What Do Finance and Budget Officers Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for finance and budget officers?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what finance and budget officers do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Finance and Budget Officers Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about finance and budget officers by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Finance and Budget Officers examine budget estimates for completeness, accuracy, and conformance with procedures and regulations. Analyze budgeting and accounting reports.
Popular Job Titles For Finance and Budget Officers
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Budget Analysts
- Financial Management Analysts
- Budget Managers
- Budget Coordinators
- Staff Services Analysts
- Budget Officers
- Fiscal Officers
- Budget Administrators
- Budget Specialists
- Supervisory Budget Analysts
- Lead Budget Analysts
- Finance and Budget Officers
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for finance and budget officers can be found.
Best Industries for Finance and Budget Officers
Finance and Budget Officers Jobs By Industry
- Federal Government, Civilian: 25.9%
- State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 11.6%
- Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 10.4%
- Education and Hospitals (State Government): 7.6%
- Management of Companies and Enterprises: 6.1%
- Education and Hospitals (Local Government): 3.6%
- Other: 34.8%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of finance and budget officers can be found working in the Federal Government, Civilian sector. In 2022, about 25.9% of all jobs for finance and budget officers were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (11.6%), Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (10.4%), Education and Hospitals (State Government) (7.6%), Management of Companies and Enterprises (6.1%) and Education and Hospitals (Local Government) (3.6%).
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Degree Options for Finance and Budget Officers
Develop the foundational financial skills needed to keep business running successfully, including financial reporting and analysis, managerial accounting, and federal taxes, so you can start your career as an accounting technician, tax preparer, payroll assistant and more.
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Turn a head for numbers into a career as a financial associate or analyst, and help businesses turn financial data into actionable insights that can maximize investments, improve cash flow, and impact decisionmaking.
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- Cost Per Credit: $398
Enter into or advance within the rapidly growing accounting industry and prepare for professional certifications like the CPA.
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- Cost Per Credit: $398
- Accreditation: IACBE
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- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Master finance principles and develop all-inclusive corporate finance strategies for business firms and financial institutions.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
- Accreditation: IACBE
Distinguish yourself as a knowledgeable accounting professional with advanced technical, research, and communication skills.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 17
- Accreditation: IACBE
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
- Class Type: Face-to-face, Online coursework
- Months To Complete: 12
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Do Finance and Budget Officers Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what finance and budget officers do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work finance and budget officers do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that finance and budget officers tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for finance and budget officers, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Finance and Budget Officers
Based on 11,065 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Finance and Budget Officers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Budget Analysis | 7,259 | 66% |
| Accounting | 6,801 | 61% |
| Finance | 5,608 | 51% |
| Financial Management | 3,376 | 31% |
| Financial Statements | 3,232 | 29% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Finance and Budget Officers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Budgeting | 7,326 | 66% |
| Management | 6,566 | 59% |
| Communications | 4,173 | 38% |
| Planning | 4,074 | 37% |
| Operations | 3,745 | 34% |
Based on 11,065 job postings related to finance and budget officers, budget analysis was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 66% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for accounting, finance, financial management, financial statements and financial analysis were also highly sought.
As for common skills, budgeting was the most desired skill found in job postings for finance and budget officers, followed by management, communications, planning, operations and forecasting.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Budget Analysis | 7,259 | 66% |
| Accounting | 6,801 | 61% |
| Finance | 5,608 | 51% |
| Financial Management | 3,376 | 31% |
| Financial Statements | 3,232 | 29% |
| Financial Analysis | 2,767 | 25% |
| Auditing | 2,231 | 20% |
| Budget Development | 1,713 | 15% |
| Financial Systems | 1,653 | 15% |
| Public Administration | 1,578 | 14% |
| Financial Data | 1,471 | 13% |
| Invoicing | 1,331 | 12% |
| Purchasing | 1,257 | 11% |
| Economics | 1,215 | 11% |
| Procurement | 1,172 | 11% |
| Data Analysis | 1,154 | 10% |
| Reconciliation | 1,102 | 10% |
| Operating Budget | 1,101 | 10% |
| Financial Planning | 1,076 | 10% |
| Project Management | 1,054 | 10% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Budgeting | 7,326 | 66% |
| Management | 6,566 | 59% |
| Communications | 4,173 | 38% |
| Planning | 4,074 | 37% |
| Operations | 3,745 | 34% |
| Forecasting | 3,251 | 29% |
| Microsoft Excel | 3,240 | 29% |
| Research | 2,802 | 25% |
| Leadership | 2,292 | 21% |
| Writing | 2,206 | 20% |
| Business Administration | 2,194 | 20% |
| Coordinating | 1,984 | 18% |
| Detail Oriented | 1,874 | 17% |
| Microsoft Office | 1,767 | 16% |
| Customer Service | 1,681 | 15% |
| Problem Solving | 1,562 | 14% |
| Spreadsheets | 1,526 | 14% |
| Presentations | 1,506 | 14% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 1,455 | 13% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 1,216 | 11% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Finance and Budget Officers
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Budget Analysts | 14,418 | 58.4% |
| Financial Management Analysts | 1,397 | 5.7% |
| Budget Managers | 1,092 | 4.4% |
| Budget Coordinators | 1,150 | 4.7% |
| Staff Services Analysts | 2,384 | 9.7% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2021 and August 2022, the top job sought by employers was budget analysts, with 6,699 unique job postings. Financial management analysts were second, with 599 postings, followed by budget managers, budget coordinators and staff services analysts.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to finance and budget officers.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Budget Analysts | 14,418 | 58.4% |
| Financial Management Analysts | 1,397 | 5.7% |
| Budget Managers | 1,092 | 4.4% |
| Budget Coordinators | 1,150 | 4.7% |
| Staff Services Analysts | 2,384 | 9.7% |
| Budget Officers | 717 | 2.9% |
| Fiscal Officers | 730 | 3% |
| Budget Administrators | 627 | 2.5% |
| Budget Specialists | 463 | 1.9% |
| Supervisory Budget Analysts | 200 | 0.8% |
| Lead Budget Analysts | 235 | 1% |
| Finance and Budget Officers | 297 | 1.2% |
| Capital Budget Analysts | 152 | 0.6% |
| Cost and Budget Analysts | 187 | 0.8% |
| Directors of Budget and Planning | 134 | 0.5% |
| Customer Engagement Managers | 230 | 0.9% |
| Budget Examiners | 90 | 0.4% |
| Budget Directors | 45 | 0.2% |
| Budget Accountants | 83 | 0.3% |
| Accountants/Budget Analysts | 66 | 0.3% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for finance and budget officers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for finance and budget officers.
How much do finance and budget officers make?
Finance and Budget Officers: How do you become one?
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