Financial Planning Analyst

About the Role

Our client is looking to hire a Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) Analyst to enhance financial planning and track business performance across several divisions. This role integrates financial data analysis, management reporting, and automation to facilitate sound commercial decision-making.

Key Responsibilities

• Aggregate actual financial results, forecasts, and budgets from multiple business units.
• Assist in monthly performance assessments by generating consolidated Profit & Loss statements, KPI dashboards, and variance reports.
• Prepare performance bridge analyses comparing budget to actuals, forecasts to actuals, year-over-year results, and volume-price-mix effects.
• Identify and communicate principal drivers, risks, and growth opportunities within business verticals to senior management.
• Ensure uniformity in definitions, metrics, and reporting methodologies across different units.
• Administer the internal schedule for actuals and forecast reviews, coordinating deadlines and meetings with Commercial Business Partners.
• Monitor timetable adherence, follow up on late or missing inputs, and update planning calendars in alignment with corporate reporting cycles.
• Create and sustain standardized reconciliation templates, performance bridges, and analytical tools for various business areas.
• Develop reusable models leveraging Excel and Power BI to assure consistent variance analysis, forecast tracking, and KPI monitoring.
• Support Commercial Business Partners by supplying structured analytic tools for their operations.
• Maintain data integrity feeding into standardized reports and aid in harmonizing definitions across units.
• Contribute to annual budgeting, quarterly forecasting, and long-term planning activities by managing templates, assumptions, and consolidated models.
• Conduct scenario and sensitivity analyses at the divisional level.
• Prepare comprehensive planning presentations and executive dashboards for CFO and management review.
• Utilize Power BI, Excel (Power Query, Power Pivot), and contemporary automation tools, including Microsoft Copilot and generative AI, to streamline report creation, commentary generation, and data processing.
• Standardize report formats and frequencies across units to minimize manual workload and ensure consistency.
• Provide Commercial Finance Business Partners with essential data and analytics to drive business success.
• Respond to ad-hoc analytical requests from vertical finance teams and senior FP&A leadership.
• Ensure accuracy, consistency, and reliability of financial information utilized in FP&A reporting.
• Support the unification of KPIs, reporting definitions, and analytical frameworks across the organization.
• Drive ongoing improvements in FP&A processes, tools, and methodologies.
• Assist with internal and external audit requirements as necessary.

Candidate Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business, Data Analytics, or related quantitative field.
• Progress towards CPA, ACCA, CIMA, CFA, or an equivalent professional certification is advantageous.
• Additional certifications in data analytics, Power BI, financial modeling, or AI tools are highly beneficial.
• Three to five years’ experience in FP&A, financial analytics, management reporting, commercial finance, or business performance analysis.
• Demonstrated expertise in consolidating financial data from multiple business units or verticals is preferred.
• Experience with reporting automation, dashboard development, or AI-enhanced productivity tools is a significant plus.
• Proficient in advanced Excel features including Power Query, Power Pivot, and developing complex financial models.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to convert extensive datasets into actionable insights.
• Deep understanding of financial statements, management reporting fundamentals, and KPI structures.