Staff Financial Analyst

About the Role

Reporting to the Program Director of Engineering Financial Services in the Engineering Operations Division, the Financial Performance Analyst supports the management and tracking of all financial activities for the Engineering Department, including financial performance, analysis, and long-range forecasting for staffing, construction and materials and services. 

This position requires a strong analytical background with the ability to analyze and consolidate financial results for reporting to high-level management.  The Engineering Department has an annual budget in excess of $3 billion, which is comprised of engineering support services for the Agency’s Line Departments’ operating and capital programs.  

Responsibilities

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Analyze historical and current financial and operational data to assess departmental financial performance, identify trends, and provide actionable insights.
• Develop financial forecasts, predictive models, and scenario analysis to support strategic planning and operational decision making.
• Prepare clear, data-driven reports, dashboards, and presentations to support leadership and senior management in strategic and operational decision-making.
• Design and enhance departmental and divisional financial reporting processes, ensuring timely, accurate, and meaningful information for stakeholders.
• Support the development and implementation of automated financial reporting and forecasting tools to improve efficiency, accuracy, and data accessibility.
• Partner with the business managers and Engineering Divisions leadership to develop annual budgets, monitor financial performance, and analyze budget-to-actual variances.
• Monitor, analyze, and report on labor allocations, staffing costs, and charge code utilization across multiple business areas to ensure accurate financial reporting and compliance with agency policies.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to provide financial guidance, support business planning activities, and contribute to departmental initiatives and strategic projects.

Minimum Qualifications

Candidates must present the following qualifications to be considered eligible for this position:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a major in finance, economics, accounting, or statistics.
• Three years plus experience in complex financial analysis within a large organization.
• Proven proficiency in spreadsheets, databases, and financial software applications, including the software applications your organization currently uses or plans to use in the future.
• Excellent reporting, presenting, and communication skills.
• Ability to work with large datasets.
• Strategic thinking and organizational skills.
• Proven analytical and financial modeling skills.

Desired Qualifications

Ideal candidates will present the following profile:

• Knowledge of Port Authority’s financial, operating and capital budget process, and accounting structure.
• Ability to quickly understand Engineering’s business and operational structure, as related to their budget and financial performance.
• Demonstrated strong analytical skills, including producing what-if scenarios, and an ability to make decisions for complex non-routine problems, to meet deadlines, work independently and prioritize work.
• Demonstrated ability to interact with internal departmental staff and external staff at the individual and group levels.
• Ability to simplify and report on complex financial data and deliver oral and written presentations to senior and executive staff.
• Expertise with desktop applications such as Word, Excel (including Smart View), PowerPoint and experience with Port Authority corporate systems such as SAP, PeopleSoft, BudgetPRO, and Cognos.
• The candidate should be a self-starter, able to demonstrate sound judgment and versatility in decision-making and problem solving. 

Selection Process

The application process varies by position, but typically includes an initial phone

interview for qualified candidates, followed by a more in-depth interview(s) and/or