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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for FP&A Analyst

💰 $75,000 - $110,000

FinanceAccountingData Analysis

🎯 Role Definition

As a Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) Analyst, you will be a crucial strategic partner to the business, providing the financial insights and data-driven narratives that guide our company's direction. You will be at the heart of our financial operations, responsible for creating robust financial models, managing the annual budget and rolling forecasts, and delivering clear, impactful analysis to senior leadership. This role is perfect for a highly analytical and communicative individual who thrives on translating complex numbers into strategic actions and wants to make a tangible impact on business performance and growth.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Financial Analyst
  • Staff Accountant / Corporate Accountant
  • Business Analyst / Data Analyst

Advancement To:

  • Senior FP&A Analyst
  • FP&A Manager
  • Finance Director

Lateral Moves:

  • Business Intelligence Analyst
  • Corporate Development Analyst
  • Strategic Finance Analyst

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Drive the annual budgeting and quarterly forecasting processes by collaborating with department heads to gather inputs, challenge assumptions, and ensure alignment with strategic objectives.
  • Develop, maintain, and enhance complex financial models to support long-range planning, scenario analysis, and ad-hoc strategic projects.
  • Prepare and present comprehensive monthly and quarterly financial reporting packages for senior leadership, highlighting key performance indicators (KPIs), variance analysis, and critical business trends.
  • Conduct in-depth variance analysis of actual financial results against budget, forecast, and prior periods, delivering actionable insights and clear commentary to business partners.
  • Act as a key finance business partner to various departments, providing financial guidance, supporting strategic initiatives, and helping them manage their departmental P&L.
  • Analyze current and past trends in key performance metrics across all areas of revenue, cost of sales, operating expenses, and capital expenditures.
  • Create and manage sophisticated dashboards and visualizations using BI tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) to improve visibility and accessibility of financial and operational performance data.
  • Provide robust financial analysis and modeling to support strategic decision-making for new product launches, pricing strategies, and potential M&A activities.
  • Support the month-end and quarter-end close processes in close partnership with the Accounting team to ensure the accuracy and integrity of financial data used for analysis.
  • Prepare materials and presentations for Board of Directors meetings, investor relations calls, and other external-facing financial communications.
  • Monitor key business drivers, macroeconomic indicators, and competitive market trends, providing proactive analysis and recommendations to mitigate risks and capitalize on opportunities.
  • Analyze and report on cash flow, balance sheet health, and working capital performance to ensure the company's financial stability and liquidity.
  • Develop and track key SaaS/subscription metrics such as ARR, LTV, CAC, and churn to provide deep insights into the health of the business.
  • Track headcount, salary, and other compensation-related expenses, partnering closely with the HR department to ensure accurate forecasting and budget management.
  • Assist in the evaluation, implementation, and administration of financial planning systems (e.g., Anaplan, Planful, Adaptive Insights) to drive process efficiency.
  • Perform deep-dive analysis into specific business segments, such as product line profitability, customer segmentation, or geographic performance, to uncover growth drivers.
  • Consolidate financial results from multiple international entities or business units, ensuring consistency and accuracy in reporting at the corporate level.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis to answer pressing business questions from leadership and cross-functional teams.
  • Contribute to the organization's data governance and strategy by ensuring data integrity and promoting a data-driven culture.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate their data and reporting needs into technical requirements for the BI and Data Engineering teams.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the finance and data teams to drive project completion and continuous improvement.
  • Create and maintain detailed documentation of financial models, standard operating procedures, and reporting methodologies for knowledge sharing and business continuity.
  • Lead or support special projects within the finance organization aimed at significant process improvement or strategic analysis.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Advanced Financial Modeling: Demonstrated ability to build complex, flexible, and accurate three-statement financial models from scratch.
  • Advanced Microsoft Excel: Mastery of pivot tables, complex formulas (VLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH, SUMIFS), and data modeling tools (Power Query, Power Pivot).
  • BI & Visualization Tools: Proficiency with business intelligence software such as Tableau, Power BI, Looker, or similar platforms for creating insightful dashboards.
  • ERP & EPM Systems: Experience with large-scale ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, NetSuite) and EPM/FP&A software (e.g., Anaplan, Hyperion, Adaptive Insights).
  • SQL: Ability to write SQL queries to extract, manipulate, and analyze large datasets from relational databases.
  • Presentation Skills: Strong proficiency in Microsoft PowerPoint to create clear, concise, and compelling presentations for an executive audience.

Soft Skills

  • Analytical & Problem-Solving: A sharp, inquisitive mind with a talent for dissecting complex problems and using data to find logical solutions.
  • Communication & Storytelling: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to distill complex financial information into a clear and compelling narrative.
  • Attention to Detail: Meticulous and highly accurate in all outputs, with a commitment to producing high-quality, reliable work.
  • Business Acumen: A strong understanding of business operations and the key drivers of profitability and growth.
  • Collaboration & Influence: Ability to build strong relationships and work effectively with cross-functional partners, influencing decisions without direct authority.
  • Proactive & Self-Directed: A highly motivated self-starter who can manage multiple priorities, meet tight deadlines, and work independently in a fast-paced environment.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree

Preferred Education:

  • Master's Degree (MBA, Master's in Finance or Accounting)
  • Professional certification (CPA, CFA) is a strong plus.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Finance
  • Accounting
  • Economics
  • Business Administration

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 2-5 years of progressive experience in FP&A, corporate finance, investment banking, or a related analytical field.

Preferred:

  • Experience in a high-growth environment, particularly within the SaaS, technology, or consumer goods industry.
  • Experience working in a publicly traded company is highly desirable.
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