Budget & Accounting SME (Dept. of Defense/US Navy)

Position Overview

Budget & Accounting SME (Department of Defense/US Navy).Schedule: Hybrid (2-3 days onsite)Location: Arlington, VA. Must hold an active Secret Clearance.
In this role, you will support the Department of Navy (DON) Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Financial Management and Comptroller) within the Financial Management and Budget (FMB) organization. Working in a complex customer environment and interacting directly with senior-level leaders, you will leverage your subject matter expertise to drive effective budget formulation, execution, and strategic innovation that advances the DON mission. Established in 2010, @Orchard has built an exceptional reputation for addressing critical talent needs. To learn more about our opportunities, please visit www.atorchard.com.

Key Responsibilities

• Work closely with Project and Program Managers to oversee contract performance and ensure compliance with the statement of work, specifications, or performance work statement.
• Provide expert advice, assistance, and guidance on the development and submission of budget priorities while offering input on strategic planning initiatives.
• Advise senior leaders on budget submissions and justifications.
• Conduct analyses, reviews, and special studies of budget and related information.
• Lead and/or perform specialized economic analyses and impact studies in support of diverse budget programs.
• Utilize automated budgetary systems and computer-generated reports to accomplish budgeting assignments.
• Collaborate with senior staff as a lead budget analyst to develop and recommend milestones, objectives, and plans that align with long- and short-range mission priorities.
• Develop procedures to integrate budgetary and program information to meet reporting requirements and assist managers in fulfilling their responsibilities.
• Innovate budgetary solutions to address complex program challenges.
• Prepare detailed analyses of annual and multi-year budget estimates to consolidate departmental budget requests.
• Develop operational and financial plans, estimate financial resource needs, and recommend funding strategies for programs.
• Review proposals for completeness, accuracy, and adherence to organizational procedures and regulations.
• Apply cost-benefit analyses to evaluate financial requests, assess program tradeoffs, and explore alternative funding methods.
• Provide Budget Formulation Guidance to Secretariat Staff Offices.
• Prepare Budget Exhibits by appropriation and other topics, including the Audit Resources Budget Exhibit.
• Prepare SRB and POM/DON/OSD/Congressional Submissions.
• Draft responses to Congressional RFIs and Appeals in collaboration with FM&C leadership, ensuring alignment with budget strategy.
• Combine individual departmental budgets into consolidated operating and capital budget summaries supporting funding decisions.
• Recommend alternatives if budget summaries do not align with current needs and restrictions.
• Provide Budget Execution Guidance to Secretariat Staff Offices and monitor budget obligations and expenditures across various funding sources.
• Maintain robust internal controls over all aspects of budget formulation and execution to prevent waste, fraud, abuse, or mismanagement.
• Compile background and historical data to develop budget estimates, justifications, and operational cost assessments.
• Execute additional budget activities including tracking, reporting, dormant account reviews, and support for the Services Requirements Review Board (SRRB).

Required Qualifications

• Must have an active Secret Clearance.
• Demonstrated experience with Navy budget systems and tools (e.g., Navy ERP and PBIS).
• Proven ability to analyze financial statements and budget execution reports.
• In-depth understanding of the budget formulation and execution processes in the Defense Working Capital Funds (DWCF), including rate-setting for various business lines in DoD working capital funds.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite.
• Proficient knowledge of Excel, including pivot tables and formulas.
• Solid verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong critical thinking, analytical, planning, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Preferred experience as a Budget Analyst for a large Department of Defense Agency.
• Prior technical experience with ADVANA systems (Qlik, Databricks) is a plus.

Benefits & Perks

• Excellent benefits package and career progression opportunities.