Senior FP&A Analyst — AI-Driven Insights & Growth

Cengage Group; Wichita (KS); On-site; USD 67,000 - 87,000; Full time

Job summary

Cengage Group is seeking a Senior Financial Analyst to join the Finance team in the United States. The role focuses on forecasting, variance analysis, and delivering actionable insights to senior leadership.

You will partner with product and business unit leaders, automate reporting, and help drive strategic value through data-driven decisions. The ideal candidate has 2+ years FP&A experience, strong Excel and data visualization skills, and a solid grounding in GAAP.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate or Graduate degree in Accounting/Finance, or Quantitative subject areas required.
• 2+ years related experience in FP&A, finance, accounting, or a related analytical role.
• Strong analytical foundation with the ability to move from data to insight to recommendation.
• Adapts well to fast-paced environment and constantly evolving priorities and activities.
• Advanced Excel skills; comfort handling extensive data collections and building models.
• Experience with or strong interest in data visualization tools (Power BI, Tableau) and financial systems (SAP, Hyperion, etc.).
• Demonstrated curiosity and interest in employing technology, automation, and AI for improving financial processes and analysis.
• Solid understanding of accounting principles (GAAP) and financial statements.
• High attention to detail with the capacity to manage several priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong communication skills, capable of clearly presenting complex information to non-finance collaborators.
• Growth mindset: proactive, coachable, and motivated to tackle increasing responsibility.

Responsibilities

• Own core FP&A processes including monthly reporting, quarterly forecasting, and annual planning, with a focus on accuracy, insight, and continuous improvement.
• Partner closely with product and business unit leaders to analyze product performance, profitability, and customer adoption trends.
• Translate financial and operational data into clear, actionable insights and recommendations for senior leadership.
• Develop a deep understanding of business drivers and proactively identify risks and opportunities.
• Perform detailed variance analysis, identifying root causes and communicating key drivers of performance.
• Support strategic decision-making through ad hoc analysis, scenario modeling, and business case development.
• Improve and automate reporting processes using modern tools (e.g., BI platforms, data models, AI-assisted workflows).
• Act as a key liaison between the Business Unit, FP&A, and Accounting to ensure alignment and consistency.
• Assist in the preparation of internal and external reporting materials.
• Support product setup, financial tracking, and new initiative analysis.
• Investigate data discrepancies and drive resolution with cross-functional partners.

Skills

Analytical skills

Advanced Excel

Data visualization tools

GAAP knowledge

Education

Accounting/Finance degree

Tools

Power BI

Tableau

SAP

Hyperion

Job description

Cengage Group is seeking a Senior Financial Analyst to join the Finance team in the United States. The role focuses on forecasting, variance analysis, and delivering actionable insights to senior leadership.

You will partner with product and business unit leaders, automate reporting, and help drive strategic value through data-driven decisions. The ideal candidate has 2+ years FP&A experience, strong Excel and data visualization skills, and a solid grounding in GAAP.