How to hire a budget technician

How to hire a budget technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step budget technician hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a budget technician job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new budget technician
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your budget technician job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a budget technician for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A budget technician's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, budget technicians from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents budget technician salaries for various positions.

   Type of Budget Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Budget Technician	Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks produce financial records for organizations. They record financial transactions, update statements, and check financial records for accuracy.	$14-26
   Finance Coordinator	Finance coordinators are skilled professionals who are employed by all types of industries to manage their financial records accurately. Under the supervision of financial managers, they correlate the company's accounts receivables and payables... Show more	$16-34
   Accounting Clerk	Accounting clerks are employees assigned to manage administrative and clerical tasks in the accounting department. Accounting clerks handle office accounting records and ensure that files are properly labeled and stored... Show more	$13-24

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Financial Management
   • Financial Data
   • Financial Reports
   • Status Updates
   • Budget Reports
   • Budget Analysis
   • Budget Preparation
   • DOD
   • Budget Formulation
   • Purchase Orders
   • Credit Card
   • Personnel Actions
   • Budget Data
   • Defense Travel System

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Develop expertise in use of PeopleSoft system to manage balance accounts for quarterly investment portfolio.
   • Supervise unit logistics team by planning logistics functions and allocating manpower to fulfill logistics requirements of the organization.
   • Verify with division that FTE levels, funding sources, account codes are correct and balance to control numbers.
   • Utilize agency allocation letters, spending plans and FTE utilization are develop within funding resources.

   More budget technician duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the budget technician job description is a good way to get more applicants. A budget technician salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a budget technician in Idaho may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level budget technician. Additionally, a budget technician with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average budget technician salary

   $42,506yearly

   $20.44 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level budget technician salary

   $31,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 30, 2026

   Average budget technician salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$49,301	$24
   2	Arizona	$43,059	$21
   3	Delaware	$38,892	$19
   4	Florida	$38,500	$19
   5	New Mexico	$36,471	$18
   6	Illinois	$34,945	$17

   Average budget technician salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	University of Southern California	$51,478	$24.75
   2	National Park Foundation	$47,932	$23.04
   3	State Center Community College	$46,102	$22.16	3
   4	United States Army Corps of Engineers	$44,514	$21.40
   5	Indian Health Service	$44,270	$21.28
   6	Army National Guard	$44,171	$21.24
   7	Santa Rosa City Schools	$41,673	$20.04
   8	Albuquerque Academy	$36,024	$17.32	2
   9	Phoenix Union High School District	$35,298	$16.97

4. Writing a budget technician job description

   A budget technician job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a budget technician job description:

   Budget technician job description example

   General Purpose
   
   Under general supervision, performs a variety of responsible technical and administrative duties in the administration and monitoring of general fund, categorical and grant-funded budgets for programs and services; monitors and verifies expenditures; prepares and processes a variety of accounting forms and other documents; summarizes data and prepares reports; and performs related duties as assigned.
   
   Essential Duties & Responsibilities
   
   The duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to this class.
   
   * Assists or participates in developing and monitoring budgets for single- and multi-year categorical and grant-funded programs; reviews Labor Distribution Reports to verify and calculate payroll and benefit costs; verifies the allowability of planned program expenditures; ensures requirements for matching and in-kind funds are planned for; runs general budget reports through spreadsheets and financial systems and calculates budgets based on fiscal cycles for District and funding sources; reviews any issues and concerns with program managers to ensure resolution.
   
   * Creates expenditure forecasts; maintains separate budget and expense tracking programs to monitor expenditures for multiple funding sources; monitors encumbrances and expenditures and calculates grant budget usage and fund percentages; verifies monthly Labor Distribution Reports and takes action to correct any discrepancies; reconciles expenditures with the general ledger; ensures expenses are posted to the correct budget numbers; researches and prepares budget and expenditure adjustments and transfers to correct discrepancies and submits for manager approval.
   
   * Prepares and processes for approval purchase requisitions, purchase orders and check requests, ensuring accuracy and compliance with funding source and District policies and procedures; verifies the accuracy of delivery receipts and invoices and routes for signature; compiles required documentation; routes invoices for payment; prepares and processes expense-related forms including travel and conference requests, requests for reimbursement, mileage forms and expense reports, ensuring accuracy and compliance with District policies and procedures; reconciles credit card statements.
   
   * Prepares or assists in preparing and submitting for review quarterly and annual financial reports for state and federal grants, following established procedures; reviews funding agency reporting requirements and works with staff and grant monitors to verify the allowability of expenditures; with approval, formats grant data for entry into required reporting databases or billing systems.
   
   * Provides administrative support for grant-funded programs; prepares and processes new hire and payroll forms and documents; researches and obtains key data and statistics from varying sources for grant reports and other documents; transfers data from District systems and programs into grant funding agency reporting systems; completes required forms and edits and formats proposal and renewal documents; manipulates grant data to fit required formats; researches and data enters required grant data and statistics into funding agency data collection systems.
   
   * Maintains files and backup documentation such as time allocation worksheets in preparation for audit; assists in maintaining an asset inventory including any equipment or other items purchased using grant funds.
   
   * Demonstrates sensitivity to and understanding of historically minoritized groups and participates in professional development activities to increase cultural competency to enhance equity-minded practices within the District.
   
   OTHER DUTIES
   
   * Monitors adjunct faculty hours for programs to ensure load requirements are not exceeded per bargaining unit provisions; monitors work hours for other employees as necessary.
   
   * Prepares routine drafts of contracts and MOUs for vendors delivering program services.
   
   * Performs general administrative and clerical support duties as required.
   
   * Performs related duties as assigned.
   
   Employment Standards / Minimum Qualifications
   
   KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
   
   Knowledge of:
   
   * District policies, procedures and practices governing budgeting, purchasing, accounts payable processing, cash handling and receipting and related financial transactions.
   
   * Paraprofessional accounting methods and practices.
   
   * Business math.
   
   * Use and operation of applicable modules of the District's enterprise accounting and finance systems.
   
   * State and federal laws and regulations applicable to the application for and administration of grants and categorically-funded programs for a variety of programs and functions.
   
   * General understanding of sources of information relating to requirements for administration of grant and categorical programs such as Title V, Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) and 2 CFR 200.
   
   * Customer service practices and etiquette.
   
   * Principles and practices of sound business communication including English usage, spelling, grammar and punctuation.
   
   * Office practices, procedures and equipment including appropriate software applications.
   
   Skills and Abilities to:
   
   * Read, understand, interpret and apply state and federal requirements and guidelines for the development of program budgets and administration of grant and categorically-funded programs, particularly with regard to the allowability of expenditures.
   
   * Make highly detailed comparisons, calculations and tabulations of financial data and review accounting and related documents accurately and with high attention to detail.
   
   * Carry out work independently, ensuring a high degree of accuracy.
   
   * Organize, set priorities and exercise sound judgment within established guidelines.
   
   * Interpret, apply and explain rules, regulations, policies and procedures and apply them in a variety of procedural situations.
   
   * Operate a computer using spreadsheet and other standard business software; operate other standard office equipment.
   
   * Maintain a variety of financial records and files.
   
   * Maintain confidentiality of documents and records.
   
   * Effectively engage and support historically minoritized groups by addressing issues of equity and improving culturally responsive service-oriented practices.
   
   * Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
   
   * Understand and follow written and oral instructions.
   
   * Operate a computer and use standard business software.
   
   * Establish and maintain effective working relationships with all those encountered in the course of work.
   
   EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
   
   Graduation from high school or GED equivalent supplemented by college coursework in accounting, and at least three years of progressively responsible experience performing financial or statistical recordkeeping, paraprofessional accounting or bookkeeping; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
   
   Completion of sixty college units including fifteen units in accounting OR?an associate degree in accounting, business or a related field is preferred.
   
   LICENSES, CERTIFICATES AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS
   
   A valid California driver's license and the ability to maintain insurability under the District's vehicle insurance program.
   
   PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS
   
   The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by employees to successfully perform the essential functions of this class. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
   
   Physical Demands
   
   While performing the duties of this class, employees are regularly required to sit; talk or hear, both in person and by telephone; use hands repetitively to finger, handle, feel or operate computers and standard office equipment; and reach with hands and arms. An employee is frequently required to stand and walk; and lift up to 10 pounds and occasionally up to 25 pounds.
   
   Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.
   
   Mental Demands
   
   While performing the duties of this class, employees are regularly required to use written and oral communication skills; read and interpret data, information and documents; analyze and solve problems; use math and mathematical reasoning; learn and apply new information and skills; perform highly detailed work on multiple concurrent tasks with frequent interruptions; and interact with managers, employees, students and others encountered in the course of work, some of whom may be dissatisfied or concerned.
   
   WORKING ENVIRONMENT
   
   The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential duties of this class. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
   
   Employees work under typical office conditions where the noise level is quiet.
   
   The employee may be required to travel to locations other than assigned work site and to adjust to work schedule changes and requirements to work overtime.
   
   Assessment Process
   
   Only the most qualified applicants will be invited to interview for the assignment.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find budget technicians for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any budget technicians they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level budget technicians with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   To find budget technician candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as efinancialcareers, financialjobsweb.com, careerbank, financial job bank.
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting budget technicians requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new budget technician

   Once you've found the budget technician candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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