Principal Analyst, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)

Knutson Construction•Minneapolis, MN

13h•$110,000 - $150,000

About The Position

Celebrated as one of Minnesota’s Top Workplaces! Knutson Construction is accepting applications for a Principal Analyst, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) to join our team. “Together We Make Dreams Real” – that is our purpose as a company and we exist to work in concert with each other, owners, design professionals and subcontractors to make the journey as stress-free as possible. Together, we’ve created a dynamic, fun, inspiring environment where we can be ourselves and grow each day. Knutson is deeply committed to cultivating and upholding diversity throughout our workforce, relationships, and communities. We recognize the utmost importance of continually advancing our comprehension of diversity, equity, and inclusion as transformative forces within our work, industry, and company values. At Knutson, opportunities to shine happen daily. We value what makes you different and empower you to act on your ideas. The Principal Analyst, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) will be a hands-on architect and operator of the company’s financial planning, forecasting, and analytical capabilities. This role is designed for an experienced finance professional who thrives in a fast-moving, growth environment and is energized by building scalable FP&A processes from the ground up. This leader will roll up their sleeves to design models, create forecasts, automate analysis, and deliver actionable insight aligned to evolving business priorities. The role requires deep technical finance skills, strong public accounting roots, and demonstrated use of AI and advanced analytics to improve forecasting accuracy and business decision-making.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field of study.
8+ years of progressive finance experience, with significant hands-on FP&A responsibility.
Public accounting experience with a strong preference of experience from one of the big four accounting firms.
Demonstrated success building financial models, forecasts, and planning processes in high-growth or changing environments.
Direct, recent experience using Artificial Intelligence tools to support forecasting, planning, and/or financial analysis.
Advanced Excel and modeling skills; experience with modern FP&A tools, BI platforms, or data visualization preferred.
An accountant’s mindset for checking totals and tying everything out along with an analyst’s mindset for easy-to-understand explanations for variances along with tight and detailed forecast results.
Strong command of financial statements, GAAP, and the mechanics behind reported results.
Comfortable operating with limited structure and evolving requirements.
Positive and effective interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to interact with team members across the organization.
Ability to manage multiple tasks and adapt to a changing, fast-paced environment.
Ability to design and use software tools to replace Excel.
Superior attention to detail and ability to successfully manage multiple competing priorities while maintaining a view of the big picture.
Demonstrated ability to influence others through effective verbal and written communication.
Demonstrated ability to drive projects across the organization.
Ability to communicate with financial and non-financial audiences and tailor communications accordingly.
Committed to upholding the highest professional standards, confidentiality, and ethics.
Positive, can-do attitude; diplomacy and approachability.
Strong quantitative and analytical skills.

Nice To Haves

CPA.
Construction or manufacturing industry experience.
Experience with ERP systems and extracting data for analysis.
Experience with CMiC and Planful.
Experience in a private, founder-led growth company.
Exposure to finance transformation, automation, or analytics modernization efforts.

Responsibilities

Design, build, and own the company’s FP&A infrastructure, including budgeting, rolling forecasts, long-range planning, projections, insights, and management reporting.
Develop driver-based, scalable financial models that evolve with rapid growth and changing business strategies.
Establish disciplined forecasting and planning rhythms appropriate for a high-growth, private-company environment.
Build and deliver clear, concise financial narratives for executive leadership, including monthly performance reviews, forecasts, and scenario analyses.
Support advisory board reporting with data-driven insights, clear assumptions, and reliable forecasts.
Act as a trusted thought partner to the CFO and leadership team during periods of rapid growth, change, or strategic decision-making.
Build FP&A processes and models that can scale—anticipating future complexity, systems changes, and team growth.
Identify opportunities to automate, simplify, and standardize as the business grows.
Create and monitor variance analyses that explain consolidated, company and project-specific profitability.
Over time, help shape the roadmap for future FP&A hires and capabilities.
Build and maintain forecasting models across revenue, cost structure, headcount, cash flow, and key operational drivers.
Perform deep-dive analyses on business performance, unit economics, margins, and growth initiatives.
Translate ambiguity into structured financial insight that leadership can act upon quickly.
Prepare consolidated forecasts and budgets at a detailed level, from sub-job components to every general ledger line item.
Apply AI, predictive analytics, and automation tools in forecasting and analysis workflows (e.g., predictive demand modeling, anomaly detection, forecast bias analysis, automated scenario modeling).
Continuously improve forecast accuracy and speed through modern analytical techniques rather than manual processes.
Partner with data, systems, and technology resources to integrate AI-enabled tools into FP&A processes—while remaining hands-on in execution.
Leverage public accounting experience to ensure tight linkage between FP&A outputs and GAAP results.
Work closely with accounting during close cycles to reconcile actuals, refine assumptions, and improve forecast quality.
Maintain strong analytical discipline, documentation, and internal control awareness.
Develop and maintain effective relationships with business partners and cross-functional teams at all levels of the organization.
Deliver The Knutson Experience (TKE) , ensuring everyone you work with feels Assured, Inspired and Appreciated.
Participation and completion in scheduled and applicable safety training, as determined by the company.