Memphis Area Transit Authority Careers
Description
Effective Date: December 22, 2025FLSA: Exempt, Full-TimeJob Title: Budget SpecialistDepartment: FinanceReports To: Director of FinanceJob Function: The Budget Specialist supports the development, monitoring, and forecasting of MATA’s operating and capital budgets. This role plays a critical function in strengthening financial controls, ensuring alignment between budget, payroll, and position control, and supporting compliance with federal, state, and local funding requirements, including Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grants.The Budget Specialist works closely with department leadership across Operations, Maintenance, Planning, Grants, and Administration to support disciplined budget execution, proactive forecasting, and transparent financial reporting.
Duties and Responsibilities Annual Budget Development (Operating & Capital)
Support the development of MATA’s annual operating and capital budgets in coordination with Finance leadership.
Prepare budget schedules, templates, and instructions for departments.
Review departmental budget submissions for accuracy, completeness, and consistency with prior year trends and approved assumptions.
Analyze labor costs, overtime, vacancies, fuel, parts, contracted services, and other key transit cost drivers.
Ensure approved staffing plans, service levels, and grant-funded positions are accurately reflected in the budget.
Prepare budget backup schedules, narratives, and summary tables for executive leadership, Trustees, and external stakeholders.
Monthly Forecasting & Financial Projections
Maintain monthly and quarterly forecasts for operating departments and funds.
Monitor projected year-end results compared to the adopted budget.
Analyze forecast changes related to ridership trends, service adjustments, labor costs, overtime usage, fuel prices, and grant activity.
Update forecasts based on departmental input, actual spending trends, and leadership.
Support multi-year financial projections as needed for service planning, grant applications, and long-term financial sustainability.
Budget-to-Actual Monitoring
Prepare and review monthly budget-to-actual reports for all departments.
Identify significant variances and emerging financial risks.
Partner with department leadership to understand drivers of variances and identify corrective actions.
Ensure expenses are properly classified and aligned with approved budget categories and funding sources.
Support budget amendments and reallocations when required.
Department Engagement & Monthly Budget Reviews
Serve as a primary finance contact for assigned MATA departments.
Conduct monthly budget review meetings with department heads and designees.
Prepare variance summaries, forecasts, and discussion materials in advance of meetings.
Document decisions, follow-up actions, and required budget adjustments.
Provide ongoing guidance on budget management, allowable costs, and financial controls.
Position Control & Payroll Reconciliation
Perform routine reconciliation of position control to payroll, budget, and HR records.
Verify that filled and vacant positions align with approved staffing plans and budget authorizations.
Identify discrepancies related to hires, separations, reclassifications, overtime, and grant-funded positions.
Coordinate with Human Resources and Payroll to resolve inconsistencies.
Support labor cost forecasting, vacancy tracking, and overtime analysis.
Reporting, Compliance & Audit Support
Prepare internal management reports and ad hoc financial analyses.
Maintain documentation supporting budget assumptions, forecasts, and adjustments.
Support external audits, FTA reviews, and internal control assessments by providing financial and staffing documentation.
Assist with reporting requirements tied to federal and state transit funding as requested.
Budget Systems Automation & Reporting Development
Support the development and maintenance of automated budget and forecasting tools to improve accuracy, consistency, and timeliness of financial reporting.
Partner with Finance leadership, IT, Payroll, and HR to identify opportunities to streamline manual budget, forecasting, and position control processes.
Assist in the design and improvement of standardized budget-to-actual reports, forecast dashboards, and management reporting templates.
Help define data requirements, report logic, and business rules for budget and staffing reports across systems.
Support automation of recurring reports, including monthly budget-to-actuals, forecast updates, and department-level summaries.
Test and validate automated reports to ensure data integrity and alignment with approved budgets and payroll records.
Document reporting processes, assumptions, and data sources to support continuity, training, and audit readiness.
Serve as a functional subject-matter resource for budget reporting tools and financial systems used by MATA.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Public Administration, Business, or related field.
Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in budgeting or financial analysis, preferably in a public sector or transportation environment.
Demonstrated experience with budget-to-actual analysis and forecasting.
Experience working with labor-heavy budgets and position control.
Strong Excel skills and experience with financial reporting systems.
Experience in public transportation, transit authorities, or local government finance preferred.
Familiarity with FTA funding, grants management, or federally funded programs.
Experience with ERP or financial systems used in public agencies.
Regular and consistent attendance is necessary.
Must always comply with safety and COVID protocols and is expected to monitor compliance by employees for information sharing with HR management as needed.
Must have and maintain a valid driver’s license in accordance with general company standards.
Key Skills & Competencies
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
Ability to clearly communicate financial information to operational leaders
High attention to detail and accuracy
Strong organization and follow-through
Professional judgment and discretion
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced operational environment
The above description is intended to describe the general content, identify the essential functions, and set forth the requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements.
Memphis Area Transit Authority Careers
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Duties and Responsibilities Annual Budget Development (Operating & Capital)
Support the development of MATA’s annual operating and capital budgets in coordination with Finance leadership.
Prepare budget schedules, templates, and instructions for departments.
Review departmental budget submissions for accuracy, completeness, and consistency with prior year trends and approved assumptions.
Analyze labor costs, overtime, vacancies, fuel, parts, contracted services, and other key transit cost drivers.
Ensure approved staffing plans, service levels, and grant-funded positions are accurately reflected in the budget.
Prepare budget backup schedules, narratives, and summary tables for executive leadership, Trustees, and external stakeholders.
Monthly Forecasting & Financial Projections
Maintain monthly and quarterly forecasts for operating departments and funds.
Monitor projected year-end results compared to the adopted budget.
Analyze forecast changes related to ridership trends, service adjustments, labor costs, overtime usage, fuel prices, and grant activity.
Update forecasts based on departmental input, actual spending trends, and leadership.
Support multi-year financial projections as needed for service planning, grant applications, and long-term financial sustainability.
Budget-to-Actual Monitoring
Prepare and review monthly budget-to-actual reports for all departments.
Identify significant variances and emerging financial risks.
Partner with department leadership to understand drivers of variances and identify corrective actions.
Ensure expenses are properly classified and aligned with approved budget categories and funding sources.
Support budget amendments and reallocations when required.
Department Engagement & Monthly Budget Reviews
Serve as a primary finance contact for assigned MATA departments.
Conduct monthly budget review meetings with department heads and designees.
Prepare variance summaries, forecasts, and discussion materials in advance of meetings.
Document decisions, follow-up actions, and required budget adjustments.
Provide ongoing guidance on budget management, allowable costs, and financial controls.
Position Control & Payroll Reconciliation
Perform routine reconciliation of position control to payroll, budget, and HR records.
Verify that filled and vacant positions align with approved staffing plans and budget authorizations.
Identify discrepancies related to hires, separations, reclassifications, overtime, and grant-funded positions.
Coordinate with Human Resources and Payroll to resolve inconsistencies.
Support labor cost forecasting, vacancy tracking, and overtime analysis.
Reporting, Compliance & Audit Support
Prepare internal management reports and ad hoc financial analyses.
Maintain documentation supporting budget assumptions, forecasts, and adjustments.
Support external audits, FTA reviews, and internal control assessments by providing financial and staffing documentation.
Assist with reporting requirements tied to federal and state transit funding as requested.
Budget Systems Automation & Reporting Development
Support the development and maintenance of automated budget and forecasting tools to improve accuracy, consistency, and timeliness of financial reporting.
Partner with Finance leadership, IT, Payroll, and HR to identify opportunities to streamline manual budget, forecasting, and position control processes.
Assist in the design and improvement of standardized budget-to-actual reports, forecast dashboards, and management reporting templates.
Help define data requirements, report logic, and business rules for budget and staffing reports across systems.
Support automation of recurring reports, including monthly budget-to-actuals, forecast updates, and department-level summaries.
Test and validate automated reports to ensure data integrity and alignment with approved budgets and payroll records.
Document reporting processes, assumptions, and data sources to support continuity, training, and audit readiness.
Serve as a functional subject-matter resource for budget reporting tools and financial systems used by MATA.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Public Administration, Business, or related field.
Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in budgeting or financial analysis, preferably in a public sector or transportation environment.
Demonstrated experience with budget-to-actual analysis and forecasting.
Experience working with labor-heavy budgets and position control.
Strong Excel skills and experience with financial reporting systems.
Experience in public transportation, transit authorities, or local government finance preferred.
Familiarity with FTA funding, grants management, or federally funded programs.
Experience with ERP or financial systems used in public agencies.
Regular and consistent attendance is necessary.
Must always comply with safety and COVID protocols and is expected to monitor compliance by employees for information sharing with HR management as needed.
Must have and maintain a valid driver’s license in accordance with general company standards.
Key Skills & Competencies
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
Ability to clearly communicate financial information to operational leaders
High attention to detail and accuracy
Strong organization and follow-through
Professional judgment and discretion
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced operational environment
The above description is intended to describe the general content, identify the essential functions, and set forth the requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements.
Memphis Area Transit Authority Careers
#J-18808-Ljbffr