Financial Analyst II-III

Lansing Board of Water & Light•Lansing, MI

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The BWL is seeking a Financial Analyst II-III to join the Finance & Planning department. This role supports the company’s business units by providing the tools, knowledge, and thought leadership necessary for consistent and effective decision-making. As a valued partner in strategic and everyday business decisions, the Financial Analyst will support and lead duties related to cash & investment management, bond issuance & compliance, financial planning & analysis (FP&A), revenue forecasting, and rate making. The Finance & Planning department performs a wide range of duties, and a Financial Analyst II will share in performing most supporting duties with some guidance, while potentially taking a lead role in two or more specific areas. The Financial Analyst III performs various operational tasks, including developing and coordinating complex analyses for financial planning and analysis, cash management, investment management, rate making, capital project financing, benchmarking, policy development, and bond compliance. They will coordinate with business units as a "business partner" to create detailed financial plans, influence the allocation of financial resources, prepare financial statements and forecasts, and manage reporting systems.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting or Business Administration; or equivalent combination of education and experience
Minimum of three years of professional experience in finance, accounting, or related field (for FA II)
Minimum of five (5) to seven (7) years of professional experience in finance, accounting, or related field (for FA III)
Experience with corporate budget development
Experience with corporate budget and forecast development, monthly financial reporting, and variance analysis
Experience with cash management, bond issuance & compliance
Experience with utility rate making and revenue development
Experience with business process improvement, identify and implement new ideas to day-to-day operations
Familiarity with accounting and financial software systems
Knowledge of MS Office Suite, including Power BI, Outlook, Teams, advanced Excel and PowerPoint
Strong oral and written communication skills
Knowledge of GAAP and GASB
Understanding of the strategy, drivers, metrics, and data elements of the company
Ability to apply financial and economic concepts, including financial modeling, economic analysis, cash flow (DCF), contribution margin, balance sheet analysis, financial ratios, alignment to KPIs, NPV/IRR, cost of capital, market analysis, and strategic analysis
Understanding of treasury management, budgeting, and/or utility rate making principles (for FA III)
Understanding of balance sheets, income statements and capital structure (for FA III)
Ability to manipulate and manage large amounts of data (for FA III)
Ability to update, maintain, reconcile, and trouble shoot spreadsheets of financial data (for FA III)
Ability to work on multiple projects with minimal direction (for FA III)

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in finance, accounting, business administration, or related field
Understanding of the business, end-markets, competitive environment, industry peer group and general economic conditions that impact the company
SAP experience (for FA III)
Experience with construction-based capital budgeting and/or project portfolio management (for FA III)

Responsibilities

Cash & Investment Management
Bond Issuance & Compliance
Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)
Revenue Forecasting
Rate Making
Assist with developing presentations for various audiences, including investors, rating agencies, management, and the Board of Commissioners
Recommend and implement solutions to strengthen controls and incorporate best practices
Develop relevant reporting, including data preparation, report creation and quality control
Provide financial training to the organization
Establish metrics and key performance indicators
Coordinate and engage business units as a “business partner” to create detailed financial plans in support of the annual operating and capital budget & forecast process and to identify and mitigate forecasting variances
Influence allocation of financial resources that result in maximized value for customers and stakeholders through detailed business cases and due diligence
Prepare income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow annual budget, 6-year forecast, 20-year forecast and up-to-date projections
Execute the budget & forecast process, making enhancements as necessary, including administration of budgeting, and forecasting software
Support the strategic planning process and master planning initiatives
Manage and coordinate monthly/quarterly reporting, validate accuracy, and assist team in creation of analyses and presentations for executive leadership and Board of Commissioners
Understand and analyze monthly/quarterly financial and performance results (vs. forecast, prior year, budget), clearly articulate themes and performance drivers, and drive efforts to understand root causes of variances to make recommendations that enhance business performance
Provide data and analyses to support periodic (monthly, quarterly, year-end) financial and operational performance reviews with the business and finance teams, executive leadership, and the Board of Commissioner meetings
Monitor company performance statistics; report trends, variances, and issues; and take appropriate action including proactively notifying business partners or leadership
Gather data to track and review performance of strategic initiatives
Ensure reporting systems and source data are accurate and reconciled, including supporting accounting with variance and transaction analysis
Conduct ad-hoc financial analysis/special projects to assist management in understanding business performance
Coordinate with business units to identify and mitigate forecasting variances
All duties to support Cash & Investment Management, Bond Issuance & Compliance, Financial Planning and Analysis, Revenue Forecasting and Rate Making
Expected to comply with all BWL policies and work rules
Predictable and reliable attendance
Other duties as required

Benefits

Competitive wages
Employee development
Opportunity for professional growth
Robust time off benefits including vacation, free choice, sick leave, parental leave and 11 paid holidays
Comprehensive benefits package offered including medical, prescription, dental, life insurance, long-term disability, employee assistance program
Voluntary benefits including vision, supplemental and dependent life insurance, flexible spending, AFLAC options, LifeLock anti-theft, long term care, tuition reimbursement, and BWL's Home Purchase Plan – Forgivable $5,000 loan for purchase of a home in Lansing
Retirement programs including 401(a) Defined Contribution Plan (DC) (100% company paid up to 9.5 % of base salary for BU positions and up to 13% of base salary for NBU positions), 457 Deferred Compensation matches up to $2,500 per year
Post retirement benefits offered at the respective level of coverage, co-pays and health care premium, at the same level as active employees
Two fitness centers located on site open 24/7
Work life balance program
Employee assistance program
Free parking