Director of FP&A

Excelligence•Olathe, KS

About The Position

About Excelligence Learning Corporation Excelligence Learning Corporation is the world's leading tech-enabled platform company in early childhood and elementary education. Educators, parents, and children in more than 40 countries use our 20,000+ innovative, high-quality educational products and teaching solutions to teach, learn, and grow. With over 30 years of experience, Excelligence is a developer, manufacturer, distributor, and multi-channel retailer serving early childhood learning centers, elementary schools, PTAs, and consumers. Our portfolio includes industry-leading brands such as Discount School Supply®, Really Good Stuff®, Children's Factory®, Angeles®, Learning Carpets®, Colorations®, BioColor®, and Frog Street®. Position Overview The Director of FP&A – Operations is a senior finance leader responsible for financial planning, forecasting, and performance management across Excelligence's operational cost centers, with a strong emphasis on fulfillment, distribution, and supply chain operations. Reporting directly to the VP of Finance and partnering closely with Operations leadership, this role serves as the primary owner of operating expense (OPEX) visibility, cost discipline, and variance management. The position combines strategic FP&A leadership with hands-on operational engagement in a fast-paced, high-volume environment. This role reflects an expanded mandate for ownership, accountability, and executive-level impact and is designed to drive measurable cost reductions, efficiency gains, and improved financial decision-making across the organization.

Requirements

10+ years of progressive experience in Financial Planning & Analysis, operations finance, corporate finance, or a related discipline OR Fewer years of experience with demonstrated, sustained impact equivalent to a senior FP&A leader , evidenced by:
Material cost savings, margin expansion, cash flow improvement, or operating efficiency gains
Ownership of enterprise-level forecasting, budgeting, and variance management processes
Direct influence on executive decision-making, capital allocation, or operational strategy
Led or materially contributed to cost reduction initiatives with significant annual financial impact
Built, owned, or redesigned forecasting and financial models supporting large-scale revenue or spend environments
Partnered with senior leadership to drive measurable improvements in margin, EBITDA, working capital, or operating leverage
Demonstrated progression in scope, complexity, and decision authority ahead of typical tenure timeline.
Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, or a related field (MBA or CPA preferred).
Strong expertise in OPEX management, variance analysis, and cost discipline.
Experience supporting fulfillment, distribution, supply chain, manufacturing, or logistics operations strongly preferred.
Advanced Excel and financial modeling skills; experience with ERP and BI tools (e.g., Oracle, SAP, JD Edwards, Power BI, Tableau).
Strong executive communication skills with the ability to challenge assumptions and influence cross-functional leaders.
Proven ability to operate independently, manage competing priorities, and drive outcomes in ambiguous environments.
Candidates should be prepared to discuss specific examples of cost savings, margin improvement, or financial impact they have personally driven.

Responsibilities

Own enterprise-level financial planning processes for operations, including annual operating plans (AOP), budgets, and rolling forecasts.
Develop and maintain detailed OPEX models aligned to labor, logistics, fulfillment, and supply chain cost drivers.
Partner with Operations leadership to align financial plans with capacity, productivity, and service-level objectives.
Monitor actual spend versus budget and forecast; identify, explain, and escalate material variances.
Proactively surface cost risks, trends, and optimization opportunities with clear financial impact.
Develop, track, and support corrective action plans for over-budget areas, ensuring accountability and follow-through.
Deliver executive-ready reporting packages, dashboards, and financial narratives for senior leadership.
Translate complex financial and operational data into clear, actionable insights that influence decision-making.
Support monthly business reviews, operating reviews, and ad-hoc executive requests.
Serve as the primary finance partner to Operations, Supply Chain, Procurement, and Distribution leaders.
Support spend reviews, productivity initiatives, vendor cost management, and cost-reduction programs.
Provide financial guidance on operational initiatives, process improvements, and investment decisions.
Support audit activities related to operational spending and cost controls.
Ensure consistent financial rigor, documentation, and compliance across assigned cost centers.
Improve FP&A processes, tools, and reporting scalability over time.