Pros: control of the budgeting process
Cons: approval process
Review expenses/commitments to understand account balances and project future forecasts.
Submit major capital/supply procurements.
Track procurement from approval date through expense date.
Meet with supervisors/managers/group leaders to understand procurements and to better forecast accounts.
Manage $6-$8 million using a detailed cost center structure,
– more... pivot tables, and weekly working/monthly review meetings.
The most enjoyable part of my job was problem solving. Constantly, unexpected procurements would arise, posing multiple problems to the overall budget.
The approval process at MIT Lincoln Lab was a slow, methodical process. This made procurements more difficult than they should have been.
In summary, working as a Financial Analyst for a Federally Funded Research and Development Center promoted a high volume of spending. This high volume and the accuracy in which the lab was held to meet the budgets plans brought a sense of meaning and fulfillment. – less