Senior Management Analyst / Management Analyst (Budget)

City of Palo Alto

$125K — $187K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's Degree in related field
  • Five years of professional experience in public or business administration, public affairs, or related field (Senior Management Analyst)
  • Three years of professional experience in public or business administration, public affairs, or related field (Management Analyst)
  • Exceptional data analysis and financial modeling skills
  • Strong written and oral communication skills

Responsibilities

  • Supervise and mentor Management Analyst staff
  • Perform financial and administrative analysis for assigned department programs
  • Play a significant role in annual and mid-year budget processes
  • Gather and analyze data to identify trends and make budget recommendations
  • Act as lead for high-level special studies and projects
  • Serve as a resource for budget procedures for staff
  • Participate in budget presentations and meetings with various stakeholders

Benefits

  • Affordable healthcare plans
  • Generous retirement packages
  • Paid parental leave
  • Convenient commuter programs
  • Flexible hybrid schedule with every other Friday off
Full Job Description
Salary : $125,195.20 - $187,782.40 Annually
Location : City Hall, 250 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto, CA
Job Type: Regular Full-Time
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Job Number:
Department: Administrative Services Department
Opening Date: 08/24/2026
Closing Date: 9/7/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

The Position
As part of the City of Palo Alto Office of Management and Budget (OMB) group, you will work alongside a highly collaborative team that reinforces City initiatives by acting as the central resource for financial and organizational strategy. The OMB team is responsible for developing annual Operating and Capital budgets, informing long-range financial planning, and providing analytical support to special projects. State and national organizations consistently recognize OMB with awards of excellence in budget development and public communications. We seek to hire positive, agile professionals who are responsible for a high degree of independence and program oversight and will help maintain these standards of excellence.

In OMB, we encourage team members to take on new challenges that facilitate professional development. In these positions, you'll have the opportunity to work with stakeholders to propose strategies that balance financial resources with the City Council and constituency's policies, goals, and priorities. You will perform financial analysis requiring considerable technical skills, prepare key financial reports, develop and monitor budgets, and support special projects. Success in these roles requires sound judgment, critical thinking, discretion, and the ability to work collaboratively with workgroups across the organization. Knowledge of financial functions and excellent written and oral communication skills are essential to succeed in these positions.
Ideal Candidates will possess the following attributes:
  • Data compilation and analysis skills, including financial modeling, budget development and tracking, and long-term financial planning.
  • Exceptional relationship-building skills to work effectively with individuals at all levels of responsibility and authority.
  • Adaptable and resourceful in a dynamic and fast-paced environment.
  • Ability to work effectively under pressure and organize workflow to deliver high-quality products within established deadlines.
  • Strong written and oral communication skills with the ability to identify and effectively communicate analytical insights.
  • Team player with a positive attitude, strong work ethic, curiosity, and humility.
  • Self-starter: can take even the smallest project and run with it to successful completion.

Depending on applicant qualifications, position(s) may be filled at the appropriate level/salary of:
  • $125,195.20 - $187,782.40 Annually)
  • $107,307.20 - $160,950.40 Annually)

Benefits: The City offers a fantastic benefits package that includes affordable healthcare plans, generous retirement packages, paid parental leave, convenient commuter programs and !
Compensation (MGMT): Comprehensive compensation plan. To learn more, click
Schedule: Hybrid, 9/80 work schedule (with every other Friday off) and up to 2 remote days per week.
(More than one position may filled through this posting)

Essential Duties
Essential and other important responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:
Senior Management Analyst
  • Supervise and mentor Management Analyst staff to prioritize and assign work, conduct performance evaluations, ensure staff are trained, and make hiring, termination and disciplinary recommendations.
  • Perform financial and administrative analysis for assigned department programs, services, and activities; prepare technical reports that present and interpret data.
  • Play a significant role in the annual, mid-year, and year-end budget processes by evaluating the City's overall financial status.
  • Gather, consolidate, and analyze data to identify trends, drivers, budget versus actual, and use this data to evaluate and make recommendations for department funding requests and other budget adjustments.
  • Act as lead for special studies and projects that are more high level and complex in nature.
  • Serve as a resource for staff regarding budget procedures, guidance, and informational or technical inquiries.
  • Participate in budget presentations and meetings with Executive Staff, Finance Committee, City Council, and other internal/external audiences.

To see the full job description for the Senior Management Analyst, click
Management Analyst
  • Analyze, monitor, and prepare budgets for assigned departments and funds.
  • Gather, consolidate, and analyze data to identify trends, drivers, budget versus actual, and recommend budget adjustments under direction from supervising staff.
  • Provide professional level staff reports and preliminary analysis of routine policies involving organization, procedures, finance and/or services.
  • Act as lead for special studies and projects, including establishing and monitoring timelines, monitoring budgets, preparing related reports, and performing other related duties.
  • Serve as a resource for staff regarding budget procedures, guidance, and informational or technical inquiries.
  • Participate in budget presentations and meetings with Executive Staff, Finance Committee, City Council, and other internal/external audiences.

To see the full job description for the Management Analyst, click

Minimum Qualifications
Sufficient education, training and/or work experience to demonstrate possession of the following knowledge and skills, which would typically be acquired through:

Senior Management Analyst
  • Bachelor's Degree in a related field
  • Five years of professional experience in public or business administration, public affairs, or a related field
  • Postgraduate coursework or a Master's Degree is preferred

Management Analyst
  • Bachelor's degree in a related field
  • Three years of professional experience in public or business administration, public affairs, or a related field

An equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job such as those listed above.

Supplemental Information
The Selection Process:
  • Recruitment status notifications will be sent via email or text (please enroll in text alerts when applying).
  • Updates can also be found on your governmentjobs.com account.
  • Applicants will be screened throughout the posting process and highly qualified candidates may be invited to interview at any time.
  • The screening process for this position may include a virtual recorded interview and/or panel interviews preceding final interviews with the hiring manager or their designee.

Our online application system is provided by NeoGov. If you have problems while applying online, please contact NeoGov's Live Applicant Support at (855) 524-5627 between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM Pacific Time, Monday - Friday.
See our Benefits at a Glance Bookletfor more details.
Learn more about our Compensation Plan
01

Please identify the years of professional experience you have in public or business administration, public affairs, or a related field:
  • No experience
  • Less than 3 years experience
  • 3 years of experience, but less than 5
  • 5+ years of experience

02

Based on your qualifications, which role are you interested in?
  • Senior Management Analyst
  • Management Analyst
  • Open to either role

03

What experience have you had in evaluating, analyzing, and presenting financial recommendations? Please provide an example.
04

Describe a time you were assigned a complex financial, budgetary, or administrative issue when the problem, available information, or expected outcome was not clearly defined. How did you clarify the assignment, determine what information was needed, analyze the issue, and develop a recommendation? What was the outcome?
05

Describe a budget development, financial reporting, audit, or other administrative process that required coordination with multiple departments, agencies, or stakeholders. What was your role, how did you manage timelines and differing priorities, and what did you do to ensure the process was completed accurately and on time?
06

Provide an example of a financial analysis you prepared, such as a forecast, budget-to-actual review, cost or revenue analysis, or funding recommendation. What data, tools, and analytical methods did you use? What conclusions or recommendations did you develop, and how did you communicate them to management or other decision-makers?
07

Tell us about a time you identified an opportunity to improve a financial process, report, reconciliation, internal control, or administrative workflow. How did you evaluate the issue, what improvement did you recommend or implement, and what measurable or observable results followed?
Required Question

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