THE OPPORTUNITY
Are you skilled in public budgeting and financial planning? Do you thrive in roles where your analysis shapes multimillion-dollar decisions? The County Executive’s Office is seeking a Management Analyst to join the Office of Budget, Policy & Performance (BP&P) — a team at the core of the County’s budgetary operations and strategic planning.
This is more than a budget job — it's an opportunity to build technical expertise, lead high-impact projects, and work closely with County leadership. The position is open to both external candidates as a Limited Term position and current County employees through a Work-Out-of-Class assignment (up to 18 months).
This is a Limited Term position. Limited term positions are full-time, fully benefited, temporary positions. The current position is funded for up to 18 months and could extend longer depending on the department’s needs. Limited Term employees receive medical and dental benefits, like regular employees, and a defined contribution retirement plan (401-A).
Information for current County employees: Current and regular County of San Mateo employees who are interested in this assignment must submit application materials and compete in the selection process. If you are successful in the selection process and are being considered for the assignment, HR will work directly with you and/or your department for options. Please note there is no guarantee that you will be allowed by your department to rotate into this assignment nor is your department obligated to allow you to take on this assignment. The salary range for this position is "as is" and non-negotiable.
Note: The eligible list generated from this recruitment will be used to fill this vacancy and may be used to fill future extra-help, limited term, unclassified, and regular classified vacancies.
Special Compensation: Employees at the Management Analyst level in the County Executive's Office who are assigned to lead a Countywide special project, or a functional area will receive up to a 10% pay differential in addition to all other compensation.
ABOUT THE UNIT
The BP&P unit manages the County’s $5 billion budget, oversees performance reporting, coordinates fiscal policy, and leads strategic initiatives across departments. Analysts are deeply involved in building the County’s operating and capital budgets from the ground up — gathering data, consulting with departments, evaluating requests, and helping shape budget strategy.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT
This position provides substantial exposure to the highest levels of County decision-making. Analysts who succeed in this role often advance to leadership roles in budget offices, department finance teams, and policy units. Additional opportunities include:
- Leadership training and mentorship programs.
- Rotations through special project areas.
- Involvement in high-profile fiscal strategy and transformation efforts.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Budget Development and Creation
- Collaborate with assigned departments to build detailed annual and mid-cycle operating and capital budgets.
- Provide departments with guidance on budget assumptions, salary and benefits projections, and cost containment strategies.
- Analyze revenue forecasts, expenditure plans, and fund balances to ensure accurate, balanced budgets.
- Draft budget documents, schedules, narrative justifications, and presentations for leadership and the Board of Supervisors.
- Monitor departmental compliance with budget policy, timelines, and reporting standards.
- Support the County’s transition to enhanced or new budget platforms and tools.
Fiscal Policy and System Support
- Lead or contribute to major budget system administration efforts, including testing, implementation, training, and troubleshooting.
- Maintain accuracy and consistency of budget data across departments using a variety of systems and Excel-based tools.
- Use financial models and data visualization to highlight trends, risks, and opportunities.
Strategic and Analytical Work
- Evaluate fiscal implications of department proposals and develop funding recommendations.
- Produce reports, dashboards, and decision packages that support executive decision-making.
- Support capital planning, resource allocation, and long-term financial forecasting.
- Conceive of and execute analytical projects for County Executives and the Board of Supervisors.
Performance and Project Management
- Track program and policy performance across departments to ensure alignment with fiscal priorities.
- Coordinate and manage special projects, including the Children, Youth & Family Budget, Youth Commission, Lean improvement initiatives, and Measure K funding allocations.
- Engage with stakeholders at all levels to implement policy and funding strategies.
IDEAL CANDIDATE
We are looking for a candidate who:
- Has direct experience in public budget development and preparation, including salary projections, multi-year forecasting, and funding analysis, finance, and/or accounting or an interest in and aptitude for these types of work.
- Understands financial systems and tools and can apply them to drive clarity and efficiency.
- Is a strong communicator who can translate technical findings into actionable recommendations.
- Seeks to grow into leadership roles in finance, operations, or public administration.
QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience
Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying, unless otherwise specified. A typical way to qualify is:
- A bachelor’s degree in public administration, business, finance, political science, or related field plus three years of analyst experience; OR
- A master’s degree in the same fields plus one year of analyst experience; OR
- Five years of progressively responsible analyst experience in a public or nonprofit agency.
Knowledge of
- Public budgeting and financial management processes in government.
- Financial reporting, cost accounting, and multi-year forecasting.
- ERP or similar systems, Excel modeling, and data presentation tools.
- Local government operations and interdepartmental coordination.
Skill/Ability to
- Independently manage the full lifecycle of departmental budget development.
- Interpret and explain complex financial information to both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Work collaboratively with department fiscal officers, executives, and elected officials.
- Prepare clear, concise, and comprehensive budget documents and reports.
- Adapt to evolving budget systems and processes.
APPLICATION / EXAMINATION
To apply, submit:
- County of San Mateo Employment Application
- Cover Letter expressing your interest in the position
- Responses to the Supplemental Questionnaire
Supplemental Questions include:
- Describe your experience building and managing budgets, including amounts and scope. If you do not have direct experience in public sector budgeting, include examples of similar work experiences.
- Share a project where your analysis helped solve a complex challenge.
- Provide an example of program or policy evaluation you supported.
- Explain your experience with budget software platforms, financial, or related systems.
The examination process will consist of an Application Screening (weight: pass/fail), and a Panel Interview (weight: 100%). Applicants must successfully pass the Application Screening to move forward to the interview. Candidates must successfully pass the interview to be placed on the eligible (hiring) list.
Depending on the number of applicants, an application appraisal of education and experience may be used in place of other examinations, or further evaluation of work experience may be conducted to group applicants by level of qualification. All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination. All examinations will be given in San Mateo County, California, and applicants must participate at their own expense.
IMPORTANT: Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the "Apply" button. If you are not on the County's website, please go to http://jobs.smcgov.org to apply.
RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE
Final Filing Date: July 3, 2025
Application Screening: July 9–11, 2025
Panel Interviews: July 21 and/or July 24, 2025
San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities.
As an employer, the County of San Mateo is committed to advancing equity to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.
The County of San Mateo is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels.
Contact: Chet Overstreet, Analyst (06182024) (Management Analyst – D181)
