Financial Planning and Analysis Manager

SearchBuddy; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

SearchBuddy is seeking a strategic Manager of Financial Planning & Analysis to lead budgeting, forecasting, and management reporting across the organization. You will translate financial data into actionable insights for senior leaders and drive initiatives to improve performance and reporting processes.

Reporting to the finance leader, you will build and maintain financial models, present to executives, and partner with cross-functional teams to support strategic decisions and business

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business or related field.
• 5+ years of progressive FP&A experience in corporate finance or related discipline.
• Strong understanding of financial statements, budgeting, forecasting, and corporate finance.
• Working knowledge of U.S. GAAP.
• Advanced Excel with financial modeling skills.
• Experience with Power BI or similar BI/reporting platforms.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage key components of annual budgeting and quarterly rolling forecast processes.
• Participate in strategic financial reviews and help develop financial goals, forecasts, and performance measures.
• Prepare financial analyses and executive-level reporting to support strategic planning and decision-making.
• Develop and maintain financial models to evaluate business performance, trends, opportunities, and risks.
• Prepare monthly financial reporting and detailed variance analysis comparing actual results to budget and forecast.
• Identify and explain key business drivers behind financial performance.

Skills

5+ years FP&A experience

Advanced Excel

Power BI

Analytical thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business

CPA certification

MBA preferred

Tools

Power BI

Data warehouse tools

Job description

Our client is a well-established, growing organization with a strong national and international presence. The company is seeking a strategic, analytical, and business-minded Manager of Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) to join its finance team.

This position will play an important role in supporting the organization's financial planning, forecasting, reporting, and strategic decision-making. The ideal candidate will be comfortable working with senior leadership, translating complex financial data into meaningful business insights, and identifying opportunities to improve financial performance and reporting processes.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced finance professional who wants to have meaningful visibility within an organization and serve as a trusted financial partner to leaders across the business.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead and manage key components of the annual budgeting and quarterly rolling forecast processes.
• Participate in strategic financial reviews and help develop financial goals, forecasts, and performance measures.
• Prepare financial analyses and executive-level reporting to support strategic planning and decision-making.
• Develop and maintain financial models to evaluate business performance, trends, opportunities, and risks.
• Prepare monthly financial reporting and detailed variance analysis comparing actual results to budget and forecast.
• Identify and explain key business drivers behind financial performance.
• Translate financial results into clear, actionable insights and recommendations for leadership.
• Monitor financial trends and proactively identify opportunities, risks, and areas requiring additional analysis.

Executive & Board Reporting

• Develop presentations and financial materials for executive leadership meetings, Board meetings, and strategic committees.
• Present complex financial information in a clear, concise, and business-focused manner.
• Provide leadership with timely information to support operational and strategic decisions.

Business Partnership & Strategic Support

• Partner with leaders across departments to provide financial guidance, analysis, and decision support.
• Build strong relationships with cross-functional teams and serve as a trusted financial resource.
• Support ad hoc financial analyses, business cases, special projects, and strategic initiatives.
• Provide financial insight into new initiatives, investments, and opportunities as needed.

Reporting, Systems & Process Improvement

• Assist with the development and maintenance of financial reporting tools, dashboards, and management reporting.
• Utilize Power BI and data warehouse tools to improve access to financial information and business intelligence.
• Partner with Accounting, IT, and other stakeholders to improve financial processes and reporting.
• Identify opportunities to automate manual processes, improve data integrity, and increase reporting efficiency.
• Participate in financial systems implementations and other technology-related initiatives.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business, or a related field.
• 5+ years of progressive experience in FP&A, corporate finance, accounting, or a related discipline.
• Strong understanding of financial statements, financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and corporate finance.
• Working knowledge of U.S. GAAP.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including the ability to build and analyze financial models.
• Experience with Power BI or similar business intelligence/reporting platforms.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.
• Ability to communicate financial concepts effectively to both finance and non-finance audiences.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

The following would be considered a plus:

• CPA certification.
• Master's degree or MBA.
• Experience preparing executive or Board-level financial reporting.
• Experience with financial systems, data warehouses, reporting automation, or business intelligence tools.
• Experience working in a multi-departmental or multi-location organization.

IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE

The successful candidate will be more than a strong technical finance professional. This individual will be a business partner who can connect financial information to real-world business decisions.

You will be someone who:

• Thinks strategically while maintaining a strong attention to detail.
• Can take complex financial information and turn it into a clear story for senior leadership.
• Is comfortable working independently and taking ownership of projects and deliverables.
• Builds effective relationships across departments and works collaboratively with business leaders.
• Thrives in an environment where priorities can change and multiple initiatives are moving simultaneously.
• Looks beyond simply reporting the numbers and wants to understand why the numbers are changing and what the business should do about them.
• Continuously looks for ways to improve processes, reporting, automation, and financial visibility.

WHAT THIS OPPORTUNITY OFFERS

This is an opportunity to join a growing organization where FP&A is viewed as a strategic business function, not simply a reporting role. The Manager will have meaningful exposure to senior leadership and the opportunity to influence planning, performance management, and business decisions across the organization.