Financial Analyst V

Aston Carter•Menlo Park, CA

1d•$80 - $90•Remote

About The Position

This role focuses on financial planning and analysis (FP&A) with a primary emphasis on operational expenditure budget management in a large-scale technology or media environment. The Financial Analyst V gathers, analyzes, and interprets financial data, supports budget cycles, and provides clear, data-driven insights to leadership and cross-functional partners. The position plays a critical role in project-level planning, developing budget baselines, tracking spend, and maintaining accurate headcount-related metrics to support informed decision-making.

Requirements

At least 6 years of experience in financial planning and analysis (FP&A) with a focus on operational expenditure budget management.
Proven experience managing budget cycles, including planning, tracking, and variance analysis.
Strong project planning and financial tracking experience in a large-scale technology or media environment or similar complex organization.
Advanced proficiency in Excel and/or Google Sheets, including complex formulas, data manipulation, and reporting.
Experience with enterprise financial systems and planning tools such as SAP, Anaplan, or similar platforms.
Demonstrated ability to analyze and synthesize financial and operational data for executives and business partners.
Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present complex financial information clearly and concisely.
High attention to detail and strong critical thinking skills when reviewing and interpreting financial data.
Strong ability to work independently and manage one’s time effectively in a dynamic environment.
Strong ability to analyze business trends and project future revenues and expenses.
Strong knowledge of economic and accounting principles, financial markets, and financial data reporting.
Strong knowledge of relevant policies, procedures, and regulations related to accounting and financial reporting.
Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and related financial software applications.
Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a related financial discipline.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with procurement processes and cost center structures.
Familiarity with business intelligence and reporting tools or dashboards, such as internal reporting platforms or similar BI systems.
Comfort pulling and reconciling data from multiple sources to build accurate reports and analyses.
Ability to work independently with minimal direction and ramp up quickly on new processes and tools.
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment and proactively surface issues before they escalate.
Strong organizational skills and a self-starter mindset, including comfort with repetitive process work when needed.
Ability to synthesize financial data into clear status updates, summaries, and recommendations for leadership.
Strong stakeholder management skills, including the ability to handle a high volume of inquiries efficiently and professionally.
An advanced degree in a financial discipline is preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead operational expenditure budget management, including project-level planning, budget baseline development, and ongoing tracking of spend.
Support the 2027 budget cycle by owning key planning activities and maintaining accurate and up-to-date financial baselines.
Monitor actuals versus plan on an ongoing basis, identifying variances, trends, and areas of underrun, and proactively flagging issues for stakeholders.
Manage priority investments, including P0 initiatives, ensuring alignment with budget constraints and strategic objectives.
Serve as the primary point of contact for business partners on purchase orders, cost center setup, contingent worker and headcount configurations, and general budget policy questions.
Run, refresh, and maintain weekly financial and headcount reports and dashboards to provide canonical views of key metrics for leadership and cross-functional teams.
Synthesize financial and operational data into clear, concise status updates and presentations for executives and business partners.
Conduct quantitative analyses of financial information affecting investment programs and operational budgets.
Analyze business trends and project future revenues and expenses to support planning and forecasting activities.
Ensure compliance with relevant accounting principles, financial policies, procedures, and regulations in all analyses and reporting.
Collaborate with cross-functional partners to gather data from multiple sources and validate the accuracy and completeness of financial information.
Respond promptly and effectively to a high volume of stakeholder inquiries, providing clear guidance on financial processes, policies, and system usage.
Leverage enterprise financial systems and planning tools to create, update, and maintain financial models, reports, and dashboards.
Work independently to manage priorities, meet deadlines, and maintain consistent reporting cadences in a fast-paced environment.
Continuously refine and improve financial reporting processes, templates, and dashboards to enhance visibility and decision-making.