Senior Financial Analyst

Canadian Solar Inc.; Mesquite (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Canadian Solar Inc. is seeking a Senior Financial Analyst to partner with manufacturing operations, supply chain, and senior management. You will own financial planning, forecasting, cost analysis, and operational insights to guide strategic decisions.

The role requires strong modeling, cross-functional collaboration, and experience in manufacturing finance. Responsibilities include leading monthly forecasts, building complex models, and presenting performance reports.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field.
• Minimum of 5 years in FP&A or Finance, preferably manufacturing.
• Strong financial modeling, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting.
• Knowledge of manufacturing operations, cost accounting, and inventory management preferred.
• ERP experience; SAP preferred.
• Advanced Excel skills; Power BI/Tableau a plus.
• Understanding GAAP; strong communication and cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Lead monthly forecasting, annual budgeting, and long-range planning for manufacturing operations.
• Develop and maintain complex financial models for revenue, manufacturing cost, OPEX, working capital, and cash flow.
• Conduct variance analysis and provide actionable recommendations.
• Prepare and present monthly, quarterly, and annual financial performance reports.
• Analyze manufacturing KPIs such as production volume, yield, labor efficiency, and overhead absorption.
• Partner with plant leadership to monitor performance and drive profitability improvements.
• Support standard cost development, inventory valuation, and cost variance investigations.
• Evaluate product profitability and capacity utilization; drive efficiency initiatives.
• Develop executive dashboards and management reporting using ERP and analytics platforms.
• Identify opportunities to improve forecasting accuracy, reporting efficiency, and data automation.
• Enhance reporting tools and BI capabilities and support audits.

Skills

Financial modeling

Analytical thinking

Communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Finance/Accounting/Economics

Tools

SAP

Excel (PivotTables, XLOOKUP)

Power BI

Tableau

Job description

We are seeking a highly motivated and results-driven Senior Financial Analyst to support manufacturing operations within a fast-growing renewable energy organization. This role serves as a key finance business partner to operations, supply chain, and senior management by providing financial planning, forecasting, cost analysis, and operational insights. The ideal candidate will possess strong analytical capabilities, manufacturing finance experience, and the ability to influence business decisions through data-driven recommendations.

Responsibilities include:

• Lead monthly forecasting, annual budgeting, and long-range planning processes for manufacturing operations.
• Develop and maintain complex financial models to support revenue, manufacturing cost, operating expense, working capital, and cash flow forecasting.
• Conduct detailed variance analysis to identify key drivers of business performance and provide actionable recommendations.
• Prepare and present monthly, quarterly, and annual financial performance reports to management.
• Analyze manufacturing KPIs including production volume, yield, utilization, labor efficiency, scrap rates, and manufacturing overhead absorption.
• Partner with plant leadership to monitor operational performance, identify cost-saving opportunities, and drive profitability improvements.
• Support standard cost development, inventory valuation analysis, and cost variance investigations.
• Evaluate product profitability, capacity utilization, and operational efficiency initiatives.
• Develop executive dashboards and management reporting packages using financial and operational data.
• Identify opportunities to improve forecasting accuracy, reporting efficiency, and data automation.
• Enhance reporting tools and business intelligence capabilities through ERP and analytics platforms.
• Support internal and external audit requests and ensure compliance with corporate policies and financial reporting requirements.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related discipline
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in FP&A, Finance, or Accounting, preferably within a manufacturing or industrial environment
• Strong financial modeling, analytical, and problem-solving skills
• Experience with budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting
• Knowledge of manufacturing operations, cost accounting, and inventory management preferred
• Experience working with ERP systems; SAP experience preferred
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including PivotTables, XLOOKUP/VLOOKUP, Power Query, and financial modeling
• Experience with Power BI, Tableau, or similar reporting tools is a plus
• Strong understanding of financial statements and GAAP principles
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to work cross-functional
• CPA, CMA, CFA, or MBA preferred but not required

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

• Ability to sit for extended periods while working at a computer
• Frequent use of hands and fingers for typing, filing, and operating office equipment
• Occasional standing, walking, bending, and reaching
• Ability to lift and carry light office materials (up to 10-15 lbs.), such as files or office supplies
• Visual acuity to read computer screens, documents, and reports
• Ability to attend meetings and interact with employees, customers, and vendors