Lead Financial Analyst

Keen Search & Staffing, LLC; Monroe (OH); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Keen Search & Staffing, LLC is working with a confidential specialty construction company to identify a Lead Financial Analyst – Project Finance and Operations. This hands-on finance role supports project financial performance, operational decision-making, and overall business results.

Construction or EPC experience is required, with emphasis on job costing, project accounting, WIP, and project profitability.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or construction management from an accredited four-year college or university.
• 5+ years’ experience with 3 years at a project-driven business including understanding of percentage of completion accounting.
• Experience supporting multiple locations and operating effectively within a matrix reporting structure.
• Worked in a business unit/region supporting operations while building awareness and acumen.
• ERP system experience required; working knowledge of the Vista System is a plus but not required.
• Experience creating, analyzing, and distributing Power BI reports utilizing multiple data sources preferred.
• Working knowledge of accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) including job cost and construction accounting principles & processes.
• CPA, MBA, and/or other advanced certification (CCFIP) a plus.

Responsibilities

• Leads the annual financial planning process including targets, key drivers, and alignment with regional strategic and operational plans.
• Performs scenario planning based on market conditions, external factors, risks, opportunities, and required action plans.
• Manages quarterly forecast updates, including changes, risks, opportunities, and gap-closing plans.
• Work with project management team to assess project progress and results for accurate accounting and forecasting. Ensure change orders and contingencies are reported consistent to policy.
• Monitor progress billings, aged A/R, and initiate collection follow-up on slow pay accounts with Project Managers.
• Develops department-level spending plans aligned with strategic and operating plans.
• Maintains in-depth financial understanding of project results/forecasts, customer/segment performance trends, and spending to partner with Operations Leadership on any improvement plans.
• Delivers financial analysis with actionable insights across the markets, customers, segments, resource planning, and cost structure.
• Leads investment analysis to ensure strategic fit, ROI, and optimal capital allocation.
• Supports Operations Leadership on competitive analysis. This includes identifying insights to influence strategy, operations, and defense plans.
• Provides financial insights on pricing, project selection, and cash curve.
• Ensures financial targets and in-process project performance measures are effective and enabling optimal results.
• Manages the SGA Hourly Rate update process to ensure appropriate cost recovery and GAAP accuracy.
• Ensures appropriate internal controls and reporting of subsistence, truck/gas rent, T&E, contingencies, retention, T&M and govt jobs, etc.
• Reviews estimate revisions (internal & external) to ensure job measures and financials are fully updated.
• Monitors project cashflow & over/under billings to ensure they are within the standard company guidelines; reports any discrepancies to leadership.
• Partners with Operations Manager on Project Engage & Review Audit process to understand performance progress and areas to improve.
• Leads management financial reporting against budget and prior periods, providing actionable insights at the department level. This includes ensuring clarity of performance trends and recommendations to improve results.
• Ensures cost code accuracy to facilitate quality analysis/reporting as well as follow GAAP standards.
• Supports month-end closing cycle: ensuring tie-out to Project Mgr. projections, understanding drivers on jobs over 100% to reset, evaluating accrued cost, etc.
• Maintains deep understanding of Vista and Power BI systems as region superuser to support the functions as well as optimize analysis and reporting.
• Establishes and oversees implementation of accounting controls and procedures on a regional basis.
• Assists implement corporate change initiatives and acts as liaison between corporate accounting and operating regions.
• Conducts administrative functions of the department in accordance with Baker policies and applicable laws and regulations.

Skills

Job costing

Project accounting

WIP

Project controls

Cost forecasting

Project profitability

GAAP compliance

CPA/MBA a plus

Education

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or construction management

Tools

Vista System

Power BI

ERP systems

Job description

Keen Search is working on an confidential search with a growing and well-established specialty construction company to identify a Lead Financial Analyst – Project Finance and Operations team.

This is a hands-on finance role supporting project financial performance, operational decision-making, and overall business results. Construction or EPC experience is required. We are specifically looking for someone with hands-on experience in job costing, project accounting, WIP, project controls, cost forecasting, and project profitability.

This is an excellent opportunity for a Senior Financial Analyst, Senior FP&A Analyst, Senior Project Accountant, Project Controls professional, or Finance Supervisor who is ready to take on broader responsibility within a project-based organization.

• Leads the annual financial planning process including targets, key drivers, and alignment with regional strategic and operational plans
• Performs scenario planning based on market conditions, external factors, risks, opportunities, and required action plans
• Manages quarterly forecast updates, including changes, risks, opportunities, and gap-closing plans
• Work with project management team to assess project progress and results for accurate accounting and forecasting. Ensure change orders and contingencies are reported consistent to policy
• Monitor progress billings, aged A/R, and initiate collection follow-up on slow pay accounts with Project Managers
• Develops department-level spending plans aligned with strategic and operating plans
• Maintains in-depth financial understanding of project results/forecasts, customer/segment performance trends, and spending to partner with Operations Leadership on any improvement plans
• Delivers financial analysis with actionable insights across the markets, customers, segments, resource planning, and cost structure
• Leads investment analysis to ensure strategic fit, ROI, and optimal capital allocation
• Supports Operations Leadership on competitive analysis. This includes identifying insights to influence strategy, operations, and defense plans
• Provides financial insights on pricing, project selection, and cash curve
• Ensures financial targets and in-process project performance measures are effective and enabling optimal results
• Manages the SGA Hourly Rate update process to ensure appropriate cost recovery and GAAP accuracy
• Ensures appropriate internal controls and reporting of subsistence, truck/gas rent, T&E, contingencies, retention, T&M and govt jobs, etc.
• Reviews estimate revisions (internal & external) to ensure job measures and financials are fully updated
• Monitors project cashflow & over/under billings to ensure they are within the standard company guidelines; reports any discrepancies to leadership
• Partners with Operations Manager on Project Engage & Review Audit process to understand performance progress and areas to improve

Reporting

• Leads management financial reporting against budget and prior periods, providing actionable insights at the department level. This includes ensuring clarity of performance trends and recommendations to improve results
• Ensures cost code accuracy to facilitate quality analysis/reporting as well as follow GAAP standards
• Supports month-end closing cycle: ensuring tie-out to Project Mgr. projections, understanding drivers on jobs over 100% to reset, evaluating accrued cost, etc.
• Maintains deep understanding of Vista and Power BI systems as region superuser to support the functions as well as optimize analysis and reporting
• Establishes and oversees implementation of accounting controls and procedures on a regional basis
• Assists implement corporate change initiatives and acts as liaison between corporate accounting and operating regions
• Conducts administrative functions of the department in accordance with Baker policies and applicable laws and regulations

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or construction management from an accredited four-year college or university
• 5+ years’ experience with 3 years at a project-driven business including understanding of percentage of completion accounting
• Experience supporting multiple locations and operating effectively within a matrix reporting structure
• Worked in a business unit/region supporting operations while building awareness and acumen
• ERP system experience required; working knowledge of the Vista System is a plus but not required
• Experience creating, analyzing, and distributing Power BI reports utilizing multiple data sources preferred
• Working knowledge of accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) including job cost and construction accounting principles & processes
• CPA, MBA, and/or other advanced certification (CCFIP) a plus

Ideal Industry Background

Candidates with experience in the following environments are encouraged to apply:

• Commercial Construction
• Specialty Contracting
• General Contracting
• Other project-based construction environments