Exam Bulletin - Staff Finance Budget Analyst

Department of Finance

Exam Code: EX-4892

Examination Plans Included:

  • STAFF FINANCE BUDGET ANALYST - Promotional

Final Filing Date: 2/6/2026

Classification Details

STAFF FINANCE BUDGET ANALYST: $7,527.00 - $9,354.00 per Month *1
*1: Note: The above salary does not include the recruitment and retention pay differential.

View the STAFF FINANCE BUDGET ANALYST classification specification.

Application Instructions

Final Filing Date: 2/6/2026.

Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) must be received or postmarked by the filing date indicated above. Applications postmarked, personally delivered or received via interoffice mail after the filing date will not be accepted.

Who Should Apply:

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.

Promotional Examination(s):

  • STAFF FINANCE BUDGET ANALYST - Promotional

In addition to meeting the Minimum Qualifications, competition is limited to individuals who meet at least one of the following filing criteria:

  • 1. Have a permanent civil service appointment with a promotional testing department (see Testing Departments), or
  • 2. Are current or former employees of the legislature for 2 or more years as defined in Government Code 18990, or
  • 3. Are current or former non-elected exempt employees of the executive branch for 2 or more consecutive years as defined in Govt. Code 18992, or
  • 4. Are persons retired from the United States military honorably discharged from active duty with a service disability or honorably discharged from active duty as defined in Government Code 18991. Applicants must provide a copy of discharge papers (DD 214) for verification purposes at the time of application.

Under certain circumstances other employees may be allowed to compete under provisions of Rules 234, 235 and 235.2. California Code of Regulations Rules 233, 234, 235.2 and 237 contain provisions regarding civil service status and eligibility for promotional examinations.

How To Apply:

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.

You may apply by mail to:

  • Nguyet Nguyen
    Department of Finance
    Human Resources Office
    915 L Street, Suite 1235
    Sacramento, CA 95814

Indicate the Examination Code and Classification(s) on your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678).

You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:

  • Department of Finance
    Human Resources Office
    915 L Street, Suite 1235
    Sacramento, CA 95814
    8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
    Human Resources Office is closed Monday - Friday from 12pm - 1pm (PST)

Indicate the Examination Code and Classification(s) on your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678). All applicants must provide proof of identification. Accepted forms of identification are: 1) a photo identification card or 2) two forms of signed identification.

Special Testing Arrangements:

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.

Minimum Qualifications

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.

00105266 - STAFF FINANCE BUDGET ANALYST

Either I
Experience: One year of experience in the California state service performing the duties of a Finance Budget Analyst, Range B.

Or II
Experience: Two years of experience involving justifying and analyzing or controlling and administering budgets or budgetary programs, or analysis and forecasting of revenues.

and

Education: Possession of a master's degree in any field.

Or III
Experience: Four years of progressively responsible experience with duties involving the preparation, justification, and analysis, or the control and administration of a budget or budgetary program, or analysis and forecasting of revenues. (One year of graduate work in any field may be substituted for one year of the required experience.)

and

Education: Equivalent to graduation from college. (Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis.)

Position Description

00105266 - STAFF FINANCE BUDGET ANALYST

This is the working specialist or full journey level in the series. Incumbents, under general direction, identify and resolve complex budgetary problems, independently perform the more sensitive and/or complex analytical and consultative duties, may assist with staff development, and may function as leadpersons or project leaders over lower level staff.

This position is located in Sacramento. Finance currently has a hybrid telework model, which requires employees to work in the office a minimum of two days during the workweek with additional in office days required as needed and sometimes on short notice, for reasons such as hearings, site visits, or required in-person meetings or trainings. Implementation of Executive Order N-22-25 requiring four in-office work days has been postponed until July 1, 2026, but may be subject to change.

For information regarding position location(s), please refer to the Eligible List Information section.

Examination Information

This examination consists of the following component(s):

Component OrderComponent TypeComponent DuePercentage of Final Score
1Supplemental ReportAfter Acceptance100%

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

This examination will consist of the following component: Organizational Review Committee (ORC). This is a third level management review and rating of Supplemental Applications (SA). Candidates will be required to complete a SA that includes narrative responses to specific critical factors. Candidate’s final score will be weighted based on the ORC. The entire examination is weighted 100%. In order to obtain a position on the eligibility list, an overall minimum score of 70% must be attained.

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.
  2. Research techniques to prepare, enact, maintain, and change the Governor’s Budget.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.
  19. Principles of leadership and training techniques to serve in a lead capacity, assist in staff development.

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.
  27. Exercise an advanced degree of independence and apply technical knowledge effectively and consistently.
  28. Verbally defend a position before legislative committees.
  29. Analyze and research the most complex problems.
  30. Demonstrate leadership and inspire confidence of management.
  31. Serve as lead analyst in the assignment area during the Principal Program Budget Analyst's absence.

Additional Desirable Qualifications:

  1. Demonstrated ability to act independently; flexibility; tact; and ability to act effectively under pressure.

Eligible List Information

A Departmental Promotional eligible list for the STAFF 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.

Resulting Eligibility List will be used to fill vacancies in Sacramento, California.

Veterans' Preference is not granted for promotional examinations.

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

Testing Departments

  • Department of Finance

Contact Information

Questions regarding this examination should be directed to:

Department of Finance
Nguyet Nguyen
Department of Finance
915 L Street, Suite 1235
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 323-4071
Nguyet.Nguyen@dof.ca.gov

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.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

Drug Free Statement

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free State work place. Any applicant for State employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective, because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing civil service, and the special trust placed in public servants.

General Information

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.
Application Methods:
Electronic (Your CalCareer Account)
By Mail
In Person (see bulletin for details)
Alternate Application Process

While we recommend that you utilize your CalCareer Account to take advantage of all the tools available, you may choose to apply for this examination without using your account. In this case, print and complete the Exam Application Package Checklist and include it if you submit a hard copy application.

Exam Application Package Checklist

Blank Application Form (STD678)

Accommodation Request (STD679)