Senior FP&A & Financial Operations Specialist

Smith + Howard Career•Richmond, VA

21h

About The Position

Smith + Howard is seeking a Senior FP&A & Financial Operations Specialist to join their team. This role reports to the VP of Finance and serves as a strategic partner to practice leaders and firm leadership. The specialist will drive financial decision-making, practice-level performance analysis, and revenue strategy while maintaining oversight of key accounting processes and financial controls. The position requires comfort with both operational accounting details, such as general ledger and month-end close, and strategic FP&A tasks like executive analysis and forecasting. The role involves partnering with practice directors and managers to enhance their understanding of financial performance and ensure efficient, accurate, and scalable financial processes.

Requirements

5-7+ years of progressive experience in FP&A, corporate finance, accounting, or a hybrid role combining both
Strong understanding of accounting principles, financial statements, and close processes
Advanced Excel skills; ability to build and maintain integrated financial models from the ground up
Proficiency with core financial systems and accounting software (e.g., NetSuite, SAP, QuickBooks)
Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with meticulous attention to detail
Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to present complex financial concepts clearly to diverse audiences
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across departments and build strong relationships
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field
Strong ethical standards and integrity in financial reporting

Nice To Haves

Background in professional services, including familiarity with practice-based business models, billable hour economics, and service-line profitability
Experience with professional services organizations (PSO), consulting firms, accounting firms, or similar advisory businesses
Experience building and maintaining dashboards in Power BI, Tableau, or similar business intelligence tools
Experience in a hybrid FP&A and controller/accounting operations role
CPA certification or progress toward certification
MBA or other advanced degree in Finance, Accounting, or Business
Experience with revenue recognition and engagement-level profitability analysis

Responsibilities

Partner with Advisory practice leaders to analyze financial data at the engagement, service line, and practice levels, identifying trends, performance drivers, and opportunities for revenue growth, margin expansion, and cost discipline.
Translate complex financial data and analyses into clear reports and presentations for Advisory practice leaders and management.
Conduct detailed revenue analysis of Advisory business lines using invoice-level and engagement data.
Serve as a trusted resource to Advisory practice managers and leaders, explaining financial metrics and performance implications.
Develop and maintain comprehensive rolling forecasts, budgets, and integrated financial models for the Advisory business lines.
Model revenue drivers, practice economics, profitability, and cash flow dynamics.
Conduct scenario analysis and variance analysis.
Support long-term financial planning including headcount planning, capacity analysis, and workforce economics.
Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting packages for senior leadership.
Develop and maintain performance dashboards (Power BI or similar tools).
Provide ad-hoc analysis and insights to support strategic decisions.
Understand and oversee the Advisory business's month-end close process, including reconciliations, balance sheet review, and financial statement accuracy.
Collaborate with accounting staff to ensure data integrity, proper account reconciliations, and clean financial data.
Review and improve financial processes, systems, and controls.
Help standardize financial processes, reporting templates, and chart of accounts structures.
Continuously evaluate and improve financial tools, reporting infrastructure, and systems.
Collaborate across finance and operations to streamline processes and automate manual work.