Senior Cost & Data Analyst

ASCENDING; Miami (FL); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

ASCENDING is seeking a Senior Cost & Data Analyst on a hybrid basis in Miami, FL. The role focuses on labor cost allocations, ensuring accuracy and audit-ready documentation, and collaborating with FP&A and People leaders on headcount planning and workforce costs.

The position is hands-on, data-driven, and requires years of experience in data/financial analysis, payroll analytics, and strong Excel/SQL skills. A flexible hybrid schedule is offered.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Data Analytics, Economics, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 7+ years of experience in data/financial analysis, payroll or HR analytics, or accounting.
• Advanced Excel or Google Sheets skills (pivot tables, lookups, formulas, reconciliations).
• Working knowledge of SQL and ability to handle large datasets.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and run recurring labor cost allocations across departments, cost centers, projects, entities, and funding sources.
• Maintain allocation methodologies, drivers, and assumptions and document changes.
• Allocate fully loaded labor costs including salary, bonus, commissions, benefits, payroll taxes, equity compensation, and other employer costs.
• Reconcile allocated labor costs to payroll registers, the general ledger, and HRIS records, investigating and resolving variances.
• Support month-end close by delivering allocation journals and supporting schedules.
• Assist with audit, compliance, and tax needs, with documentation that stands up to scrutiny.
• Build and maintain reports and dashboards for labor cost, headcount, and cost-center trends.
• Partner with FP&A on headcount planning, labor forecasts, and budget-to-actual analysis.
• Provide ad hoc analysis for People and business leaders on workforce cost questions.
• Monitor the integrity of employee data feeding allocations (org structure, cost center mappings, job/location data).
• Identify errors and coordinate with HRIS, Payroll, and managers to resolve issues at the source.
• Create and maintain process documentation, controls, and audit trails.

Skills

Advanced Excel/Google Sheets

SQL

Payroll/HR analytics

Clear communication

Confidential data handling

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Workday

ADP

HiBob

NetSuite

Job description

ASCENDING is hiring a Senior Cost & Data Analyst on a contract-to-hire basis in Miami, FL (hybrid) with a very flexible hybrid schedule. In this role, you will help strengthen labor cost allocation accuracy and reporting quality through audit-ready documentation, reconciliations, and ongoing process improvements.

You will focus on recurring labor allocation runs, delivering allocation journals for month-end close, and partnering with FP&A and People leaders to support headcount planning and workforce cost questions. The work is hands-on and data-driven, with an emphasis on maintaining clean, reliable employee data as it flows into allocations and dashboards.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and run recurring monthly, quarterly, and year-end labor cost allocations across departments, cost centers, projects, entities, and funding sources
• Maintain allocation methodologies, drivers, and assumptions (including headcount, time tracking, effort reporting, and percent-of-time) and document any changes
• Allocate fully loaded labor costs, including salary, bonus, commissions, benefits, payroll taxes, equity compensation, and other employer costs
• Reconcile allocated labor costs to payroll registers, the general ledger, and HRIS records, investigating and resolving variances
• Support month-end close by delivering allocation journals and supporting schedules on schedule
• Assist with audit, compliance, and tax needs, such as capitalized software labor, R&D credits, and grant or contract cost reporting, with documentation that stands up to scrutiny
• Build and maintain reports and dashboards for labor cost, headcount, and cost-center trends
• Partner with FP&A on headcount planning, labor forecasts, and budget-to-actual analysis
• Provide ad hoc analysis for People and business leaders on workforce cost questions
• Monitor the integrity of employee data feeding allocations (org structure, cost center mappings, job and location data, employment status)
• Identify errors and gaps early, and coordinate with HRIS, Payroll, and managers to resolve issues at the source
• Create and maintain process documentation, controls, and audit trails

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Data Analytics, Economics, Information Systems, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
• 7+ years of experience in data analysis, financial analysis, payroll or HR analytics, or accounting
• Advanced Excel or Google Sheets skills (pivot tables, lookups, complex formulas, reconciliations)
• Working knowledge of SQL, with comfort handling large, messy datasets
• Strong attention to detail and a track record of reconciling data across multiple systems
• Ability to explain technical or methodological topics clearly to non-technical stakeholders
• Discretion handling confidential employee and compensation data

Technologies

• Excel, Google Sheets, SQL
• Workday, ADP, HiBob
• NetSuite

Preferred

• Experience with labor cost allocations, cost accounting, or month-end close processes
• Familiarity with HRIS and payroll systems (Workday, ADP, HiBob) and ERP or GL systems (NetSuite)
• Experience building or improving controls and audit-ready documentation
• Exposure to multi-entity or multi-country allocations