Financial Analyst Entry

To perform professional technical and analytical functions in a variety of financial areas including financing, financial modeling, cash management, and planning and analysis to ensure SMUD's financing requirements are met and financial assets are managed to maximize benefits to SMUD within legal and established SMUD policy constraints.

This classification is comprised of two levels: Level "E" is the entry-level where incumbents are provided formal training and/or certification for progression to the journey-level of the classification. The incumbent is promoted/progressed to the journey level "J" upon successful completion of all training and/or certification requirements for the classification. Incumbents hired at the entry-level are required to successfully progress to the journey-level within 18 to 60 months, depending on the length of the training and/or certification program. If an employee is unsuccessful with progressing to the journey-level they will return to last class held or separate from SMUD.

• Supports SMUD's financing strategies by assisting in the development and implementation of financial plans; performing financial analysis; identifying trends; projecting future income and expenses; developing or modifying financial strategies; assisting with the timely completion of financial data and complex tax and financing issues by communicating and coordinating with SMUD's bond underwriters, commercial bank syndicate, consultants, bond counsel, SMUD staff and/or others; and assisting with internal and external financial presentations. To ensure SMUD's financial strategies meet its capital requirements within a given timeframe while minimizing the risk and cost to the SMUD.
• Monitors SMUD's cash by supporting the cash management function; preparing cash forecasts; tracking and managing bank balances; establishing and maintaining cash management records; and meeting reporting requirements for SMUD participated joint power authorities. To ensure SMUD's cash assets are efficiently managed to maximize investment earnings while minimizing service fees and other erroneous costs.
• Provides credible financial information by performing financial modeling, planning and analyzes; developing, modifying, enhancing, documenting, configuring, programming, and conducting training on long and short-term financial models; collecting, analyzing and interpreting financial and budget information for cash flow models; and maintaining the cash flow model. To ensure SMUD has adequate financial data to maintain its financial integrity while supporting its long and short-term business decisions.
• Informs the financial community and internal staff of SMUD's financial status by disseminating financial information; contributing to the Quarterly Review financial newsletter; responding to questions and concerns from interested parties; offering management analysis and detailed financial reports; and reporting to the financial community of changes related to SMUD's financial status. To support SMUD's rate structure and business decisions while maintaining its relationship and cooperation with institutional investors, municipal market analysts and other interested parties.
• Assists in planning, reviewing and conducting work activities and researching required project information associated with department internal/external projects in accordance with established task objectives and schedule as outlined in the project plan/contract. To support the overall achievement and completion of department projects.
• Performs related duties as required.

• BA/BS degree from an accredited college or university majoring in Business or Public Administration, Finance, Economics, Accounting or related field or equivalent experience. If no degree, five more more (5+) years of relevant experience are required.

• One or more (1+) years of increasingly responsible relevant work experience in financial forecasting, analysis and modeling, cash management and/or debt management.

Safety policies, practices and procedures; standard operating procedures for modern office equipment including a computer and applicable software; English grammar, punctuation and vocabulary standards; SMUD policies and procedures related to financing and cash management; methods and techniques for report preparation and writing; principles and practices of various analytical approaches; techniques and practices for cost benefit analyses; principles, procedures and practices related to financing and cash management; federal, state and local laws, codes and regulations governing municipal finance, investments and operations; interrelationships between SMUD's operations and relevant external entities; methods and techniques for record keeping; techniques and practices for problem research and resolution; concepts and practices of general and governmental fiscal control and reporting; terminology used in public financing and accounting; principles and practices used to develop financial projections and models; techniques of financial analysis and modeling, derivative products and credit enhancements; basic budgeting techniques; techniques and practices for negotiating.

Utilize a personal computer and/or computer terminal, systems and software relevant to the job; communicate effectively orally and in writing internally/externally; establish and maintain working relationships internally/externally; compile and prepare technical, statistical and/or analytical reports and presentations; express ideas/facts clearly and concisely to individual or groups, taking into account the audience and nature of information; apply applicable laws, codes and regulations; gather data from appropriate sources and identify relevant factors; generate a number of viable alternatives to problems; prepare a business case to weigh the relative costs and benefits of a potential action; interpret, analyze and apply pertinent policies, procedures, regulations and requirements; weigh the relative costs and benefits of a potential action; assist in budget preparation and administration; schedule and prioritize own work assignments to meet expected timeframes; prepare financial analysis and forecasting; evaluate budgets; develop and implement cash flow, banking and investment record keeping systems; maintain computer models and operations.

• Some experience in cash management, accounting, experience with enterprise resource planning (ERP) financial software, such as SAP, spreadsheet analysis and financial data reporting, and/or previous work experience in Treasury operations, preferably within the utility industry or public sector, is a plus.