The Budget Analyst serves as the primary budget liaison for assigned departments, providing guidance on budget management, monitoring expenditures, reconciling financial data, supporting salary and position funding, preparing financial reports, and assisting with the annual budget development process. The position identifies budget risks, improves financial forecasting, and ensures timely, accurate budget reporting for college leadership. By strengthening financial oversight, enhancing service to departments, and reducing compliance risks, this role enables the Budget Director to focus on strategic planning, complex financial analysis, and college-wide budget initiatives.
Position Responsibilities
1. Department & Unit Budget Support
Serve as a budget liaison for assigned departments, programs, or functional areas within the college.
Respond to department requests for budget reports, balances, projections, and explanations.
Assist department administrators with understanding USF budget structures, funding sources, and reports.
Translate central budget guidance from BFA into clear, department-level instructions.
Provide routine budget status updates to department leadership.
2. Operating Budget Monitoring & Maintenance
Monitor budget-to-actual activity for assigned departments to ensure expenditures align with available funding.
Track budget balances and identify potential over- or under-spending.
Process and document budget transfers, reallocations, and corrections within the college.
Assist with maintaining internal budget tracking tools that supplement official USF systems.
Support college leadership by flagging emerging budget issues early.
3. Carryforward and Cash Reconciliation
Analyze and calculate carryforward balances for assigned areas.
Reconcile budgets as required.
Perform cash collections and cash reconciliation analysis in coordination with central reporting.
Track prior-year balances and ensure proper treatment in current-year budgets.
Support compliance with USF rules related to fund usage.
4. Salary, Position, and Benefits Budget Support
Assist with monitoring salary budgets, OPS, and benefits for departments.
Reconcile salary projections against actual payroll activity.
Track funded positions and verify appropriate funding sources.
Support departments with position funding questions and salary affordability checks.
Coordinate with HR and the Budget Director on salary-related adjustments.
5. Revenue & Enrollment-Related Analysis
Forecast revenue collections using available student credit hour or enrollment data.
Monitor revenue trends and identify variances from projections.
Assist with enrollment-driven budget analysis when applicable to the college.
Support revenue projections used in annual and in-year budget planning.
6. Financial Reporting & Analysis
Prepare standard and ad hoc budget reports for departments and college leadership.
Conduct variance analysis and explain differences between budgeted and actual amounts.
Identify anomalies, inconsistencies, or unusual trends in budget and financial data.
Support annual reporting needs such as operating budget comparisons and reconciliations.
Ensure reports are accurate, consistent, and aligned with official USF data sources.
7. Data, Systems, and Documentation
Use USF financial reporting tools (e.g., FAST/PowerBI/Finance Mart outputs) to extract budget and actuals data.
Reconcile college records with official university reports.
Research issues related to budget database systems, missing fields, or data discrepancies.
Maintain documentation of assumptions, methodologies, and recurring processes.
Support data cleanup and quality control efforts within the college.
8. Compliance & Policy Adherence
Ensure departmental budget activity complies with USF policies and procedures.
Review transactions and planned expenditures for appropriate funding source usage.
Assist with audit requests and internal reviews by providing documentation and analysis.
Help departments correct errors before they escalate to central offices.
9. Budget Development & Annual Cycle Support
Assist with the annual operating budget development process at the department and college level.
Collect, review, and validate departmental budget inputs.
Support preparation of budget comparison schedules, revenue projections, and required reconciliations.
Help ensure submissions to BFA are complete, accurate, and timely.
10. Collaboration & Professional Growth
Work closely with Budget Director on complex issues.
Participate in budget meetings, training sessions, and university workgroups as assigned.
Working at USF
With approximately 16,000 employees, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay area. We are dedicated to cultivating a talented, engaged and driven workforce that strives to be bold. Employees excel in USF‘s rich academic environment, which fosters their development and advancement. In 2025, Forbes recognized USF as one of Florida’s best large employers, ranked No. 1 among the state’s 12 public universities. Our first-class benefits package includes medical, dental and life insurance plans, retirement plan options, employee and dependent tuition programs, generous leave, and hundreds of employee perks and discounts.
About USF
The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. USF is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 public university and the best value in Florida. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $738 million in research funding in 2024 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. USF’s Division I athletics teams compete in the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu .
Compliance and Federal Notices
This position may be subject to a Level 1 or Level 2 criminal background check.
Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws :
The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Applicants for USF employment are entitled to request reasonable accommodation(s) in the application process. A request is to be made at least five (5) working days prior to the time the accommodation(s) is needed. Visit the Central Human Resources ADA Accommodations webpage for more information on requesting an accommodation during the application/interview process.
Equal Employment Opportunity
The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains affirmative action programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws. This job description does not constitute an employment contract.
