Financial Forecast Coordination Lead

American Electric Power•Columbus, OH

13d•$136,539 - $177,503

About The Position

The Financial Forecast Coordination Lead leads the coordination and management of enterprise-wide financial forecasts across the AEP system. This senior role provides leadership and oversight of the consolidated forecasting process, including developing and tracking key assumptions, evaluating financial risks and opportunities, and coordinating 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 position leads governance of the enterprise forecasting process, ensuring consistent, aligned, and reasonable assumptions across business units and operating companies. It works across 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 financial outlook. The role prepares and presents forecasts and analysis to executive management and the Board of Directors, communicates forecast drivers and risks, and identifies improvements to forecasting 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 the disciplines listed in the education requirement, including managerial experience.
Solid understanding of financial forecasting, financial statements, and key financial drivers.
Ability to work effectively across functional and organizational boundaries.
Effective leadership skills.
Strategic thinking.
Executive-level presentation and communication skills.
Relationship building and cross-functional collaboration.
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.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with AEP accounting, financial processes, and organizational structure.
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 other professional certification.

Responsibilities

Lead coordination and management of AEP's consolidated financial forecast, including forecast assumptions, methodologies, timelines, and deliverables across operating companies and business segments.
Formulate and track key financial assumptions with business partners using corporate financial models; identify 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 across business units and operating companies.
Coordinate with stakeholders to assess forecast changes and their consolidated impact on earnings, cash flow, balance sheet, credit metrics, and other key 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, outlook changes, assumptions, risks, opportunities, and potential management actions.
Serve as a primary financial partner across the organization on matters affecting the consolidated forecast, coordinating with corporate finance, financial planning and analysis, accounting and tax, commercial operations, generation and transmission, regulatory organizations, and operating companies.
Identify and implement improvements to forecasting and financial planning capabilities, including financial models, processes, controls, reporting, automation, and analytical tools.
Communicate AEP's financial outlook to senior management, identify issues requiring management attention, and translate complex financial information into actionable insights.
Develop and manage staff.
Work effectively across functional and organizational boundaries to coordinate consolidated forecasting and maintain alignment of key financial assumptions.