Financial Planning & Analysis Analyst

100% ONSITE PURPOSE OF THE ROLE The Group Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) Analyst supports the company's planning, forecasting, performance management and decision-making processes. The role combines strong financial analysis capabilities with a sound working knowledge of US GAAP to ensure that management reporting, forecasts and financial analyses are accurate, consistent and business-relevant.

The position works closely with Finance, Accounting and business functions to analyze financial performance, identify risks and opportunities, improve forecast accuracy and provide clear, actionable insights to management.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

FINANCIAL PLANNING AND FORECASTING

• Support the annual operating plan, budget, strategic planning and periodic forecasting processes.
• Analyze actual performance against budget, forecast and prior periods, clearly explaining material variances and underlying business drivers.
• Identify emerging financial risks and opportunities and incorporate them into forecasts and management outlooks.
• Prepare scenario and sensitivity analyses to support management decisions. MANAGEMENT REPORTING AND BUSINESS ANALYSIS
• Prepare monthly and quarterly management reporting packages, including P&L, balance sheet, cash flow and key performance indicators.
• Translate financial and operational data into clear insights, conclusions and recommendations for management.
• Support profitability and performance analysis by business unit, product, customer, geography or other relevant dimensions.
• Develop and maintain dashboards and reporting tools used to monitor business performance. US GAAP AND FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING
• Apply a sound working knowledge of US GAAP when preparing forecasts, management reporting and financial analyses.
• Partner with Accounting and Controllership to understand accounting treatments and their effect on actual and forecast financial performance.
• Support analysis of revenue recognition, accruals, provisions, capitalization versus expense, depreciation, inventory, warranties and other relevant accounting matters.
• Help ensure consistency between management reporting, forecasts and the underlying accounting records. BUSINESS PARTNERING
• Partner with business and functional leaders to understand operational developments and translate them into financial impacts.
• Constructively challenge assumptions and ensure forecasts are supported by appropriate operational and financial drivers.
• Communicate financial information effectively to finance and non-finance stakeholders. PROCESS IMPROVEMENT AND DATA ANALYTICS
• Improve FP&A processes, reporting structures and forecasting methodologies.
• Support the automation and standardization of management reporting.
• Promote the integrity and consistency of financial information across ERP, planning and reporting systems.
• Participate in Finance transformation and continuous-improvement initiatives QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business Administration or a related field.
• Approximately 3-5 years of relevant experience in FP&A, controlling, accounting or a comparable finance role.
• Practical knowledge of US GAAP and a strong understanding of financial statement fundamentals.
• Experience with budgeting, forecasting, variance analysis and management reporting.
• Experience in a multinational, manufacturing, engineering or industrial environment is an advantage.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel and strong financial-modeling skills.
• Strong understanding of the relationships among the income statement, balance sheet and cash-flow statement.
• Ability to work with large datasets and convert financial and operational information into concise management insights.
• Strong PowerPoint and financial presentation skills. COMPETENCIES & KNOWLEDGE
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with high attention to detail and the ability to maintain a broad business perspective.
• Ability to investigate variances and identify their underlying financial and operational drivers.
• Strong communication, collaboration and business-partnering skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet reporting deadlines in an international environment.
• High standards of integrity, accuracy, ownership and confidentiality.
• Fluent English is required; German is an advantage.