Budget Director in Salt Lake City, Utah at Utah Transit Authority

Description

Budget Director

As the Budget Director for the Utah Transit Authority, you will have the opportunity to shape the financial strategy behind one of the largest public transit systems in the region. You will translate strategy into funded action—balancing operational needs, capital investment, and long-term fiscal sustainability while supporting safe, reliable service and major system growth. This is a highly visible leadership role where your work directly influences both day-to-day operations and the future of transit expansion.

As the Budget Director, you will:

• Provide strategic financial leadership for Utah Transit Authority’s (UTA) operating and capital budgets, long-range financial planning, and forecasting activity to support safe, reliable, and fiscal sustainability along the Wasatch Front.
• Be responsible for developing and managing the annual operating budget and current-year capital budget, leading short- and long-term financial planning, and providing timely, accurate financial information and analysis to the Chief Capital Services Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Executive Director, Executive Team, and other internal stakeholders.
• Oversee analysis of operating expenses, current-year capital expenditures, personnel and non-personnel costs, sales tax and other revenue streams, and grant-funded programs.
• Lead finance data modeling to support decisions related to service levels, capital budget execution, workforce planning, and budget sustainability.
• Be responsible for budget policy discipline and forecast governance, including quarterly and year-end spend estimate reviews, and no-surprise escalation of budget and funding risks.
• Coordinate closely with Accounting, Procurement, the Contract Management Office (CMO), Grants, Treasury, Capital Development, Service Planning, and the People Office.
• Note that post-award contract administration, vendor performance management, and amendment workflow governance are led by the CMO; this role retains responsibility for the budget and financial impact of contract decisions.

EXPERIENCE/EDUCATION/TRAINING

• 7–10 years of progressively responsible experience in budgeting, financial planning, or related finance functions (public sector/transit/local government/infrastructure preferred); 3–5 years of supervisory/management experience leading professional staff.
• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Public Administration, Business Administration, or a related field. Master’s degree preferred.

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES

• Deep knowledge of operating and capital budgeting, forecasting, and long-range financial planning in a public or quasi-public environment.
• Strong financial modeling, scenario analysis, and data visualization skills; experience with enterprise financial systems, budget models, and reporting tools.
• Understanding of public sector/transit finance including dedicated funding sources (sales tax), grants, and capital funding structures; knowledge of fund accounting/GASB and grant compliance preferred.
• Ability to communicate complex financial information clearly to internal leadership and stakeholders. Ability to establish budget governance discipline across multiple departments while partnering effectively with Treasury, Accounting, Grants, Procurement, and the Contract Management Office. Demonstrated leadership, team building, and change-management skills; high integrity, sound judgment, and commitment to fiscal stewardship.
• Maintain regular and predictable attendance.

UTA Competencies:

• Business Acumen – Maintaining an up-to date understanding of the broader issues affecting field of expertise and organization.
• Managerial Courage – Standing strong in the face of adversity and taking necessary risk to achieve results.
• Change Management – Dealing comfortably with the uncertainty of change. Dealing constructively with problems that do not have clear solutions or outcomes.
• Communicates Effectively – Creating an open environment in which thoughts are expressed freely and information flows easily.
• Decision Making – Making sounds decisions that consider multiple options, seeking input from others; reaching good decisions in a timely manner.
• Drives Results – Fostering a strong bottom-line orientation; accomplishing objectives despite obstacles and setbacks; exceeding goals successfully; pushing self and others to achieve results.
• Social Acumen – Exhibiting strong Emotional Intelligence skills (self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship management). Relating comfortably with people across levels, functions, culture, and geography. Partnering with others to get work done. Navigating conflict. Seeking feedback without being defensive.
• Develops Self & Others – Taking action to continuously improve. Accepting assignments that broaden capabilities. Placing a high priority on developing others. Developing others through coaching, feedback, exposure, and stretch assignments.
• Ensures Fairness – Concerned with the welfare of others and expressing that concern on a personal level. Distributing resources fairly. Giving others a voice prior to reaching decisions that affect them. Reaching decisions through a fair process. Explaining to others why and how decisions were made that impact them.
• Safety – Acting as a Safety Ambassador by working safely, complying with requirements and serving as an example to others. Wearing required personal protective equipment.
• Integrity – Acting with honesty, strong ethics, and accountability and taking responsibility for actions and mistakes.
• Belonging – Creating a culture where employees are seen, heard, valued and safe to be authentic.
• Teamwork – Building strong teams that create an environment where everyone’s unique skills and perspective contribute to shared purpose, connection and achievement of goals.
• Empowerment – Creating a workplace environment where people are proper resourced and motivated to do their best in solving problems and taking ownership of their work.
• Accountability – Taking ownership of Self-actions, decisions and performance.

- OR -

An equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.

[UTA reserves the right to determine the equivalencies of education and experience.]

Pay Rate: $117,700.00 or more, depending on experience

If interested, apply before: Friday, June 19th, 2026 @ 11:59 PM MST

As a full-time Administrative Employee, your Total Rewards Benefits Package will include:

• Health, dental, vision, life/AD&D, short-term and long-term disability insurance, with Flexible Spending and Dependent Care accounts. Choice between Traditional Co-Pay or High Deductible Health Plans for medical coverage. HSA with company match available to employees enrolled in the HDHP. Benefit plans include coverage for domestic partners (eligibility affidavit required for coverage).
• Onsite Health and Wellness Clinics for medical care at no cost to employees, spouses, domestic partners, and dependent children.
• 22 days of accrued paid time off (13 vacation days and 9 sick days), which increases with tenure at UTA.
• 10 paid holidays and two paid (2) floating holidays per year.
• Retirement options - Pension Plan with 5-year vesting schedule and 457 Contribution Plan, available for immediate contributions and company matching.
• Generous tuition reimbursement for higher education, available for any higher education degree (bachelor, master, or PHD). Course of study must be approved prior to enrollment.
• Training, development, and career advancement opportunities.
• Paid parental leave for birth, adoption, and child placement (after 12 months of employment).
• Free transit passes for employees, their spouses, and their dependent children.
• Employee assistance program – includes counseling, legal services, financial planning, etc.
• UTA Well – a comprehensive wellness program designed to support employees and dependents in their health and wellness goals.
• Free on-site fitness facilities and discounted membership to VASA Fitness and EoS Fitness.
• Discounted cell phone plans with T-Mobile and AT&T.
• Pet insurance plan options (tailored plan coverage based on pet’s health and needs).

PM21

Utah Transit Authority is an Equal Opportunity Employer of all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, covered veterans, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Women, minorities, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Applicants needing an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act for any part of the application process should contact UTA Human Resources at 801-287-2324. A minimum of two work days' notice prior to the need for the accommodation is required.

Utah Transit Authority is a drug-free workplace, subject to federal drug and alcohol testing regulations under 49 CFR Part 40, 655, and 219. All offers for employment are contingent upon a successful pre-employment drug test. If a pre-employment test returns a non-negative result, an application for employment may be rejected. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion and post-accident testing for drug and alcohol use. All safety sensitive employees are subject to random testing for drug and alcohol use.