Finance Analyst

US001 Daniel J. Edelman, Inc.; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 56,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and dental insurance

Vision

401K

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Paid time off

Travel assistance

Wellness programing

Job summary

Daniel J. Edelman, Inc. seeks a Financial Analyst to sit in the North American Controllership function, owning accounting, reconciliation and forecasting of U.S. workforce costs. The role collaborates with Payroll, HR and market leaders to redesign processes and optimize spend.

The successful candidate has 2+ years in accounting/finance, strong Excel and data skills, and comfort with Workday and Adaptive. This is a high-visibility, fast-paced environment with growth opportunities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance with 2+ years of relevant experience.
• Strong Excel skills and data analysis ability.
• Ability to manage sensitive data confidentially.
• Familiarity with budgeting, forecasting and financial statements.
• CPA candidates are a plus; tuition reimbursement and licensing fee support available.

Responsibilities

• Own the reconciliation process of salaries and freelance costs during month-end close.
• Prepare journal entries and adjust accruals.
• Coordinate with Payroll and HR to resolve discrepancies.
• Update forecasts for hires, terminations, and compensation changes.
• Document freelance processes and track spend against budgets.
• Support non-salary compensation budgeting and employer benefits forecasting.

Skills

Advanced Excel skills

Analytical thinking

Data handling

Communication skills

Familiarity with automated tools (Chat

Education

Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance

Tools

Workday

Adaptive

CPA candidate (plus)

Job description

We are in relentless pursuit of an equitable and inspiring workplace that is respectful of all, reflects and represents the world in which we live, and fosters trust, collaboration and belonging. Consistent with this approach, we hire the best qualified candidates for all positions. The Financial Analyst will sit within the North American Controllership function and report to the Finance Manager. The Analyst will have primary responsibility for the accounting, reconciliation and forecasting of U.S. workforce-related costs, including salaries, professional freelance and temporary clerical costs, taxable fringe benefits and employee perquisites. The role will also support employee welfare budgeting and play a significant role in redesigning the end-to-end freelance management process. This is a visible role requiring regular partnership across front- and back-office functions, including Payroll, Resource Management, Human Resources & Employee Relations, and various market and practice leaders. The successful candidate will be expected to combine detailed accounting execution with analytical judgment, proactively investigate exceptions and communicate both findings and recommended solutions.

Basic Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance with 2+ years of relevant experience. High degree of confidentiality and ability to manage sensitive data responsibly. Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel and automation tools including ChatGPT and Copilot. Demonstrated analytical ability and understanding of financial statements, budgeting, and forecasting concepts. Ability to organize and analyze detailed financial data, identify inconsistencies, and clearly communicate findings with explanations and/or proposed solutions in a clean and timely manner.

Preferred Knowledge and Skills

Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills. Strong attention to detail and ability to manage recurring deadlines while responding to ad hoc requests. Consistently demonstrates curiosity, willingness to learn and sound judgment. Comfortable working with large datasets and developing repeatable analytical processes. Familiarity with Workday and Adaptive products a plus. CPA candidates a plus (role will be eligible for Edelman’s tuition reimbursement program after 6 months of employment and CPA testing and licensing fee expense reimbursements, if desired).

Key Responsibilities

• Salaries & Freelance Compensation Own the reconciliation process of salaries and freelance costs as part of month end close by timely, completely and accurately comparing Payroll wage reports and general ledger (GL) balances to forecasted costs within Adaptive and subsequently investigating and resolving all exceptions as appropriate.
  • Preparing journal entries for month end close including expense accruals and reclassification entries.
  • Coordinating with Payroll and HR to resolve identified discrepancies.
  • Updating forecast for hires, terminations, promotions, compensation changes, and other workforce activity.
  • Maintaining supporting schedules used to forecast for salaries and other employee expenses.
  • Partnering with the Controller and Employee Relations in review of the severance accrual.
  • Preparing monthly forecast-to-actuals variance commentary.
• Freelance Process Manage the freelance tracking process, evaluating spend by practice, analyzing trends and identifying ongoing opportunities for cost savings. Additionally, collaborate with Resource Management and Finance to document existing freelance processes, identify opportunities for improvement, and develop an efficient process for tracking, managing, and reporting freelance activity. General responsibilities may include: Reviewing requests to engage freelance. Entering and reconciling purchase orders for agency freelancers. Monitoring freelance spend against forecast and approved budgets. Maintaining accurate freelance tracking and supporting schedules, including start dates, end dates, rates, expected costs, and organizational alignment. Partnering with Resource Management and Finance to reconcile the active freelance population and validate ongoing business need.
• Other Employee Costs In partnership with HR Compliance and Payroll, coordinate the budgeting and tracking of non-salary compensation and miscellaneous taxable fringe benefits including reimbursed office parking, statutorily required stipends and cash equivalent compensation (gift cards). Responsibilities include reviewing the ledger population for completeness and classification, investigating forecast to actual variances, quarterly compilation of data required by Payroll for processing, and periodic updating of policies and procedures. May also support in the budgeting of employer payroll taxes and pension plan contributions.
• Other Budget Support: Support the Finance Manager with maintaining employee welfare budget trackers for market, practice and other business leaders as needed including: Making periodic updates to trackers to reflect actual spend per the GL Maintenance of project codes and providing transaction-level approvals within Workday as needed Assisting leaders in understanding available budgets, actual spending, forecast outlook, and budget purpose Researching and explaining forecast to actuals variances. Coordinating with budget owners to identify accruals and prepare needed monthly entries. Support the Finance Manager and Controller in other areas of budgeting, forecasting, accounting and ad hoc investigations from time to time, as needed.

Compensation

$56,000 - $70,000 per year #LI-PP1 An employee’s pay position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, travel requirements, revenue-based metrics, any contractual agreements, and business or organizational needs.

The range listed is just one component of DJEH’s total compensation package for employees. Other rewards may include annual bonuses, a Paid Time Off policy, and region-specific benefits.

DJ„H offers a wide range of benefits: medical and dental insurance, vision, 401K, life insurance, disability insurance, paid time off, travel assistance and wellness programing.

DJ„H is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and believes in diversity, equity, and inclusion. We seek applications from all qualified candidates without regard to race, color, gender, sex, age, religion, physical or mental disability, military and veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law. If you require a reasonable accommodation in any part of the employment process, please let us know.

It started with one man’s passion to make an impact through stories… 70 years later, we are the world’s largest communications firm, which foster‑es an environment where people feel empowered to take the kind of bold action that makes careers, reshapes industries, and creates the unexpected. We are one global team, over 6,000 strong across 60 offices, grounded by our shared values. We promise an experience where our employees see that boldness is possibility, empathy is progress, and curiosity is momentum. Since Dan Edelman founded the firm in 1952, we have remained an independent, family-run business, and we culture is one that brings understanding, collaboration, and respect to our work and to each other. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) transform our colleagues, our clients, and our communities, and propel us forward as a company. At Edelman, we are in relentless pursuit of a fair and inspiring workplace that is respectful to all, reflects and represents the world in which we live, and fosters trust and collaboration. Each day and on each project, we strive to ensure that our colleagues feel a sense of true inclusion and belonging and can bring their best to their work— taking action and shaping impactful moments and movements within our company, on behalf of our clients, and within… resources and guardianship of the community. The relentless pursuit of excellence The freedom ... The courage ... The commitment ... We grow our people We invite and celebrate differences Our reputation is our brand We’re global, yet local We offer more than just a career – we offer a place to grow, make a meaningful impact, and help drive change alongside some of the brightest minds in the industry. Our culture is built on trust, innovation, and inclusivity, where unique perspectives are not only welcomed, but celebrated. At Edelman, your ambitions are supported, your voice matters and your work contributes to shaping the future of communications and clients’ business.