Senior Financial Partner – Financial Planning and Forecasting

Canadian National Railway Company; Montreal; Hybrid; CAD 100,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading transportation firm is seeking a Senior Financial Partner for Financial Planning and Forecasting. This role involves supporting executive teams with financial insights and reporting, managing board-level materials, and advising on forecasts. The ideal candidate will have a CPA or an MBA and significant experience in finance, along with strong analytical and leadership skills. Competitive compensation and opportunities for growth are offered.

Qualifications

• 5 to 7 years of experience in financial or accounting roles.
• Experience with systems, board material preparation, ad-hoc financial analysis.
• Proficiency in building financial data models.

Responsibilities

• Provide insights on corporate financial performance.
• Budget, forecast and analyze capital and operating expenses.
• Prepare reports and support in advance of executive meetings.

Skills

Analytical skills

Collaboration

Communication

Critical thinking

Education

Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA)

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Tools

SAP

Essbase

Business Warehouse (BW)

Power BI

Tableau

Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word)

Job description

Senior Financial Partner – Financial Planning and Forecasting

Posted on: 11/7/2025 - Application Deadline: 11/21/2025

Job Summary

The Senior Financial Partner, Financial Planning and Forecasting is responsible for supporting the Director, Financial Planning, with the development of CN’s Operating forecast and three‑year plan, and communication of operating performance to C‑suite and other Executives. The incumbent interacts with functional financial partners, the Commercial team, Accounting, Investor Relations and Strategy to gather detailed information and deliver key financial insights and operational analytics to the Vice President of Financial Planning and Chief Financial Officer. The incumbent identifies and addresses deviations from the plan, enabling immediate action when needed and promotes behavioural change. The role also actively participates in the development and presentation of the annual CN business plan, month‑and‑quarter‑end financial reporting and develops themes and content for board presentations.

Main Responsibilities – Forecasting and Executive Reporting

• Provide the Financial Planning leadership team with insights concerning corporate financial performance, establishing causal links between business behavior and financial outcomes
• Budget, forecast and analyze capital and operating expenses
• Monitor, analyze and explain monthly operating results against budget
• Prepare current year and 3‑year plan reports based on actual results and spending trends, and drive cost improvements with support from financial partners
• Provide support in advance of meetings with executives
• Manage time‑sensitive board‑level material production, often juggling other deliverables at the same time
• Perform ad‑hoc analyses supporting the C‑suite including CEO, CFO and the VP Financial Planning and the leadership team
• Provide visibility on controllable and actionable cost levers, trend analysis, and performance to enable CN leadership team in effective decision‑making
• Leverage an understanding of CN business, correlation of operating KPIs and financial information, Financial Planning data systems and available time to create analysis on underlying subject matter
• Identify gaps and provide recommendations to strategically enhance financial performance and business opportunities including issuing financial solutions
• Ensure dashboards and KPIs are dynamic, appropriate, and that management actions result from analysis through translating management information into recommendations
• Respond to ad‑hoc executive requests, and leverage judgment and skills by providing insights with either a rapid, logic‑based analysis or a deeper, more thorough approach
• Direct and translate corporate business plan into operating expense budgets and ensure buy‑in by key stakeholders on budgets
• Drill down on unexpected variances to provide explanations to key stakeholders and establish corrective actions through dialogue with senior management
• Advise and inform the senior management team on the merits and risks associated with the forecast

Process Improvement and Digitization

• Create insightful ad‑hoc Financial Planning reports supporting CN’s goals, including self‑serve dashboards and data analytics tools for internal customers
• Leverage technology and competitive insight for continuous improvement with the creation of enhanced forecasting tools, process designs, and data visualizations
• Review, streamline and automate deliverables and processes to make them relevant and meaningful to the audience
• Validate information and improve quality to remain relevant and add value
• Ensure reports are timely and information is accurate and intact

Working Conditions

The role has standard working conditions in an office environment with a regular workweek from Monday to Friday and is eligible to participate in CN’s hybrid working policy. The role occasionally requires working outside of regular hours. Due to the nature of the role, the incumbent must be able to meet tight deadlines, handle pressure, and stress.

Requirements – Experience

Financial and Accounting

• Between 5 to 7 years of experience in financial or accounting roles
• Experience with systems, board material preparation, ad‑hoc financial analysis
• Experience building financial data models to extract, condense and analyze various financial items
• Demonstrated excellence in analytical experience relating to CN

Education/Certification/Designation

• Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) or other professional Accounting Degree
• Master of Business Administration (MBA) *
• *Any designation for these above would be considered an asset

Key Functional and Interpersonal Skills

• Delegate and empower others to create accountability
• Collaborate with others and share information
• Demonstrate agility and drive change
• Know the business and stay current on industry needs
• Set direction and inspire others
• Communicate with impact
• Apply critical thinking

Technical Skills/Knowledge

• Knowledge of finance, accounting, budgeting and cost control principles including GAAP and regulations
• Knowledge of rail transportation and logistics industry
• Knowledge of CN’s financial and accounting reporting system
• Knowledge of relevant systems such as SAP, Essbase, Business Warehouse (BW), Power BI, and Tableau
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word)
• Knowledge of accounting, auditing and financial planning concepts and processes
• Fluently bilingual, both written and verbal (English, French) *
• *Any skill/knowledge for these above would be considered an asset

About CN

CN is a premium railroad that sustainably generates value for our customers, shareholders, employees, and stakeholders with an unwavering commitment to safety and service. Essential to the economy, to the customers, and to the communities it serves, CN safely transports more than 300 million tons of natural resources, manufactured products, and finished goods throughout North America every year. CN’s network connects Canada’s Eastern and Western coasts with the U.S. South through a 20,000‑mile rail network. CN and its affiliates have been contributing to community prosperity and sustainable trade since 1919. CN powers the North American economy and is committed to programs supporting social responsibility and environmental stewardship.

As an equal opportunity employer, qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law.