The information below will help you determine which classification(s) is(are) appropriate for you. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications as stated on this bulletin to compete in this examination.

Open and Open, Non-Promotional Examination(s):

• FINANCE BUDGET ANALYST - Open

For all Classifications, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 6 months:

Exam Code(s):

3505

For FINANCE BUDGET ANALYST, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 6 months:

Exam Code(s):

• EX-03505

Submit an Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) to apply for this examination.

Electronic applications can be submitted through your account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov.

If you require assistance or alternative testing arrangements due to a disability, indicate on your application that you need reasonable accommodation. You will be contacted by a representative of the testing department to make the necessary arrangements. If you have not been contacted by the time you receive notification of testing, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

If you are unable to submit your application or complete the test due to a disability, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

All applicants must meet the education and/or experience requirements as stated on this exam bulletin to be accepted to the examination.

Unless otherwise stated in the Minimum Qualifications, qualifying experience may be combined on a proportionate basis if the requirements stated below include more than one pattern and are distinguished as "Either" 1, "or" 2, "or" 3, etc. For example, applicants possessing qualifying experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern 1 and additional experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern 2 may be accepted to an examination as meeting 100% of the overall experience requirement.

This examination consists of the following component(s):

A final score of 70% must be attained to be placed on the eligible list.

In addition to evaluating the applicant's relative knowledge, skill and ability as demonstrated by quality and breadth of education/experience, emphasis in each test component will be on measuring competitively, relative to job demands, each applicant's:

Knowledge of:

1. Analytical procedures and methods for a variety of budgetary and fiscal related issues: research techniques to prepare, enact, maintain, and change the Governor's Budget 
2. Principles of organization and time management 
3. Basic mathematical and statistical principles and procedures to calculate and summarize numerical data 
4. Effective writing techniques and departmental Writing Style Guidelines 
5. Laws relating to financial administration of state government 
6. Awareness and understanding of the role of state government and Public Finance 
7. Awareness of the mission of the Department of Finance, and its key roles and responsibilities 
8. Forecasting techniques to develop, monitor, and modify revenue and/or cash flow projections to improve future estimates 
9. Statistical methods, principles, and procedures in preparation of forecasts, cash flow projections, and track actual collection and disbursements 
10. Principles and practices of governmental budgeting and accounting 
11. Economic and cost/benefit analysis to assist in the development and preparation related to the Governor's Budget 
12. Legislative and budgetary process, basic statutory controls on budgets, including the control sections, key statutes, and provisions of the Budget Act 
13. Purposes, functions, and fiscal organizations of state agencies to propose new and innovative ideas to utilize the state's resources more efficiently
14. Consistently exercise initiative, independence, and leadership capabilities to ensure the timely and accurate completion of work products 
15. Team building techniques to assist in mentoring and training new staff on program assignment area 
16. Programmatic and historical knowledge related to assignment area to consistently demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of administrative position, protocol, and rational of main parties (Administration/Legislative Analyst office staff, legislative staff), and answer technical questions, and attempt to negotiate appropriate issues 
17. Principles of effective negotiation to defend sensitive and complex issues related to the Governor's Budget through testimony in legislative hearings
18. Propose new and innovative ideas to utilize the state's resources more efficiently

Ability to:

1. Gather, analyze, comprehend, and interpret data, policies, procedures, laws, regulations and Guidelines 
2. Reason logically and creatively to effectively complete difficult assignments on short notice 
3. Take initiative to assume progressively greater responsibilities 
4. Communicate effectively, both oral and written, with staff at all levels as well as departmental staff 
5. Exercise good judgment, communicate tactfully, act diplomatically, and maintain confidentiality 
6. Effectively utilize word-processing and spreadsheet tools to prepare work products 
7. Maintain flexibility with changing assignments and priorities 
8. Effectively manage time and multiple priorities 
9. Gain and maintain cooperative relationships with all those contacted through the course of work 
10. Work both in a team environment and individually 
11. Identify and alert management of potential problems/issues quickly 
12. Be flexible and work overtime hours upon short notice 
13. Develop and evaluate alternatives, make decisions and recommend effective courses of action 
14. Identify risks and deficiencies in specific technical and programmatic areas, and determine cost-effective solutions 
15. Coordinate with other staff within the department and staff from other departments 
16. Exercise initiative and independence to ensure timely completion of work products 
17. Draw valid conclusions and make appropriate recommendations 
18. Utilize relevant information sources from historical reference, Budget Analyst Guidelines (BAG), Budget and Finance Letters, Past Budget Summaries (A-Pages), Budget Act, etc. 
19. Identify information sources to utilize the state's resources more efficiently 
20. Independently apply technical knowledge effectively 
21. Effectively review and edit written work products 
22. Support and enforce established office policies and procedures, ethical behavior, and DOF core values 
23. Prepare forecasts to project future estimates 
24. Provide technical guidance for program assignment area to lower-level staff 
25. Anticipate assignments from management
26. Conclude as to the adequacy, completeness, and accuracy of all work products

A Departmental Open eligible list for the FINANCE BUDGET ANALYST Classification will be established for:

• Department of Finance

The names of successful competitors will be merged onto the eligible list(s) in order of final score regardless of test date. Eligibility expires 12 months after it is established. Applicants must then retake the examination to reestablish eligibility.

Veterans' Preference will be granted for this examination. Veterans' Preference is an assistance program for veterans, veteran widows and widowers, and spouses of 100% disabled veterans who seek employment with the state. Veterans' Preference is also extended to currently serving military members nearing their retirement or separation date.

You are not eligible for Veteran's Preference if you are:

• A veteran who has been dishonorably discharged or released.
• A veteran, widow or widower of a veteran, or spouse of a 100 percent disabled veteran who currently has permanent civil service status. (Permanent civil service status is the status of an employee who is lawfully retained in his/her position after completion of the applicable probationary period. This does not include limited term).

Veterans' Preference is codified in Government Code Sections 18973 – 18979.

Veteran status is verified by the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR). Directions to apply for Veterans' Preference are on the Veterans' Preference Application (Std. Form 1093), which is available at www.CalCareers.ca.gov, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Career Credits are not granted for examination(s) administered on an Open basis or a Promotional basis.

• Department of Finance

Technical questions regarding this examination should be directed to:

Administrative questions regarding this examination should be directed to:

California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice). TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

Examination and/or Employment Application (STD 678) forms are available at the California Department of Human Resources, local offices of the Employment Development Department, and through your CalCareer Account (www.CalCareers.ca.gov).

If you meet the requirements stated on this examination bulletin, you may take this examination, which is competitive. Possession of the entrance requirements does not assure a place on the eligible list. Your performance in the examination described in this bulletin will be rated against a predetermined job-related rating, and all applicants who pass will be ranked according to their scores.

Department of Finance reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the service, if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service laws and rules and all applicants will be notified.

General Qualifications: Applicants must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgment, the ability to work cooperatively with others, and a state of health consistent with the ability to perform the assigned duties of the class. A medical examination may be required. In open examinations, investigation may be made of employment records and personal history and fingerprinting may be required.

Eligible Lists: Eligible lists established by competitive examination, regardless of date, must be used in the following order: 1) sub-divisional promotional, 2) departmental promotional, 3) multi-departmental promotional, 4) service-wide promotional, 5) departmental open, 6) open. When there are two lists of the same kind, the older must be used first. Eligible lists will expire in one to four years unless otherwise stated on the bulletin.

High School Equivalence: Equivalence to completion of the 12th grade may be demonstrated in any one of the following ways: 1) passing the General Education Development (GED) Test; 2) completion of 12 semester units of college-level work; 3) certification from the State Department of Education, a local school board, or high school authorities that the competitor is considered to have education equivalent to graduation from high school; or 4) for clerical and accounting classes, substitution of business college work in place of high school on a year-for-year basis.

Accepted applicants must provide proof of identification at each in-person test session. Acceptable identification consists of a photo identification card or two forms of signed identification.