Financial Forecast Coordination Lead

American Electric Power•Columbus, OH

12d

About The Position

The Financial Forecast Coordination Lead is a senior role responsible for leading and managing enterprise-wide financial forecasts across the AEP system. The position provides oversight of the consolidated forecasting process, including coordination and tracking of key assumptions, evaluation of financial risks and opportunities, and collaboration with operating companies and business units. The role also analyzes financial performance and strategic alternatives, provides recommendations to senior management, and develops and manages staff. The Lead coordinates forecast assumptions, methodologies, timelines, and deliverables across operating companies and business segments, and provides governance to promote consistency, alignment, and reasonableness across the organization. The role partners extensively with corporate finance, financial planning and analysis, accounting and tax, commercial operations, generation and transmission, regulatory organizations, and operating companies to ensure significant financial developments are reflected in AEP’s outlook. The position assesses forecast changes and their consolidated effects on earnings, cash flow, balance sheet, credit metrics, and other financial measures. It prepares and presents forecasts, outlooks, and analyses to executive management and the Board of Directors as assigned, communicating key drivers, assumptions, changes, risks, opportunities, and potential management actions. The Lead also identifies and implements improvements to forecasting and financial planning capabilities, including models, processes, controls, reporting, automation, and analytical tools.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Accounting, Finance, or Engineering.
At least 10 years of work experience in disciplines related to the required education, including managerial experience.
Ability to work effectively across functional and organizational boundaries to coordinate and manage consolidated financial forecasting and align key assumptions.
Solid understanding of financial forecasting, financial statements, and key financial drivers.
Effective leadership skills.
Strategic thinking.
Executive-level presentation and communication skills.
Relationship building and cross-functional collaboration skills.
Sound business judgment.
Planning and organizational skills.
Ability to synthesize complex financial information and communicate key drivers, risks, and opportunities clearly and concisely to all levels of the organization.
Physical demand level is sedentary work, involving sitting most of the time and occasionally walking or standing; may require exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with AEP accounting, financial processes, and organizational structure.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
Experience with UI Financial Model Programming, PeopleSoft, BusinessObjects, and other financial planning, modeling, and reporting tools.
Demonstrated ability to identify and implement process improvements, automation, and enhancements to financial forecasting and reporting processes.
MBA, CPA, PMP, CMA, CIA, or another professional certification.

Responsibilities

Lead coordination and management of AEP’s consolidated financial forecast, including assumptions, methodologies, timelines, and deliverables across operating companies and business segments.
Formulate and track financial assumptions with business partners using corporate financial models, identifying significant financial and strategic issues, risks, opportunities, and alternative or contingency plans.
Provide leadership and governance over the enterprise forecasting process to ensure consistency, alignment, and reasonableness of assumptions.
Coordinate with stakeholders to assess forecast changes and their consolidated impact on earnings, cash flow, balance sheet, credit metrics, and other financial measures.
Prepare and present financial forecasts, outlooks, and related analyses to executive management and the Board of Directors, as assigned or required.
Communicate forecast drivers, changes in outlook, significant assumptions, risks, opportunities, and potential management actions.
Serve as a primary financial partner across the organization on matters affecting the consolidated forecast.
Work with corporate finance, financial planning and analysis, accounting and tax, commercial operations, generation and transmission, regulatory organizations, and operating companies to reflect significant financial developments in AEP’s outlook.
Identify and implement enhancements to financial models, processes, controls, reporting, automation, and analytical tools.
Drive greater efficiency, consistency, and transparency in developing and communicating forecasts.
Communicate AEP’s financial outlook and matters that could materially affect forecast results to senior management.
Use sound judgment to identify matters requiring management attention and translate complex financial information into actionable insights.
Develop and manage staff.