Sr. Consultant, Budget Analysis

Lincoln Financial Group; Omaha (NE); Hybrid; USD 96,900 - 176,200; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career tracks and job levels

Virtual training opportunities

Financial counseling and EAP

Job summary

Lincoln Financial Group is seeking a seasoned budget analyst to lead budgeting, forecasting, and expense management. You will analyze monthly results, advise senior leaders, and translate complex data into actionable insights for business owners.

Collaboration with finance partners and cross-functional teams is essential. The role emphasizes proactive cost control, scenario planning, and presenting clear financial narratives to executives.

Qualifications

• 5–7+ years in accounting, finance, or financial analysis focused on budget and expense management.
• Bachelor’s degree or 4 years equivalent work experience.
• Strong analytical skills to define problems, collect data, and draw conclusions.
• Proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint for clear financial presentations.
• Effective written, verbal, and presentation skills; capable of influencing leaders.
• Proven ability to manage internal client relationships with senior stakeholders.
• Experience applying variances, averages, ratios, statistics, and modeling to business solutions.
• Willingness to travel up to 10%.

Responsibilities

• Lead budget management for assigned areas, including budgeting and forecasting.
• Analyze monthly financial results, trends, and headcount forecasts.
• Advise senior leaders on budget development and stewardship of expenditures.
• Develop detailed analyses translating data into actionable insights for leadership.
• Collaborate with Finance partners to ensure accurate allocations and reporting.
• Monitor expenses monthly to identify trends, risks, and savings opportunities.
• Provide monthly forecast updates and guidance on spend optimization.
• Offer strategic financial guidance on complex assignments and initiatives.
• Develop metrics and cost-benefit analyses to support decisions.
• Drive process improvements to enhance efficiency and transparency.

Skills

Budget analysis

Forecasting

Expense management

Advanced Excel

PowerPoint

Communication

Relationship management

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Tableau

Power BI

Job description

Be Aware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities: Lincoln values the privacy and security of every applicant and urges all applicants to diligently protect their sensitive personal information from scams targeting job seekers. These scams can take many forms including fake employment applications, bogus interviews and falsified offer letters.

Lincoln will not ask applicants to provide their social security numbers, date of birth, bank account information or other sensitive information in job applications. Additionally, our recruiters do not communicate with applicants through free e-mail accounts (Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail) or conduct interviews utilizing video chat rooms. We will never ask applicants to provide payment during the hiring process or extend an offer without conducting a phone, live video or in-person interview. Please contact Lincoln's fraud team at [e-mail] if you encounter a recruiter or see a job opportunity that seems suspicious.

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Alternate Locations: Omaha, NE (Nebraska); Charlotte, NC (North Carolina); Fort Wayne, IN (Indiana); Radnor, PA (Pennsylvania)

Work Arrangement:

Hybrid : Employee will work 3 days a week in a Lincoln office

Relocation assistance:is not available for this opportunity.

Requisition #:76352

The Role at a Glance

What you'll be doing

• Lead budget management for assigned areas, including budgeting, forecasting, expense tracking, reporting, and advanced analytics tied to business activity and initiatives.
• Prepare, analyze, and clearly communicate monthly financial results, including expense trends, variance explanations, accruals, and headcount forecasts.
• Advise senior leaders on budget development, financial planning, and stewardship of expenditures in alignment with business objectives and corporate guidelines.
• Develop detailed financial analyses and reports that translate complex financial data into clear, actionable insights for business owners and leadership.
• Collaborate closely with internal Finance partners and business stakeholders to ensure accurate budget allocation, forecasting, and reporting.
• Monitor and analyze expenses on a monthly basis to identify complex trends, risks, and opportunities to optimize spend and deliver on savings commitments.
• Partner with stakeholders to develop monthly forecast updates and advise on opportunities to leverage spend for optimal business outcomes.
• Provide subject matter expertise and strategic financial guidance on complex assignments, projects, and enterprise initiatives.
• Develop metrics and cost-benefit analyses to measure performance, track outcomes, and support decision-making for key initiatives.
• Identify, plan, and implement process improvements that enhance budget management efficiency, quality, and transparency across the team and business.
• Maintain awareness of emerging trends, tools, and best practices in budgeting, expense management, and analytics, and incorporate them into current and future solutions.
• Positively influence and support change management and enterprise initiatives through strong partnership, communication, and thought leadership.

What we’re looking for

Must-Haves:

• 5–7+ years of experience in accounting, finance, or financial analysis directly aligned with budget analysis, forecasting, and expense management.
• Bachelor’s degree (or 4 years of equivalent work experience in lieu of a degree).
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw sound conclusions.
• High proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint, with the ability to present financial information clearly and confidently.
• Confident, effective communicator with strong written, verbal, and presentation skills; able to influence at all levels of management.
• Proven relationship management skills with internal clients, including senior leaders, peers, and cross-functional partners.
• Ability to apply financial and mathematical concepts such as variances, averages, ratios, statistics, and modeling to practical business solutions.
• Willingness to travel up to 10%.

Nice-to-Haves:

• Experience with Tableau and/or Power BI.
• Experience leveraging AI-enabled tools to build dashboards, analyze trends, and generate insights.
• Background supporting enterprise-level or multi-business-line expense management initiatives.

Application Deadline

Applications for this position will be accepted through 9/15/26 subject to earlier closure due to applicant volume.

What’s it like to work here?

At Lincoln Financial, we love what we do. We make meaningful contributions each and every day to empower our customers to take charge of their lives. Working alongside dedicated and talented colleagues, we build fulfilling careers and stronger communities through a company that values our unique perspectives, insights and contributions and invests in programs that empower each of us to take charge of our own future.

What’s in it for you:

• Clearly defined career tracks and job levels, along with associated behaviors for each of Lincoln's core values andleadership attributes
• Leadership development and virtual training opportunities
• Free financial counseling, health coaching and employee assistance program
• Tuition assistance program
• Work arrangements that work for you
• Effective productivity/technology tools and training
• The pay range for this position is$96,900 - $176,200with anticipated pay for new hires between the minimum and midpoint of the range and could vary above and below the listed range as permitted by applicable law. Pay is based on non-discriminatory factors including but not limited to work experience, education, location, licensure requirements, proficiency and qualifications required for the role. The base pay is just one component of Lincoln’s total rewards package for employees. In addition, the role may be eligible for the Annual Incentive Program, which is discretionary and based on the performance of the company, business unit and individual. Other rewards may include long-term incentives, sales incentives and Lincoln’s standard benefits package.

About The Company

Lincoln Financial (NYSE: LNC) helps people to confidently plan for their version of a successful future. We focus on identifying a clear path to financial security, with products including annuities, life insurance, group protection, and retirement plan services.

With our 120-year track record of expertise and integrity, millions of customers trust our solutions and service to help put their goals in reach.

Lincoln Financial Distributors, a broker-dealer, is the wholesale distribution organization of Lincoln Financial. Lincoln Financial is the marketing name for Lincoln Financial Corporation and its affiliates including The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, Fort Wayne, IN, and Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York, Syracuse, NY. Lincoln Financial affiliates, their distributors, and their respective employees, representatives and/or insurance agents do not provide tax, accounting or legal advice.

Lincoln is committed to creating an inclusive environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

Additional Information

This position may be subject to Lincoln’s Political Contribution Policy. An offer of employment may be contingent upon disclosing to Lincoln the details of certain political contributions. Lincoln may decline to extend an offer or terminate employment for this role if it determines political contributions made could have an adverse impact on Lincoln’s current or future business interests, misrepresentations were made, or for failure to fully disclose applicable political contributions and or fundraising activities.

Any unsolicited resumes or candidate profiles submitted through our web site or to personal e-mail accounts of employees of Lincoln Financial are considered property of Lincoln Financial and are not subject to payment of agency fees.

Lincoln Financial (\"Lincoln\" or \"the Company\") is an Equal Opportunity employer and, as such, is committed in policy and practice to recruit, hire, compensate, train and promote, in all job classifications, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin or disability. Opportunities throughout Lincoln are available to employees and applicants are evaluated on the basis of job qualifications. If you are a person with a disability that impedes your ability to express your interest for a position through our online application process, or require TTY/TDD assistance, contact us by calling [phone].

This Employer Participates in E-Verify. See the E-Verify notices.

Nearest Major Market: Omaha
Nearest Secondary Market: Council Bluffs