How to become a Budget Analyst

A budget analyst is an expert who uses statistical and mathematical tools to help various organizations and businesses to organize and allocate their financial resources by developing and executing budgets for them. Budget Analysts also monitor the spending to make sure that its within budget and estimate future spending requirements.They prepare budget reports and monitor institutional spending. They work with program and project managers to develop the organization's budget. Budget analysts advise various institutions—including governments, universities, and businesses—on how to organize their finances. They prepare annual and special reports and evaluate budget proposals. They analyze data to determine the costs and benefits of various programs and recommend funding levels based on their findings.

Budget analysts typically do the following:

• Budget Analysts have to work with program and project managers to develop the organization’s overall budget.
• To be able to combine all the program and department budgets together into a consolidated organizational budget and review it for further funds.
• To be able to explain their recommendations for funding requests to others in the organization, legislators, and the public.
• To help the chief operations officer, agency head, or other top managers in analyzing proposed plans.
• To evaluate organizational spending to ensure that it is within budget.
• To keep updating program managers of the status and availability of funds.
• To estimate financial needs in the future.

Budget analysts assist public and private organisations in organising their finances. They create budget reports and keep track of institutional spending.

Budget Analysts' Responsibilities Budget analysts typically perform the following tasks:

• Develop the organization's budget in collaboration with programme and project managers.
• Examine budget proposals from managers for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with laws and other regulations.
• Consolidate all programme and department budgets into a consolidated organisational budget, and evaluate all funding requests for merit.
• Explain their funding request recommendations to others in the organisation, legislators, and the general public.
• Assist the chief operations officer, agency head, or other top executives in analysing proposed plans and identifying alternatives if the projected results are unsatisfactory.
• Maintain a close eye on organisational spending to ensure that it stays within budget.
• Inform programme managers about the status of funds and their availability.
• Calculate your future financial requirements.

Budget analysts provide financial advice to a variety of institutions, including governments, universities, and businesses. They create annual and special reports as well as evaluate budget proposals. They examine data to determine the costs and benefits of various programmes and make funding recommendations based on their findings. Although government officials or top executives in a private company usually make the final decision on an organization's budget, budget analysts prepare the information for that decision.

Budget analysts may use cost–benefit analyses to review financial requests, evaluate programme tradeoffs, and investigate alternative funding methods. Budget analysts may also examine previous budgets and conduct research on economic and financial developments that affect the organization's income and expenditures. Budget analysts may recommend reducing spending on specific programmes or redistributing surplus funds.

Budget analysts monitor spending throughout the year to ensure budget compliance and to determine whether funding levels for specific programmes need to be adjusted. Analysts also assess programmes to see if they are producing the desired results.

Budget analysts must effectively communicate their recommendations to officials within the organisation in addition to providing technical analysis. For example, if there is a gap between the approved budget and actual spending, budget analysts may write a report explaining the differences and recommending changes to close the gap.

Government budget analysts may attend committee hearings to explain their recommendations to legislators. Budget analysts may occasionally evaluate the success of a programme, provide policy analysis, and draught budget-related legislation.

Government budget analysts can apply for the Certified Government Financial Manager a credential from the Association of Government Accountants. To earn this certification, eligibility criteria is, that candidates must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, 24 credit hours of study in financial management and 2 years of professional practice in government financial management, with an ability to pass a series of exams. 

• Federal government
• Educational services (state, local, and private)
• State government
• Professional, scientific, and technical services
• Local Government
• NPO’s
• MNC’s