Principal Financial Analyst

Principal Financial Analyst

Ride BART to a satisfying career that lets you both : 1) make a difference to Bay Area residents, and 2) enjoy excellent pay, benefits, and employment stability. BART is looking for people who like to be challenged, work in a fast-paced environment, and have a passion for connecting riders to work, school and other places they need to go. BART offers a competitive salary, comprehensive health benefits, paid time off, and the CalPERS retirement program.

The Principal Financial Analyst plays a pivotal role in advancing the Department's strategic financial objectives. The successful candidate will perform in-depth and complex analyses, developing comprehensive financial and operational models to support a department comprising over 800 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) across more than 50 distinct job classifications, many of which are union represented. The Principal Financial Analyst will lead efforts in cost optimization for maintenance activities, leveraging advanced Excel and other data analysis tools such as SQL, Python and R for data extraction, manipulation, and in-depth analysis. The developed models will ensure that Rolling Stock and Shops (RS&S) aligns staffing and material resources with operational demands, service level agreements, railcar availability, efficiency, reliability metrics, collective bargaining parameters, and other key variables. This alignment is crucial for the efficient and effective use of support staff and maintenance shop resources. In addition to these core responsibilities, the Principal Financial Analyst will undertake ad hoc costing and analysis tasks, including but not limited to staffing forecasts, cost-benefit analysis, labor costings, operating and capital budgeting, and trend analysis. The role also involves data modeling activities, such as labor hour tracking, non-labor and parts analysis, and labor studies. The PFA will complete analysis projects and deliver strategic and operational scenarios to management, facilitating informed decision-making and implementation. The Principal Financial Analyst will also generate reports and operations-based financial results, providing managers with critical insights to drive decision-making and evaluate the effectiveness of current programs and metrics. Additionally, may act as the subject matter expert in data analytics, business intelligence, and operational reporting for RS&S management and other District departments. The Principal Financial Analyst will have a proven track record in supporting operations through resource forecasting, predictive analytics, and the development and monitoring of key performance indicators within an operational context. This individual will have demonstrated effective communication across various staff levels and will have a natural curiosity, a strong interest in collaborating with a wide range of people, and a commitment to spending time in a maintenance facility to gain a deeper understanding of railcar maintenance operations. The ideal candidate will embrace a continuous improvement mindset and be dedicated to the ongoing development of professional and technical skills.

The most qualified candidates for this position will have highly developed competencies in the following areas, which will be reinforced with related work experience and will be clearly articulated during the selection process :

• Extensive experience in conducting complex financial analyses and developing robust financial and data models.
• Proficiency in extracting, manipulating, analyzing, and integrating large datasets.
• Familiarity with Oracle-based financial, budgetary, and human resource systems or equivalent ERP systems.
• Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to frame issues and structure data for thorough analysis.
• Capacity to comprehend complex issues and work collaboratively towards effective solutions.
• Excellent research, reading comprehension, and professional writing abilities.
• Ability and enthusiasm for working in a fast-paced, dynamic, and evolving environment.
• Comfort with managing ambiguity and adapting to changing circumstances.

Selection process : This position is represented by American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). Applications will be screened to assure that minimum qualifications are met. Those applicants who meet minimum qualifications will then be referred to the hiring department for the completion of further selection processes. The selection process for this position may include a skills / performance demonstration, a written examination, and / or an individual or panel interview. The successful candidate must have an employment history demonstrating reliability and dependability; provide copies of certificates, diplomas or other documents as required by law, including those establishing his / her right to work in the U. S.; pass a pre-employment medical examination which includes a drug and alcohol screen, and which is specific to the essential job functions and requirements. Pre-employment processing will also include a background check. (Does not apply to current full-time District employees unless specific job requires additional evaluations) The selection process for this position will be in accordance with the applicable collective bargaining agreement.

Application process : External applicants may only apply online, at www.bart.gov / jobs. Applicants needing assistance with the online application process may receive additional information by calling (510) 464-6112. Current employees are strongly encouraged to apply online, either at www.bart.gov / jobs, or on WebBART. Current employees may also apply using a BART paper application by delivering the completed form to the Human Resources Department, or by mailing it to P. O. Box 12688, Oakland, CA 94604-2688. All applicants are asked to complete the application in full, indicating dates of employment, all positions held, hours worked, and a full description of duties. Online applicants are invited to electronically attach a resume to the application form to provide supplemental information but should not consider the resume a substitute for the application form itself. Applications must be complete by the closing date and time listed on the job announcement.

Examples of Duties

Minimum Qualifications

Education : A Bachelor's degree in business administration, accounting, economics or a closely related field from an accredited college or university. Experience : Four (4) years of (full-time equivalent) verifiable professional budgetary, financial or management analysis experience. Substitution : Additional professional experience as outlined above may be substituted for the education on a year-for-year basis. A college degree is preferred.

Knowledge and Skills

Knowledge of :

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