Senior Financial Analyst – FP&A

Potbelly Corporate•Chicago, IL

12d•Remote

About The Position

This role sits at the center of Potbelly’s financial planning and business performance processes. You will play a key role in helping leadership understand company performance through recurring reporting, forecasting, budgeting, and strategic analysis. Every day is going to be a little different, with opportunities to work across financial reporting, sales analytics, operational performance, strategic initiatives, and executive-level presentations. You’ll encounter: Respect and candor; the quality of the idea wins the day. Casual, focused, and agile environment operating under our Potbelly values. Significant exposure to Finance leadership and cross-functional business partners. Opportunities to influence decision making through meaningful analysis and insights. A collaborative environment focused on continuous improvement and innovation.

Requirements

Minimum of 4–6 years of progressive experience in FP&A, corporate finance, business analytics, or related fields
Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field
Strong understanding of budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, and variance analysis
Advanced Excel skills and experience with financial systems and reporting tools such as Power BI, Planful, Workday Adaptive Planning, or similar platforms
Proven ability to manage and analyze large data sets to identify trends and actionable insights
Experience building financial models and performing ad hoc analysis
Strong communication, collaboration, and organizational skills
Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment with shifting priorities
High attention to detail and commitment to accuracy
Proven experience leveraging AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, generative AI platforms) to enhance financial analysis, automate reporting workflows, and support strategic decision-making
Must be able to perform the role from a state not listed (Alaska, California, Hawaii) at the time of hire and for the duration of employment.

Nice To Haves

Experience in retail, restaurant, multi-unit, or consumer-facing industries preferred
SQL, Python, or other analytical programming experience is a plus

Responsibilities

Support monthly and quarterly close reporting processes, including preparation and analysis of financial results, variance reporting, and executive-level reporting materials
Assist with preparation of annual operating plans, cash flow projections, and multiple forecast cycles throughout the year
Prepare weekly sales reporting for the total company, shops, districts, and regions, including analysis of results against budget, comparable shops and short and long-term projections for Senior Leadership Team meetings
Analyze P&L performance and investigate key variances versus budget, forecast, and prior year results through deep-dive analyses on sales, margins, labor, operating expenses, and other key business drivers
Assist with scenario planning and sensitivity analysis to evaluate strategic initiatives, operational changes, sales trends, and potential business risks/opportunities across the organization
Perform competitive benchmarking and external market analysis to support strategic decision making
Partner closely with Accounting during month-end and quarter-end close processes to ensure accurate reporting and alignment
Collaborate cross-functionally with Operations, Marketing, IT, and other business partners to support strategic initiatives and performance improvement efforts
Build and maintain financial models, dashboards, and reporting tools to improve visibility and decision-making capabilities
Support automation and process improvement initiatives across FP&A reporting and analytics workflows
Perform ad hoc financial analysis and support strategic projects as needed
Report to Senior Director, FP&A