Financial Analyst

Ara; Arlington, Northern (VA, KY); Hybrid; USD 125,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) MCC Division seeks two full-time Financial Analysts to support PPBE activities on-site in Arlington/Falls Church, VA. You will track budgets, manage spend plans, and draft leadership updates in BLUF style.

Requirements include a Finance-related bachelor’s degree, US citizenship, and a SECRET clearance, with 2–4 years of relevant experience. Proficiency in Excel and DoW systems is preferred.

Qualifications

• U.S. citizen status required.
• Must have a SECRET government clearance.
• 2–4 years of relevant financial experience.
• Foundational knowledge of PPBE, budget formulation, execution, and spend-plan management.

Responsibilities

• Assist budget formulation and execution to meet Comptroller benchmarks.
• Maintain and update spend plans and track contracts and vendor data.
• Monitor execution metrics and alert leadership to shortfalls.
• Draft variance reports and justifications when targets are not met.
• Assist in reconciling commitments, obligations, and expenditures with accounting systems.

Skills

U.S. citizen

Secret clearance

Budget tracking

BLUF writing

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business Administration, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Excel

DoW systems (DAI, GFEBS, DEAMS)

Job description

The Mission Concepts and Capabilities (MCC) Division of Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA)has an exciting opportunity for two full-time Financial Analysts working fulltime on-site at a location in the Arlington or Falls Church, VA area. The potential candidate will provide support to the Office of the Undersecretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment, Office of the Director of Business Operations by providing expertise for all Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) activities. The ideal candidates will assist in the day-to-day tracking of budget execution, maintaining spend plans, and ensuring funds are obligated efficiently. This role requires a strong foundation in financial tracking and the ability to draft clear, professional updates and justifications for leadership regarding funding status.

Essential Functions:

• Assist the Office of the Undersecretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment, Office of the Director of Business Operations oversee budget formulation and execution of the office’s appropriated budget to meet and exceed Comptroller execution benchmarks
• Budget Execution: Maintain and update the Reconciliation Funding (e.g., One Big Beautiful Bill Act) Spend Plan, ensuring all contract and vendor information is accurately tracked and reported.
• Performance Tracking: Monitor execution metrics against fiscal goals (e.g., tracking the 50% execution target) and alerting leadership to potential shortfalls.
• Reporting & Justifications: Draft clear, accurate variance reports and justifications when execution targets are not met or when spend plans require adjustment.
• Data Reconciliation: Assist senior analysts in reconciling financial records, verifying commitments, obligations, and expenditures align with official accounting systems.

Required Skills:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Applicant must be a U.S. citizen.
• Must have a minimum of a SECRET government clearance.
• 2-4 years of relevant experience in the financial field.
• Foundational understanding of federal and DoW financial management, including the PPBE process, budget formulation, budget execution, spend plan management, funds distribution, and execution-year monitoring. Familiarity with major appropriation types, including O&M, RDT&E, Procurement, and related period-of-availability rules. Basic knowledge of funds-control principles, including purpose, time, and amount; commitments, obligations, expenditures, and unobligated balances; execution phasing; variance analysis; unfunded requirements; and documentation needed to support audit readiness and leadership decision-making.
• Strong attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and the ability to write clear, concise official staff updates (BLUF format).

Preferred Skills:

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (PivotTables, VLOOKUPs, data formatting). Familiarity with DoW financial systems (e.g., DAI, GFEBS, or DEAMS) is highly desirable.

Compensation & Benefits: Pay Ranges: From $125,000.00 - $130,000.00 per year based on years of experience, degree and any special skills and knowledge that you may bring to the position. We mostly reserve the upper half of our compensation bands for internal growth. During all call with one of our recruiters or hiring managers, they can further clarify the salary range and total compensation. ARA offers competitive benefits that address our employees’ needs now and in the future. Learn more about each of our benefits at https://www.ara.com/benefits/

COMPANY INFORMATION:

Applied Research Associates, Inc. is an employee-owned international research and engineering company recognized for providing technically superior solutions to complex and challenging problems in the physical sciences. The company, founded in Albuquerque, NM, in 1979, currently employs over 2000 professionals. ARA offices throughout the United States and Canada provide a broad range of technical expertise in defense technologies, civil technologies, computer software and simulation, systems analysis, environmental technologies, and testing and measurement. The corporation also provides sophisticated technical products for environmental site characterization, pavement analysis, and robotics.

At ARA, employees are our greatest assets. The corporation realizes that employee ownership generates greater creativity and initiative along with higher performance and customer satisfaction levels. ARA gives its employees the tools, training, and opportunities to take more active roles as owners. The culture is challenging; innovation and experimentation is the norm. Employees are eligible for contributions which not only add to the company’s success, but also their own through the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). The motto, “Engineering and Science for Fun and Profit” sums up the ARA experience. For additional information and an opportunity to join this unique workplace, please visit our website at www.ara.com .

Bachelors or better in Finance or related field.

Experience

Required

2-4 years:

2-4 years:

Relevant financial experience

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.