Budgeting and cost centre management

How to read operating statements and prepare budgets

Part of the Financial machinery of government series

About the course

This is a learn-by-doing one day course where you can practice the key techniques of budgeting, costing, and financial reporting in the context of the specific business unit you work in. You get to relate your agency's day to day financial policies and processes to your role as manager or team leader. Throughout this course you'll complete exercises that apply the learning to your role.

For:

Anyone who manages a budget.

Objectives:

After completing this course you will be able to:

Interpret operating statements for your area
Take actions to manage expenditure to the approved budget
Successfully prepare budgets and forecasts for your area
Pro-actively manage budgets and create better value for money
Understand different types of cost and be able to appropriately cost new initiatives
Confidently manage and explain budget variances
Comply with audit and tax requirements

Topics:

How to manage the finances of your project, cost centre or business unit
How to prepare budgets and forecasts for your project, cost centre or business unit
Understanding different types of cost and strategies to manage them
Audit and taxation requirements
Getting financial reports up to date - the importance of month end cut offs
Tips for effective budgeting
Tips for writing commentaries

What our participants say:

'One of the best courses I have ever done. Practical exercises really ensured you understood. Great examples & interesting anecdotes from Kevin! Thanks!' - Sarah Minson, Manager Census Development, Statistics New Zealand.

Our training programmes:

Competency based: we enable participants to apply what they have learned when they return to work
Professionally designed to cater for all learning styles, with a mix of activities
Based on accelerated learning techniques to engage participants
Fully evaluated for continuous improvement
Customised for an agency's specific needs and issues and financial systems and processes

Participant feedback from 'Budgeting and cost centre management'