Financial Planning Analyst

3173; Belfast City District; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

3173 is seeking a Financial Planning Analyst in Belfast to support budgeting, forecasting and management reporting. You will develop financial models, analyse data and translate findings into actionable insights for the business.

You will work with Excel, PowerPoint and BI tools, communicating clearly with Finance and stakeholders. The role requires post-qualification experience and a proactive, detail-oriented approach in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• You are ACA/ACCA/CIMA qualified with some post-qualification experience.
• Experience with budgeting, forecasting, management reporting and KPI analysis.
• Advanced Excel and PowerPoint skills required; data insights a must.

Responsibilities

• Support budgeting, forecasting and rolling forecasts for the Group.
• Build and maintain financial models to inform planning.
• Analyze data and provide performance insights to senior stakeholders.
• Collaborate with Finance and business teams across locations.

Skills

Advanced Excel

PowerPoint

Data analysis

Financial modelling

Stakeholder management

Communication

Attention to detail

Education

ACA/ACCA/CIMA Qualified

Degree level

Tools

Sage

Oracle

SAP

Power Query

Power Pivot

Job description

Financial Planning Analyst

Department: Corporate Services - Finance

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Belfast

Reporting To: Geoffrey Farmer

Description

About You

You will be a qualified accountant or recently qualified finance professional with some post-qualification experience gained within a commercial finance environment. You will be looking for an opportunity to further develop your career within Financial Planning & Analysis as part of 3173, a growing provider of financial services to the pensions industry.

As a Financial Planning Analyst, you will support the Group's financial planning and analysis activities, contributing to budgeting, forecasting, management reporting, and business performance analysis. You will have experience working with large and complex datasets and be comfortable developing and maintaining financial models that support budgets, rolling forecasts, and longer-term business planning. A keen interest in understanding business drivers and translating data into meaningful insights will be essential.

You will be a proactive and confident communicator who is able to build strong working relationships across Finance and the wider business. You will have advanced Excel skills and be proficient in PowerPoint, with experience of Power Query, Power Pivot and Power BI considered advantageous. Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, combined with a willingness to learn, will enable you to succeed in a fast-paced and evolving environment.

You will be highly organised, detail-oriented and committed to delivering accurate, high-quality work. You will be comfortable investigating variances, identifying trends, and highlighting potential risks or issues where appropriate. With the ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines, you will be a valued contributor to both the FP&A function and the wider Finance team.

Occasional travel to other 3173 Group locations may be required, and flexibility in working hours may be needed to support business requirements.

Responsibilities & Criteria: Minimum (essential) requirements

• ACA/ACCA/CIMA Qualified accountant with a some experience post qualification experience.
• Familiarity with accounting software such as Sage, Oracle, SAP or similar across sales ledger, purchase ledger and nominal ledger.
• Strong commercial awareness in relation to a professional services business with experience in supporting budgeting, forecasting, management reporting, commercial key performance indicators, and financial analysis processes.
• Strong financial modelling and analytical skills, with advanced Excel and PowerPoint expertise with the ability to turn complex data into meaningful insights.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build effective working relationships across teams.
• Proactive and collaborative approach, with a willingness to support colleagues and contribute to team success.
• Ability to work efficiently and prioritise your workloads in a fast-paced environment, delivering a high level of accuracy and attention to detail within tight timeframes.

Desirable requirements

• Educated to degree level.
• 3 years’ experience post qualification within a fast-paced commercial financial environment.
• Experience in the use of advanced financial modelling techniques such as macros or visual basic.
• Experience in the use of Power Query, PowerPivot and Power BI.
• Practical experience within an M&A and PE environment.
• Experience in developing investment appraisals.
• Experience in working with very senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities & Criteria

Competencies Delivers Results

• Demonstrates a high level of attention to detail and accuracy.
• Delivers high-quality work to agreed deadlines, managing competing priorities.
• Produces reliable financial analysis and reporting to support business decisions.

Leadership

• Takes ownership of assigned responsibilities and delivers on commitments.
• Demonstrates initiative and a willingness to learn and develop within the role.
• Contributes positively to team objectives and supports the wider Finance function.

Change & Innovation

• Identifies opportunities to improve processes, reporting, and ways of working.
• Embraces change and supports the implementation of new systems and processes.
• Contributes ideas that improve efficiency, accuracy, and business insight.

Communicating & Influencing

• Communicates clearly and professionally with colleagues at all levels.
• Presents financial information and analysis in a clear, concise, and understandable manner.
• Builds credibility through the quality, accuracy, and reliability of their work.

Customer Relationship Management

• Develops and maintains effective working relationships with all stakeholders, demonstrating a customer-focused approach and a high standard of service.
• Manages stakeholder expectations and provides timely updates where appropriate.

Teamwork & Collaboration

• Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve shared objectives.
• Contributes to a positive, inclusive, and supportive team environment.
• Shares knowledge and supports colleagues to promote effective collaboration across the business.

Circumstances

Working hours: Monday to Friday, 37.5 hours per week with additional hours as and when required.

The role holder may be at times required to travel to other UK locations.

All roles are subject to a six-month probationary period and all prospective employees are required to complete background screening to cover all locations.

As part of the pre-hire process the successful candidate will be subject to reference checking and background security vetting.

Applying with a disability or long-term health condition?

As part of our belief that we benefit from the differences among us we are committed to increasing the representation of disabled colleagues and want to remove any barriers or challenges that get in the way of candidates with a disability or long-term health condition from applying to work with us. As part of this commitment, we guarantee to automatically interview anyone with a disability who meets the minimum criteria.

If there is support or an adjustment that we can provide to enable you to be at your best during the recruitment and selection process, we encourage you to advise us in good time so that we may make suitable arrangements. We understand that being open with us may feel uncomfortable so please only share with us the information that you are comfortable to share, and rest assured that we will use this only to provide you with the right support. Any information you give us will be treated completely confidentially. To discuss this further please call 028 9041 2000 and ask to speak to a member of the People & Culture team.