Finance Business Partner (Chicago)

Smartly•Chicago, IL

8d•Hybrid

About The Position

Smartly is seeking an experienced Finance Business Partner to join their growing Commercial Finance / FP&A team in Chicago. This role serves as a critical link between Finance and the business, supporting C-Suite stakeholders with financial insight, analysis, and decision support to drive growth and profitability. The ideal candidate will have 4-8 years of experience in Commercial Finance/FP&A/Consulting or Private Equity/VC. SaaS or Agency experience is highly desirable, though not essential.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in strategic finance, FP&A, private equity, venture capital, investment banking, management consulting, public markets investing, or equity research.
Commercially minded, with a strong understanding of how finance enables strategic growth.
Exceptional analytical and modelling skills, with the ability to turn numbers into narrative.
Advanced Excel user, comfortable working with SQL, large data models, and performance frameworks.
Confident in managing P&Ls, forecasts, and headcount plans.
Strong communicator with the ability to engage and influence senior stakeholders, including executive leadership.
Collaborative mindset with a track record of building relationships across teams, regions, and functions.
Self-starter: curious, adaptable, and motivated by impact — always looking for ways to improve how things work.

Nice To Haves

SaaS or Agency experience is highly desirable, though not essential.

Responsibilities

Act as a strategic business partner to Leadership and department heads, delivering financial and data-driven analyses with impactful insights and recommendations.
Track, analyse, and forecast key business and financial KPIs to identify trends, risks, and opportunities.
Lead quarterly forecasting and budget planning processes in close partnership with Leadership and department leaders.
Support commercial decisions, including pricing, deal reviews, and investment cases, through robust financial modelling.
Drive process improvements across forecasting, reporting, and business partnering activities.
Collaborate cross-functionally with Commercial, Ops and Product teams.