Financial Analyst, FP&A

James Hardie Corporation; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 71,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and bonus

Paid Time Off

401(k) with match

ESP

Wellness programs

Job summary

James Hardie Building Products Inc. in Chicago is seeking an FP&A Analyst to drive budgeting, forecasting, and reporting for SG&A, partnering with cross‑functional teams.

You’ll leverage SAP, JDE, BI and Excel to deliver timely insights, support month‑end close, and help optimize costs across sales, product, IT and admin.

Bachelor’s in finance or accounting with 1–3 years of manufacturing experience is preferred; MBA is a plus. Competitive benefits and bonus eligibility.

Qualifications

• Budgeting and forecasting experience
• Strong ability to analyze SG&A and identify cost optimization
• Monthly financial reporting and variance explanations
• Cross‑functional collaboration for accurate forecasting and reporting
• Scenario modeling for initiatives and headcount planning
• Internal controls and month‑end close support

Responsibilities

• Budgeting and forecasting with annual budgets and periodic forecasts.
• Analyze SG&A expenses and identify cost optimization opportunities.
• Prepare monthly variance explanations and corrective recommendations.
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with departments for accurate forecasting.
• Model scenarios for initiatives and headcount planning.
• Support month‑end close and internal controls.

Skills

Budgeting

Forecasting

Variance analysis

Financial reporting

Education

Bachelor's in finance or accounting

MBA preferred

Tools

SAP

Smartview EPM

JDE

BI

Job description

James Hardie is the industry leader in exterior home and outdoor living solutions, with a portfolio that includes fiber cement, fiber gypsum, composite and PVC decking and railing products. Our family of trusted brands includes Hardie®, TimberTech®, AZEK® Exteriors, Versatex®, fermacell®, and StruXure®.

With over 8,000 employees and our U.S. operating entities headquartered in Chicago, we boast 31 operating sites, 6 recycling facilities, and 6 research and development centers globally. Powered by a dynamic workforce, we’re united by our purpose of Building a Better Future for All™ through sustainable innovation, a Zero Harm culture, and a commitment to empowering our people and communities.

For more information, visit www.jameshardie.com .

This position will support the Manager of FP&A and be responsible for comprehensive financial analysis, forecasting, and reporting for the full Profit and Loss statement. The role involves comprehensive analysis of financial results, short-term and long-term forecasting, monthly financial reporting, and working cross-functionally with the Accounting and non-financial business partners. The individual will play a critical role in driving accurate forecasting, cost optimization, improving quality of earnings performance, and supporting strategic financial decision-making across the organization.

What You’ll Do:

Budgeting & Forecasting: Collaborate with the FP&A team and business partners to develop annual budgets and periodic forecasts. Ensure alignment with overall business goals and financial objectives.

Business Partnership Focused Financial Analysis: Conduct detailed analysis of departmental operating and SG&A expenses, identifying trends, variances, and opportunities for cost optimization. Provide insights to drive improved financial performance across departments such as sales, product, marketing, IT, HR, and general administration.

Reporting & Variance Analysis: Compile, review, and analyze actual SG&A results versus budget and forecast on a monthly basis. Provide detailed variance explanations and recommendations for corrective actions, where applicable.

Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with key stakeholders across departments to understand variance drivers and ensure accurate forecasting and reporting of all relevant expense categories.

Scenario Modeling: Perform business scenario modeling for departmental initiatives and projects, such as new product launches, branding investments, headcount planning, departmental spending initiatives, and efficiency improvements. Support decision-making with data-driven insights.

Systems & Data Management: Leverage tools like SAP, Smartview EPM, JDE, BI, and Excel to mine and analyze data, ensuring the availability of accurate and timely financial information for decision-making. Develop custom reports in collaboration with IT to meet specific departmental operating expense analysis needs.

Month-End & Financial Close: Support the month-end close process with a focus on accurate departmental operating expense reporting and reconciliation. Ensure that all operating and SG&A-related expense entries are properly recorded and aligned with financial policies.

Internal Controls: Maintain appropriate internal controls and safeguards over financial reporting to ensure compliance and accuracy.

Ad-Hoc Analysis & Reporting: Perform additional ad-hoc financial analysis as needed to support business initiatives and strategic decision-making.

What You’ll Bring:

Education: Bachelor’s degree in finance or accounting. MBA preferred.

Experience: One to three years of experience, preferably in a manufacturing environment. Prior experience with cost management, budgeting, and financial reporting is highly desirable.

Computer Skills: Proficiency in Excel, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and common database reporting tools. JDE, EPM, and BI experience is preferred.

Strong Time Management & Deadline Orientation: Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks efficiently, ensuring timely completion of financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and analysis. Demonstrated ability to work under tight deadlines while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.

Effective Communication Skills: Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present complex financial data and insights in a clear, concise, and actionable manner. Experience in communicating with both financial and non-financial stakeholders, including senior management.

Collaboration & Teamwork: Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams to gather insights, share financial data, and provide recommendations. Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment, interacting with various departments to ensure alignment on financial objectives.

Attention to Detail: Exceptional attention to detail, ensuring that financial data is accurate and that analysis is thorough. Ability to spot trends, discrepancies, and opportunities for improvement with business partners in department SG&A and other financial metrics.

What You’ll Receive:

As of the date of this posting, a good faith estimate of the current pay scale for this position is $71,000 to $85,000. Placement in the range depends on several factors such as experience, skills, geography and internal equity and may change over time. This position qualifies for benefits and you will be eligible to participate in a bonus plan.

At James Hardie, we recognize that our success depends on our people. We've worked hard to build a generous and competitive benefits program that demonstrates our commitment to our employees.

• Compensation: competitive salary and bonus eligibility
• Paid Time Off: vacation and company holidays
• Retirement: 401(k) with 6% match
• Investments: Employee Stock Purchase plan (ESP)
• Work-Life Balance: parental leave, wellness programs

James Hardie Building Products Inc. is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, gender, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, veteran's status, marital status, pregnancy, disability, or any other basis protected by law.

James Hardie will comply with any applicable state and local laws regarding employee leave benefits, including, but not limited to providing time off pursuant to the Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act, in accordance with its plans and policies.

The position responsibilities outlined above are in no way to be construed as all encompassing. Other duties, responsibilities, and qualifications may be required and/or assigned as necessary.