Senior Director of Financial Planning and Analysis

Department:  Finance / FP&A 

Location:  Remote, Hybrid OR Onsite (UA HQ - Scotts Valley, CA)

Universal Audio (UA) is a leader in the recording and audio technology industry, renowned for combining cutting-edge innovation with a deep passion for audio artistry. Our business is rapidly growing, and we are looking for an experienced FP&A leader to fulfil a dual role; firstly, as manager of the FP&A team to mentor, motivate and lead the FP&A team and raise the standard of business analysis at the company; and secondly, as an individual contributor, to help support and grow our Software business.

The Senior Director of FP&A will play a critical role in shaping and driving the financial strategy of UA's business. The successful candidate will provide actionable insights through financial modeling, forecasting, and performance tracking to drive data-informed decisions and ensure alignment with business goals. The ideal candidate has a strong analytical background, excellent modeling skills, and has a track record of delivering exceptional results in high-growth, data-driven businesses. 

----- As leader of the FP&A Team -----

Strategic Financial Planning:

• Develop and execute long-term financial strategies aligned with overall business objectives. 
• Lead the annual planning process. 
• Create and maintain complex financial models for scenario analysis and decision support. 

Financial Reporting and Analysis:

• Oversee the preparation of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial forecasts. 
• Conduct variance analysis to identify key performance drivers and areas for improvement. 
• Analyze financial data to identify trends, opportunities, and risks. 

Forecasting and Budgeting:

• Manage the forecasting process, including regular updates and adjustments based on market conditions. 
• Develop detailed budgets for business segments and functions. 
• Monitor performance against budget and forecast, providing insights to management. 

Team Leadership and Development:

• Lead and mentor the FP&A team. 
• Develop and implement training programs to enhance team capabilities. 
• Foster a culture of data-driven decision making within the FP&A team. 

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Partner with other departments to understand business drivers and align financial plans. 
• Provide financial expertise to support strategic initiatives and investment decisions. 

----- As an Individual Contributor -----

SaaS Financial Modeling & Reporting: 

• Build and maintain financial models to forecast subscription growth, revenue, customer acquisition costs, lifetime value, and churn. 
• Develop and monitor KPIs for SaaS performance, including MRR/ARR, net retention rate, and cohort analysis.
• Partner with data team to develop automated reports to help instrument the Software business

Cost Analysis 

• Establish and maintain a cost analysis framework for enhancing software margins. 
• Evaluate the impact of royalty structures and associated costs on current software margins.
• Pinpoint specific cost elements and royalty terms that influence profitability.
• Make recommendations and insights to product and commercial teams to improve profitability.

Product-Led Growth Analysis: 

• Partner with Product & digital teams to analyze customer behaviors, free-to-paid conversion rates, and usage metrics.
• Provide financial insights to support decision-making on feature prioritization and product launches. 

Price Sensitivity Analysis: 

• Analyze market research and perform data-driven analysis to determine optimal pricing strategies for software products. 
• Assess the financial impact of pricing changes on growth, retention, and profitability. 
• Analyze pricing promotions and subscription tiers to ensure alignment with revenue goals.

Growth & Performance Marketing Analysis: 

• Collaborate with Marketing teams to evaluate ROI on campaigns, acquisition channels, and promotions.
• Analyze performance data and provide insights to refine customer acquisition and retention strategies.
• Provide financial analysis on growth and performance marketing efforts tied to customer acquisition cost efficiency.

Scenario Planning & Strategic Support: 

• Create scenario models to evaluate the financial impact of growth initiatives, mark