FP&A Analyst

Potential with Quanex•St Cloud, MN

16d•$100,000 - $125,000

About The Position

Quanex is looking for an FP&A Analyst to join our team located in St. Cloud, Minnesota. The Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) Analyst supports the division’s financial planning, forecasting, and performance management processes. This role partners with operations and finance leadership to deliver insights that improve profitability, cost control, and capital efficiency. The ideal candidate is highly analytical, detail-oriented, and naturally curious—someone who enjoys digging into the “why” behind the numbers, identifying trends, and translating data into meaningful business insights. We Offer You! Competitive Salary Excellent Bonus Potential Medical, Dental & Vision Plans Paid Time Off, Training & Holidays Charitable Contribution Match Program Tuition Assistance Wellness/Fitness Resources Training & Professional Development 401K Match w/ 2-year Vesting Period Employee Stock Purchase Plan Dynamic Culture & People - just to name a few! What’s attractive about the FP&A Analyst? Ongoing interaction with multiple levels of the organization Collaborative and Team-Oriented environment What Success Looks Like: Support the annual budgeting process and monthly forecasting cycle, including development of detailed, department-level budgets. Build and maintain driver-based financial models to improve forecast accuracy and visibility into business performance. Analyze assumptions, validate inputs, and identify risks and opportunities within forecasts. Continuously refine models by digging into variances and understanding underlying drivers. Perform detailed variance analysis (actual vs. forecast, budget, and prior year), identifying key drivers and root causes. Develop and track KPIs, ensuring alignment between operational performance and financial results. Collaborate with Operations, Sales, and Supply Chain teams to understand business drivers and support decision-making. Provide analytical support for pricing, product profitability, and cost optimization initiatives. Support development of financial models for scenario analysis, including pricing, cost changes, and capacity utilization. Assist in evaluating capital expenditures using ROI, NPV, and payback methodologies. Conduct deep-dive analyses on specific business issues, bringing a fact-based, investigative approach. Partner with operations and cost accounting to analyze inventory trends, variances, and working capital impacts. Translate cost and operational data into insights that improve product profitability and efficiency. Explore data at a granular level to identify inefficiencies, anomalies, and improvement opportunities. Identify opportunities to improve financial reporting, forecasting, and data accuracy. Support implementation of standardized tools and processes to enhance transparency and consistency. Contribute to maintaining a strong internal control environment and compliance with company policies and SOX requirements.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field required
3–5 years of experience in finance, accounting, or FP&A.
Strong foundation in financial modeling, forecasting, and data analysis.
Demonstrated ability to work with large data sets and synthesize findings into insights
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with high attention to detail
Intellectual curiosity and a proactive mindset—willing to dig deeper and ask “why”
Ability to connect financial results to operational drivers
Clear and concise communication skills
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
Advanced Excel skills
Understanding of standard costing principles

Nice To Haves

CPA/CMA or MBA a plus.
Experience in a manufacturing environment preferred.
experience with Power BI or similar tools preferred
Experience with ERP systems and financial planning tools

Responsibilities

Support the annual budgeting process and monthly forecasting cycle, including development of detailed, department-level budgets.
Build and maintain driver-based financial models to improve forecast accuracy and visibility into business performance.
Analyze assumptions, validate inputs, and identify risks and opportunities within forecasts.
Continuously refine models by digging into variances and understanding underlying drivers.
Perform detailed variance analysis (actual vs. forecast, budget, and prior year), identifying key drivers and root causes.
Develop and track KPIs, ensuring alignment between operational performance and financial results.
Collaborate with Operations, Sales, and Supply Chain teams to understand business drivers and support decision-making.
Provide analytical support for pricing, product profitability, and cost optimization initiatives.
Support development of financial models for scenario analysis, including pricing, cost changes, and capacity utilization.
Assist in evaluating capital expenditures using ROI, NPV, and payback methodologies.
Conduct deep-dive analyses on specific business issues, bringing a fact-based, investigative approach.
Partner with operations and cost accounting to analyze inventory trends, variances, and working capital impacts.
Translate cost and operational data into insights that improve product profitability and efficiency.
Explore data at a granular level to identify inefficiencies, anomalies, and improvement opportunities.
Identify opportunities to improve financial reporting, forecasting, and data accuracy.
Support implementation of standardized tools and processes to enhance transparency and consistency.
Contribute to maintaining a strong internal control environment and compliance with company policies and SOX requirements.