What does a budget assistant do?
Budget assistant responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real budget assistant resumes:
- Manage credit card revenue reporting and reconciliations for multiple credit card merchant accounts which include recommending and implementing process improvements.
- Enter and track requisitions in PeopleSoft.
- Enter time and attendance for staff and work-study students in PeopleSoft.
- Design budget logistics systems, which improve support without additional inspections.
- Maintain logistics property accountability and life cycle support planning for equipment.
- Process and monitor bi-weekly payroll for all personnel including faculty and staff.
- Monitor and maintain automated commitment ledgers to ensure funds/targets are not exceed.
- Develop PowerPoint presentations summarizing results of analyses and present results to senior management.
- Perform budget management and revision, GL reclassification, and payroll reclassification, and maintain salary distribution logs.
- Perform periodic accounting activities including reconciliations of bank and credit card accounts, coordinate and complete annual audits as necessary.
- Verify information in FMS is accurate after it has been enter.
- Develop historical and operational data require for POM generation.
- Evaluate implementation of obligations and expenditures to assess compliance with POM requirements.
- Prepare monthly A/R analysis and corresponding estimates for monthly financial statements.
Budget assistant skills and personality traits
We calculated that 16% of Budget Assistants are proficient in Payroll, Purchase Orders, and Financial Systems. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Writing skills.
We break down the percentage of Budget Assistants that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Payroll, 16%
Performed budget management and revision, GL reclassification, and payroll reclassification, and maintained salary distribution logs.
- Purchase Orders, 10%
Review requisitions, purchase orders and check requisitions to insure the availability of budgeted funds and appropriateness of expenditures.
- Financial Systems, 6%
Assisted customers by walking them step-by-step through the use of the complex computerized financial systems at NFC and Minneapolis.
- Budget Preparation, 5%
Handled tasks related to budget preparation, assisting in developing department budgets.
- Financial Data, 5%
Researched and analyzed financial data and prepared reports.
- Financial Resources, 3%
Assisted in the development of operating budgets and the distribution of financial resources.
"payroll," "purchase orders," and "financial systems" are among the most common skills that budget assistants use at work. You can find even more budget assistant responsibilities below, including:
Analytical skills. One of the key soft skills for a budget assistant to have is analytical skills. You can see how this relates to what budget assistants do because "budget analysts must be able to process a variety of information, evaluate costs and benefits, and solve complex problems." Additionally, a budget assistant resume shows how budget assistants use analytical skills: "analyzed and entered financial data obtained from the budget management automated system peoplesoft. "
Communication skills. Another essential skill to perform budget assistant duties is communication skills. Budget assistants responsibilities require that "budget analysts must be able to explain and defend their analyses and recommendations in meetings and legislative committee hearings." Budget assistants also use communication skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "accelerated budget process through initiating regular communication with department administrators. "
Writing skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of budget assistants is writing skills. This skill is critical to many everyday budget assistant duties, as "budget analysts must present written technical information in a way that is understandable to the intended audience." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "communicate orally and in writing with higher-level analysts, laboratory and contractor staff to resolve both present and future budget issues. "
Detail oriented. For certain budget assistant responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "detail oriented." The day-to-day duties of a budget assistant rely on this skill, as "creating an efficient budget requires careful analysis of each budget item." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what budget assistants do: "prepared funding requests, developed and maintained detailed financial spreadsheets, reviewed travel projection sheets, and tracked commitments. "
Math skills. Another common skill required for budget assistant responsibilities is "math skills." This skill comes up in the duties of budget assistants all the time, as "budget analysts need math skills and the ability to use financial-management software and programs." An excerpt from a real budget assistant resume shows how this skill is central to what a budget assistant does: "prepare summaries of narrative, quantitative and statistical data in budget forms, schedule and report findings. "
The three companies that hire the most budget assistants are:
- University of Southern California3 budget assistants jobs
- American Water2 budget assistants jobs
- New York University2 budget assistants jobs
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Compare different budget assistants
Budget assistant vs. Senior cost analyst
Senior cost analysts are lead professionals who collaborate with a variety of departments to gather financial data and perform analysis to uncover inefficiencies. These analysts are required to develop accurate cost estimates that are used in producing pricing quotations on products and programs. They must utilize the enterprise resource planning (ERP) business system to track the quotation process and maintain standard costs through cost roll activities. Senior cost analysts must also collaborate with managers to facilitate initiatives and projects that are cost-saving.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, budget assistant responsibilities require skills like "purchase orders," "financial systems," "budget preparation," and "financial resources." Meanwhile a typical senior cost analyst has skills in areas such as "cost estimates," "reconciliations," "dod," and "variance analysis." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Senior cost analysts tend to make the most money working in the automotive industry, where they earn an average salary of $87,357. In contrast, budget assistants make the biggest average salary, $74,641, in the professional industry.On average, senior cost analysts reach higher levels of education than budget assistants. Senior cost analysts are 7.4% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.2% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Budget assistant vs. Cost analyst
Cost Analysts are employees with a strong background in finance or accounting. They are in charge of collecting financial data and analyzing the entries. They study the company's expenses and prepare pertinent reports. Cost Analysts look for inconsistencies in the financial data. This way, they can assist in auditing the company's spending. Cost Analysts also look for inefficiencies. They do so by tracking item costs and department budgets and monitoring department expenses. They are also involved in budget-setting activities.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real budget assistant resumes. While budget assistant responsibilities can utilize skills like "financial systems," "budget preparation," "financial resources," and "purchase card," cost analysts use skills like "cost estimates," "data analysis," "dod," and "variance analysis."
On average, cost analysts earn a lower salary than budget assistants. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, cost analysts earn the most pay in the automotive industry with an average salary of $76,426. Whereas budget assistants have higher pay in the professional industry, with an average salary of $74,641.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Cost analysts tend to reach similar levels of education than budget assistants. In fact, they're 3.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Budget assistant vs. Budget counselor
Budget/finance analysts are financial professionals who are responsible for allocating the financial resources of private companies, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies. These analysts are required to perform financial analysis and reporting to monitor the finances that are associated with business operations. They must monitor the execution of budgets within assigned offices to ensure that the organization's goals and objectives are achieved. Budget/finance analysts must also compile and evaluate accounting records to identify the necessary financial resources for the implementation of programs.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, budget assistants are more likely to have skills like "payroll," "purchase orders," "financial systems," and "budget preparation." But a budget counselor is more likely to have skills like "hs," "program monitoring," "client intake," and "ged."
Budget counselors typically earn higher educational levels compared to budget assistants. Specifically, they're 18.8% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 4.9% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Budget assistant vs. Budget/finance analyst
Types of budget assistant
Updated January 8, 2025
