Manager Budgets

FirstEnergy • Akron, OH

4d • Onsite

About The Position

This Manager Budgets position at FirstEnergy Service Company is based onsite at FirstEnergy’s corporate headquarters campus in Akron, Ohio, and reports to the Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A). The manager leads a team of analysts responsible for corporate budgeting and forecasting and oversees the company’s UI Planner forecasting software, including process and technical updates, project management, user interaction, governance, controls, consultant support, administration, and maintenance.

The role supports business units in using UI Planner to develop budgets and long-range plans, leads frequent updates to the current-year forecast (the “Pencil List”), and coordinates planning and forecast inputs across the organization. It works with business-unit finance and regulatory teams to develop and communicate financial assumptions and targets, and to support financial analysis, reporting, and communications for senior leadership and other stakeholders.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, mathematics, business management, or a related field.
• At least 7 years of related work experience, including corporate budgets, financial analysis, financial communications for internal and external audiences, and UI Planner software.
• Working familiarity with utility accounting principles and economics, financial statements, treasury capital markets, regulatory ratemaking, and corporate taxation.
• Ability to perform supervisory responsibilities, maintain an efficient organization, and build productive relationships within and across teams.
• Advanced proficiency in SAP, Excel, PowerPoint, Qlikview, and UI Planner.
• Strong organizational skills for planning and coordinating multiple activities and projects.
• Ability to navigate ambiguity and produce excellent work under time pressure or other constraints.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to build relationships through collaboration and teamwork across company levels and departments.
• Ethical and professional conduct, with integrity and compliance with the code of business conduct and applicable policies and procedures.
• Willingness to periodically work non-standard hours to support critical work efforts.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate budgets and forecasts with State/Transmission Finance VPs and help consolidate information for senior leadership.
• Provide strategic advice, recommendations, and observations to improve financial plans and collaborate with finance VPs on planning.
• Challenge business assumptions constructively to support performance excellence and results.
• Translate complex financial models into concise, meaningful reports and updates for stakeholders and senior leadership.
• Promote continuous improvement throughout the organization.
• Engage groups across FirstEnergy to ensure the accuracy and rigor of financial inputs used for budgets, forecasts, and related analyses.
• Lead analysts responsible for budgeting, forecasting, and administration and maintenance of UI Planner.
• Demonstrate and lead commitment to FirstEnergy’s core values and behaviors.
• Support management on recurring and significant projects, including Board strategy retreat materials, public financial disclosures, and ad hoc Board or executive-management requests.
• Partner with HR to establish, track, and communicate financial KPIs.
• Ensure communications accompanying forecast results are clear, concise, accurate, relevant, and appropriate for their audiences.
• Review analyst work for accuracy, transparency, and clarity; advise, develop, train, and coach staff and monitor their productivity and performance.
• Develop, recommend, and implement process improvements to reduce unnecessary work and streamline budgeting and forecasting.
• Research and evaluate alternative processes, work products, and improvements to increase the accuracy and efficiency of financial planning.
• Maintain UI Planner and execute necessary upgrades and improvements while minimizing workflow disruption and ensuring data integrity and accuracy.
• Provide responsive, diligent customer service to senior management, operations, and other Forecast team customers.

Benefits

• Competitive pay plus incentive compensation.
• Company-sponsored pension plan.
• 401(k) savings plan with matching employer contribution.
• Medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, and life insurance programs.
• Skills development training with tuition reimbursement.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager