Financial Analyst

Broster Buchanan; Northampton; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Broster Buchanan is partnering with a fast-paced manufacturing business to recruit a Finance Analyst. The role focuses on data-driven financial reporting, analysing variances, and partnering with operations to influence commercial decisions.

You will develop dashboards in Power BI, support budgeting and forecasting, analyse cost drivers and inventory data, and seek opportunities to automate reporting and strengthen financial controls.

Qualifications

• Experience in finance analysis, FP&A or management accounting.
• Strong Excel skills and confidence working with large datasets.
• Experience using Power BI to develop dashboards and improve reporting.
• Understanding budgeting, forecasting and variance analysis.
• Commercial mindset with ability to challenge assumptions and identify improvements.
• Strong communication skills to build relationships with non-finance stakeholders.
• Manufacturing or operations-focused environment experience beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Analyse actual performance against budgets and forecasts, investigating variances and drivers.
• Produce financial reports and dashboards to improve visibility of costs and performance.
• Support budgeting, forecasting and financial planning across operational functions.
• Analyse operational activity and its financial impact to identify cost savings and efficiency.
• Support costing and inventory reporting, including stock valuation and obsolescence.
• Collaborate with finance, engineering and manufacturing to improve data accuracy and reporting.
• Identify opportunities to automate reporting and strengthen financial controls.
• Present data-led insights to stakeholders to support commercial decisions.

Skills

Finance analysis

FP&A

Management accounting

Large datasets

Stakeholder communication

Tools

Power BI

Excel

Job description

I'm working on an exciting opportunity for a Finance Analyst to join a fast-paced manufacturing business.

This is a great opportunity for a commercially minded Finance Analyst who enjoys working with data, improving financial reporting and partnering with operational teams to influence business decisions.

Key responsibilities:

• Analyse actual performance against budgets and forecasts, investigating variances and identifying the key drivers.
• Produce financial reports and dashboards to improve visibility of costs, performance and operational efficiency.
• Support budgeting, forecasting and financial planning across operational functions.
• Analyse operational activity and its financial impact, identifying opportunities for cost savings and improved efficiency.
• Support costing and inventory reporting, including stock valuation, ageing and potential obsolescence.
• Work closely with finance, engineering and manufacturing teams to improve data accuracy and reporting.
• Identify opportunities to automate reporting, streamline processes and strengthen financial controls.
• Present clear, data-led insights to stakeholders to support commercial decision-making.

What are they looking for?

• Experience in finance analysis, FP&A or management accounting.
• Strong Excel skills and confidence working with large, complex datasets.
• Experience using Power BI to develop dashboards and improve reporting.
• A good understanding of budgeting, forecasting and variance analysis.
• The ability to interpret financial and operational data and explain the story behind the numbers.
• A commercial mindset, with the confidence to challenge assumptions and identify improvements.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to build relationships with non-finance stakeholders.
• Experience within manufacturing or another operationally focused environment would be beneficial.

This Finance Analyst role would suit someone who enjoys getting beyond the numbers and turning data into meaningful commercial insight in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.