Delaware Nation Industries Looking for Budget Analyst at Washington, DC Full Time

Overview

A Budget Analyst is required by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of Academic Exchange Programs (ECA/A/E) to perform a wide variety of duties necessary to support the office’s budget and grants business processes, systems and files. This position is an integral part of the front office team that plans, implements and oversees approximately 20 academic exchange programs managed by ECA/A/E. The analyst will support financial tracking for an annual budget of approximately $320 million, including transfers from other Department or Government elements to support programs with Afghanistan, Egypt, Pakistan and other locations. Additionally, the budget analyst supports the Office Director, Deputy Office Director and Senior Program Officer by compiling, analyzing, and maintaining program data and statistics; drafting documents and tracking issues for major grants and cooperative agreements; and developing office-wide best practices, guidelines, and/or procedures. 

Responsibilities

• Provide a professional service employee which will provide support to the Office Director and Deputy Director of the Office of Academic Exchange Programs.
• Assisting the office’s Senior Program Officer (SPO) to: maintain the office’s grants and budget processes and records; administer the overall Fulbright appropriation; work with other SPOs from each regional branch to obtain and maintain branch budgets; and coordinate the office’s submission for Bureau-wide statistical collection exercises.
• Independently tracking transfers from other Department or Government elements including large transfers of funds supporting programs with Egypt and other countries; and collecting program and budget information from branches within ECA/A/E, maintaining spreadsheets, databases and other records with budget and grants decisions in collaboration with the Office Director, Deputy Director and SPO.
• Advising the Office Director, Deputy Director and SPO regarding the Bureau’s cooperative agreement/grants process and systems, tracking and sharing grants information with the entire office, and assisting with maintenance of grant records. The Grants and Budget Analyst analyzes current processes and systems and advises the Deputy Director and SPO on improvements to office-wide guidance (and/or standard procedures) and compiles information, drafts and implements such guidance. 
• Providing guidance with internal and external academic exchange program stakeholders, including cooperating agencies; participating in ECA/A/E at internal and external meetings and creating reports and responding to questions regarding elements of academic exchange programs serving as a resource on the issues above to all stakeholders.
• Assisting with the planning, establishing, coordinating and monitoring program budgets according to DOS financial management standards;
• Assisting with the assessment of planned and anticipated program budgets and activities through detailed analysis and careful consideration of program requirements in collaboration with branch and country program officers; 
• Along with the Senior Program Officer, advises the Office Director and Deputy Director regarding the necessity for and type of budgetary or federal assistance action necessary to be implemented to meet programmatic requirements;
• Making recommendations regarding grant and cooperative agreement documents, including all elements of the federal assistance lifecycle; 
• Monitoring, evaluating, and reporting on assistance agreements and budgets; 
• Identifying, managing and advising the Office Director and Deputy Director on program initiatives, issues, or programs intended to address conflicts or incompatibility between or among program goals and objectives, resource requirements, budgetary or assistance policies, objectives and constrains, and legal considerations; 
• Negotiating and tracking the regulations and technicalities regarding funds transferred to the Bureau’s budget office for ECA/A programs; 
• Working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders, including on technical or systems related questions; 
• Identifying, collecting information, and drafting procedures or program guidance for internal or external use;
• Developing and maintaining liaisons with all stakeholders to build effective relationships in support of ECA strategic goal of promoting international understanding; 
• Preparing briefing papers, memoranda, talking points, speeches, and other documents on exchange activities and providing recommendations and support to management; 
• Participates in workshops, orientations, and at meetings with government representatives, implementing partners, and the public.

Qualifications

• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance at the Secret level.

• A Bachelor’s Degree is required for this position; however, a Master’s Degree or other advanced degree is preferred.
• A minimum of three (3) years of related professional work experience is required for this position.
• Advanced database and Microsoft Excel knowledge and skills. 

• Experience with the concepts, principles, practices, laws and regulations of budgeting, federal finance, and federal assistance. 

• Experience advising and providing solutions to managers on strategic budgeting, assistance recordkeeping, policies, and procedures. 

• Reconciling and assessing conflicts between program needs and budget and assistance regulations. 

• Education and work experience related to international cultural or educational exchanges, and/or other types of international study, programming and budgeting. Experience in program administration, operating procedures, oversight and monitoring. 

• Experience with U.S. government and State Department administrative policies and procedures as they pertain to financial, grants, procurement, and operational management of international exchange programs. 

• Knowledge of legislative authorities governing ECA grants administration is required; knowledge of ECA grants procedures and program monitoring, is highly desirable. 

• Familiarity with standard software, including the complete Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, SharePoint), and an ability to learn and work with other software, as well as database applications. (Excel skills at an advanced level, as requested above.)

• Experience writing and/or negotiating procedures. 

• Excellent critical and creative thinking and analytical skills. 

• Excellent written and oral communication skills and ability to maintain effective liaison with other Department of State offices, Fulbright Commission and Embassy colleagues, program partners, and other entities involved in academic exchange programs. Ability to interact with all nationalities in a culturally sensitive manner. 

• Excellent ability to work independently, without supervision, and multi-task in a high volume, fast-pace work environment. Excellent, timely and precise organizational skills and multi-tasking abilities. 

• Excellent ability to have a flexible, team-oriented approach to work. Excellent ability to build and maintain strong working relationships with colleagues.