Applications Consultant- Legislative Evaluation & Accountability Program (Leap)

WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATIVE EVALUATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY PROGRAM (LEAP)

106 11th Avenue SW, Suite 2300, Olympia, WA/ Phone: (360) 786-6111, email: LEAP@leg.wa.gov

JOB TITLE: Applications Consultant

LOCATION: Olympia, WA

SALARY: $106,512 to $184,520 annually

CLOSES: June 14, 2024. Please be aware that the LEAP Committee reserves the right and may exercise the option to make a hiring decision prior to the conclusion of the recruitment process. Candidate evaluation will be ongoing and it will be to the applicant's advantage to submit materials as soon as possible.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Applications consultants are full-time, non-partisan positions that are exempt from civil service.  They serve at the pleasure of the LEAP Administrator.

ABOUT THE AGENCY

The LEAP Committee was created in 1977 to provide the Legislature an independent source of information and technology for developing budgets, communicating budget decisions, and tracking expenditure and revenue activity.

Toward that end, LEAP staff create and maintain systems and models for use by budget writing staff; provide access to state fiscal information, including through the state’s fiscal transparency website; administer data to support budget development and oversight; assist fiscal staff in creating publications, provide training for legislative staff and respond to requests for information.

The legislative budget-writing committees use LEAP applications to support their analysis of budget requests. LEAP systems are used to record and communicate the underlying assumptions that support proposed funding levels for each agency of state government. LEAP systems are also used by the Legislature to compare different versions of the budget and facilitate negotiation of a final budget.

LEAP works closely with staff from the legislative fiscal committees, other legislative agencies, and the Office of Financial Management to ensure the Legislature has the most accurate, complete, and comprehensive information possible to make strategic decisions about the fiscal course of state government.

LEAP is a bipartisan committee comprised of four members of the Senate and four members of the House with a current staff of 10 and a biennial budget of $6.1 million. The agency office is in Olympia, Washington. Fully remote work has been authorized.  While most staff choose to work remotely, staff may also choose to work in a hybrid environment.  For more information regarding LEAP, please visit the website https://leap.leg.wa.gov/.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide the Legislature with accurate and timely information and reports for use in budget formulation, historical analysis, and expenditure tracking

• Understand legislative fiscal processes, the agency and executive branch budget development processes, the data utilized by each LEAP system, and the business processes associated with each system in order to communicate with those directly involved in carrying out those processes

• Partner with legislative fiscal staff to understand business needs and provide them with consulting support

• Work collaboratively as part of the LEAP Applications Development Team to:

• Determine requirements, design, develop, test, document, train, troubleshoot, and maintain operating, transportation, and capital budget development and reporting systems utilized by legislative fiscal committees and specialized systems utilized by the LEAP On-Call Support Team in a highly dynamic environment

• Create, update, and streamline Windows-based Visual Basic .NET and Transact SQL code utilized by LEAP client systems, as well as administrative systems utilized by LEAP staff

• Create, update, and streamline ad hoc queries and format information to support requests from clients for specialized data extracts and processes

• Develop and support complex Excel models

• Design, create, and maintain SQL Server databases, with a strong emphasis on data administration and integrity

• ·Work collaboratively with the LEAP Web Development Team in providing public access to state budget and oversight information via the state fiscal.wa.gov and LEAP Committee websites

• ·As part of the LEAP On-Call Support Team, provide 24/7 after-hours support to fiscal clients during legislative sessions as required, including holidays and weekends

• ·Respond to requests for information and modeling from legislators, legislative staff, legislative committees, and other entities

• ·Appreciate the dependencies on executive and non-executive branch agencies as suppliers of fiscal information to the Legislature and work with those agencies to ensure integrity and enhance the utility of information provided

Requirements

SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE PROFILE

• A proactive, flexible, and service-oriented approach to work
• Excellent analytical, quantitative, and problem-solving skills with strong attention to detail
• Experience with state and legislative budgeting and accounting processes
• High level of proficiency in multiple software applications, including Visual Studio, SQL Server, and Microsoft Office products

• ·Demonstrated ability to successfully translate the requirements of clients into technical solutions
• Experience in planning, developing, and deploying complex information technology solutions used in financial analyses and budget development
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; capability to build and maintain positive and collaborative working relationships with co-workers, legislative staff, state agency staff, and others, as well as a consistent professional approach and demeanor in high-pressure situations
• Self-motivation and a can-do attitude, with an aptitude to learn quickly and retain and apply knowledge and manage multiple tasks simultaneously, while responding to the workload demands of the Legislature

• Strong organizational skills, including the ability to prioritize and work efficiently and effectively under deadlines
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in information technology, business or public administration, mathematics, statistics, economics, or other relevant field of study; an equivalent combination of information technology or fiscal-related training and experience may substitute year for year for education

Benefits

The salary range for this position is $8,876 – $15,385 per month, depending on experience and qualifications, although the expected hiring salary will typically be less than the top of the range.  A 3 percent legislatively approved salary increase will be included effective July 1, 2024.

In addition to paid leave, a competitive state benefits package is also offered which includes a choice of medical/dental insurance plans, retirement, and life and basic long-term disability insurance.

Questions about the position or the LEAP Committee should be directed to the LEAP Administrator, Michael Mann, at (360) 786-6112 or Michael.Mann@leg.wa.gov.

The state of Washington actively supports diversity in the workplace and is an equal opportunity employer. For assistance or alternative formats, please contact our Human Resources partner at (360) 786-7337; e-mail: Senate.HRO@leg.wa.gov.