day of the month following hire for employees and their eligible dependents. Both you and the City contribute to the overall cost of coverage.

Dental Insurance - Coverage becomes effective the first day of the month following hire. Employees, their spouse and dependent children are eligible for coverage.

Life Insurance - The city pays to provide coverage valued at one times your annual salary. Supplemental insurance is available for employees to purchase. Optional coverage for dependents is also available for purchase.

Retirement:

• NC Local Government Retirement System - All benefits eligible employees make a mandatory 6% contribution every pay period.
• Deferred Compensation - The city contributes an amount equal to 4.5% of the annual salary to a 401(k) plan regardless of employee contribution. Employees may choose to contribute additional money to the 401(k) or 457 deferred compensation plans, without a match from the City, within the IRS guidelines.

Paid Leave (offered to employees working at least 1,000 hours annually*):

• Sick Leave - 12 days accrued each year
• Annual Leave - Accrual based on years of service and classification. Employees can earn from 10 to 24 days each year.
• Holidays - 13 paid holidays annually
• Paid Parental Leave - Six weeks of paid leave for the birth, adoption or placement of a child (must run concurrently with FMLA).
• Part-Time Employees will earn paid leave benefits on a pro-rated basis.

Miscellaneous:

• Tuition reimbursement
• Employee Assistance Program
• Short & Long Term Disability
• Cancer & Critical Illness
• Accident Insurance
• Whole Life Insurance
• Credit Union membership
• Access to City Fitness Center

Note: The City of Wilmington is on a bi-weekly pay cycle. New employees should expect to receive their first paycheck approximately 4 weeks after their start date.

This is intended to be a brief overview of the benefits offered. Please visit our website at https://www.wilmingtonnc.gov/Government/Departments-Divisions/Human-Resources/Benefits for more information.

01

Please acknowledge that you agree to fully complete all required sections of the application, including work experience, education, and the supplemental questionnaire; and that your responses are truthful and complete and can be verified within your application. Unacceptable response : entering "N/A or "See Resume/Application" does not qualify as an acceptable response and may disqualify you from moving forward.

• Yes

02

Do you have a valid US Drivers License?

• Yes
• No

03

Which best describes your highest level of education?

• High School Diploma or GED
• Vocational/Technical Training or Certificate
• Some College
• Associates Degree
• Bachelors Degree
• Masters Degree
• Doctorate Degree
• None - N/A

04

How many years of experience do you have working with governmental budgeting and financial management?

• I have no experience
• less than 1 year
• 1 year to less than 3 years
• 3 years to less than 5 years
• 5 years to less than 10 years
• 10 years or more

05

Please identify the company/agency/organization where you gained the experience described in question #4 and provide a brief summary. Note: These employers must be listed in the work history section on your employment application to receive credit. Entering "N/A or "See Resume/Application" does not qualify as an acceptable response.

06

Do you have experience working for a local government/municipality?

• Yes
• No

07

What is your level of experience developing, monitoring, and analyzing operating budgets, including evaluating expenditures, revenues, and budget variances?

• Basic
• Intermediate
• Advanced

08

What is your level of experience developing financial forecasts, revenue projections, expenditure models, and multi-year financial analyses?

• Basic
• Intermediate
• Advanced

09

What is your level of experience with position control, salary projections, compensation modeling, and personnel budget analysis?

• Basic
• Intermediate
• Advanced

10

What is your level of experience using Microsoft Excel to analyze large datasets, including pivot tables, advanced formulas, lookups, data modeling, and forecasting?

• Basic
• Intermediate
• Advanced

11

What is your experience level working with MS Office applications?

• Basic
• Intermediate
• Advanced

12

What is your level of experience analyzing financial and operational data to identify trends, evaluate performance, and develop strategic recommendations?

• Basic
• Intermediate
• Advanced

13

The hiring salary for the position is provided in the job posting. Salary determination is supported by budget availability and qualifications of the candidate compared to internal equity. Please acknowledge that you understand this process.

• Yes
• No

Required Question

Employer City of Wilmington

Address PO Box 1810

929 N. Front Street, 11th Floor

Wilmington, North Carolina, 28401

Phone 910-341-7840

Website http://www.wilmingtonnc.gov/jobs