Budget Analyst

Synthesizes complex financial and program data to produce precise, transparent, and strategically aligned budget submissions that support high-stakes USDA decision making and uphold statutory and policy requirements.

Manages fund allocations and leads the review and refinement of execution requests, ensuring all proposals are accurate, defensible, and fully aligned with Departmental priorities.

Develops clear, data-driven responses to emerging policy and budget issues and shapes budget policy that reflects legislative requirements and advances efficient, effective use of Departmental resources.

Oversees internal controls and financial business practices to ensure sound financial management and safeguard government resources, making informed decisions that strengthen accountability and protect Departmental funds.

Provides authoritative guidance to Mission Area leadership, USDA officials, and budget offices, ensuring budget estimates and execution decisions are accurate, defensible, and strategically aligned with Departmental priorities.

Independently develops, justifies, and presents complex analyses to support senior-level decision making.

Serves as the senior budget analyst and technical authority for budget formulation, justification, and execution across the assigned portfolio, ensuring high-quality, strategically aligned budget products.

Anticipates legislative and administrative impacts, advises leadership on strategic implications, and leads the development of improved budgetary control methods to strengthen accuracy, compliance, and resource stewardship.

Assesses policy alternatives, costs, benefits, and budget impacts, identifying deficiencies in Departmental analyses, budgets, legislation, and regulatory or administrative proposals to strengthen accuracy, compliance, and resource stewardship.

Provides expert guidance to program analysts on budget formulation, execution reviews, congressional impact assessments, and management improvement initiatives, ensuring analyses are timely, accurate, and aligned with Departmental priorities.

Evaluates program activities and advises leadership on performance, long-range planning needs, and the impacts of legislative or regulatory changes to strengthen strategic decision making and program effectiveness.

Uses advanced analytical, forecasting, and modeling techniques to assess risks, evaluate data, and inform strategic resource decisions, strengthening long-range planning and program performance.

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, and specialized experience, as defined below.

Time in grade: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. Minimum Qualifications: Applicants must meet the Specialized Experience requirements as shown below.

If qualifying based on experience, your application or resume must clearly show that you possess the specialized experience requirements.

Specialized experience is defined as experience that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled and has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.

Specialized Experience: GS-14: One year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-13 level in the Federal service or equivalent responsibility in the private sector/pay systems that has equipped the candidate with the particular competencies to successfully perform as a Budget Analyst.

For this position, the specialized experience is experience performing all of the following: applying advanced federal budget formulation, justification, and execution techniques across complex funding structures; providing oversight of and adjustment to existing budgets through cost-benefit analyses and long-range analyses; performing sophisticated financial, legislative, and program analyses using advanced analytical, forecasting, and modeling tools; and, preparing executive level briefings related to budget execution.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social).

Volunteer work helps build critical competencies and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.