Budget Manager (Bronx)

Legal Services NYC (LSNYC) fights poverty and seeks racial, social and economic justice for low-income New Yorkers. For over 50 years, we have challenged systemic injustices that trap people in poverty and provided legal services that help our clients meet basic needs for housing, income and economic security, family and immigration stability, education, and health care. LSNYC is the largest civil legal services provider in the country; our staff of more than 600 people in neighborhood-based offices and outreach sites across all five boroughs helps hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers annually. We partner with scores of community-based and client-run organizations, elected officials, public agencies, pro bono lawyers, and the courts to maximize our effectiveness. Our work fights discrimination and helps to achieve equity for all low-income New Yorkers.

LSNYC employees have numerous opportunities for growth and professional development, including access to our internal Justice Learning Center, which provides opportunities to earn free CLEs and gain experience as a trainer. 

The Position:

Legal Services NYC (LSNYC) seeks a full-time Borough Budget Manager to be assigned to Bronx Legal Services, one of LSNYC’s constituent corporations. The Borough Budget Manager will report directly to the Project Director in the Bronx and dotted line report to the Director of Finance in the LSNYC central office. The successful candidate will be responsible for collaborating with the Project Director to oversee budgets, do forecast scenario planning, and ensure that grants and contracts are financially on-target. They will also work closely with the rest of the budget team as well as interface with the grant accounting team, as necessary.

Responsibilities will include:

• Assist in the creation of monthly budget workbooks by providing borough budget information to LSNYC’s Finance Department. Manage the budget information in the new budget tool application that is in the process of being implemented.
• Provide accurate and timely grants and contract spending analyses and Finance Department reports to Project Directors to address budget vs. actual spending variances.
• Work with Borough management to ensure proper business processes are in place which in turn ensure the timeliness and accuracy of payment requests and labor charging.
• Understand how flex funds are budgeted and consumed, and provide a clear explanation of how changes in contract and grant funding impact the Bronx’s flexible fund budgets.
• Regarding sponsor proposal requests, coordinate with the Finance Department regarding the identification of resources needed to perform the terms of the contract and any contract terms impacting the allowability of costs and financial reporting requirements. Take the lead in working with Borough management to create budgets for proposal requests.
• Provide unit budgets to Project Directors so they can make unit hiring decisions using real data about the cost of those units.
• Work closely and collaborate with Project Directors to ensure that budgetary decision-making on urgent matters and concerns are addressed in a timely fashion and in coordination with the Finance Department.
• Coordinate with the Finance Department Grant Accounting unit and Budgeting unit to review, assess and resolve any budget-related issues.
• Attend required meetings with the finance team and borough specific meetings in order to facilitate the communication of financial information.

Requirements:

• Minimum BA degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in accounting or budgeting roles. Experience working with budgets are a must.
• Knowledge of not-for-profit accounting preferred.
• Ability to meet and prioritize multiple deadlines and work as part of a team in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment.
• Knowledge of Accounting and Grant Accounting software.
• Solid Excel experience including the use of Pivot tables, VLOOKUP, If and other function commands.
• Commitment to the organization's mission and social justice, and commitment to working with a diverse staff are both essential.
• Ability and willingness to work both independently and as a team member in a highly collaborative environment.
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.

All employees are strongly encouraged to continue to receive and maintain up-to-date COVID vaccinations unless they are unable to for medical or religious reasons.

Legal Services NYC is an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, people over 40, and gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people are strongly encouraged to apply.