FP&A Analyst, Financial Planning Analyst

Company Profile

At Sand Cherry Associates, we excel in the design and delivery of strategic customer-centric initiatives through digitally-native, data-empowered solutions. Our client’s confidence in us is centered on exceptionally skilled, high-energy talent working with the support of the full Sand Cherry Team. Finding the right match for this role is a critical aspect of our success.

Overview

The Senior Financial Planning Analyst will be responsible for delivering financial analysis and insights to inform strategic decisions across the business. This role involves working closely with senior leadership, providing critical input into budgeting, forecasting, and decision-support initiatives. As an integral part of the Finance team, you will drive the financial planning process, provide analytical support, and contribute to the ongoing development of financial strategy for a large financial services company. This is a 6 months+ consulting role. Qualified candidates must live in the Greater Philadelphia area to be considered. This position does require hybrid work schedule, some days in office and some days home office.

Key Responsibilities:

Financial Analysis & Reporting:

• Prepare and analyze financial reports, including monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements.
• Develop insightful management reports that highlight financial performance against key metrics.
• Assist in analyzing trends and variances in key financial metrics, providing commentary on significant deviations.

Budgeting & Forecasting:

• Lead the annual budgeting and strategic planning process, working in close collaboration with various business units to consolidate budget inputs.
• Develop and maintain complex financial forecasting models to ensure accuracy and support decision-making.
• Monitor actual performance against budgets/forecasts and recommend corrective actions as needed.

Business Partnering:

• Partner with senior leaders to understand business needs and provide financial insights that support the achievement of strategic objectives.
• Provide ongoing financial consulting and strategic support to business partners, including ad hoc financial modeling, profitability analysis, and cost-benefit analysis.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with various departments to support company-wide initiatives and provide a financial perspective.

Scenario Modelling & Decision Support:

• Conduct scenario analysis to evaluate the financial impact of different strategic decisions.
• Develop, assess, and present various “what-if” financial models to assess opportunities, identify risks, and propose solutions.
• Support key strategic projects by conducting ROI analysis and providing actionable insights to guide decision-making.

Continuous Improvement:

• Contribute to the development and enhancement of internal FP&A processes, including improvements to financial reporting, analysis, and forecasting.
• Evaluate existing processes and implement best practices to increase efficiency and accuracy.
• Utilize financial systems and data analytics tools to enhance financial reporting and forecasting capabilities.

Requirements

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related discipline.
• CPA or CFA certification, or working towards one, is highly desirable.
• Minimum of 4+ years of experience in Financial Planning & Analysis, financial consulting, or a related role.
• Experience working in the financial services industry is a plus.

Required Skills:

• Analytical Ability: Proven skills in financial modeling, data analysis, and ability to interpret complex data to derive meaningful insights.
• Business Acumen: Strong understanding of financial concepts and drivers of business value; ability to link financial performance to business strategy.
• Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to present complex information in a clear and concise manner to senior management and non-financial stakeholders. Must be detail oriented and adaptable to change.
• Advanced Excel Skills: Ability to create detailed financial models and use advanced Excel functions; experience with data visualization tools such as Power BI is advantageous.
• Attention to Detail: Strong focus on accuracy, completeness, and the quality of financial data and analysis.

Preferred Ex