Senior Financial Analyst

Sr. Financial Analyst

Westlake offers you the potential to enrich your work life and career experience in an entrepreneurial environment. We work together to enhance peoples' lives through our products and presence in the communities in which we operate.

Summary

The Sr. Financial Analyst is responsible for financial forecasting, budgeting, and reporting. The analyst should review the company's finances with a critical eye - spotting data anomalies, trends, or deviations - and recommends and supports management's strategies for improvement. Assists with maintaining the accuracy of the Profit & Loss Statement. Assists the FP&A Manager and Division Controller with providing short and long-term financial projections - accounting for things like one-time expenses and possible fluctuations in net sales. FP&A requires a lot of data consolidation and variance analysis - the ability to think into the future and weigh the various possible scenarios, then summarize into tangible reports on key metrics. The ability to simplify financial information to benefit the company leadership and decision-making is the daily domain of the analyst. The analyst is also adept at software programs like Excel, SAP, JDE, BPC and Business Intelligence tools.

Accounting Duties And Responsibilities

May include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Development and communication of budgets and forecasts, financial reporting, operational analysis and review of financials. Coordinate with the sales and operations senior managers to develop the annual/monthly budgets and forecasts.
• Consolidate and report financial results. Communicate financial and operational performance trends, historical and forecasted, using appropriate metrics. Interpret and evaluate monthly analyses of business trends, including budget variance of financial results and Key Performance Indicators to identify areas of risk and opportunities and provide recommendations. Develop profit bridges and assist with commentaries, explaining variances from prior year, forecast, and budget.
• Analyze price, volume, and mix variances for sales. Analyze production costs, freight and rebate expenses, and propose adjustment to related liabilities. Analyzing SGA spending variances.
• Assess customer/product profitability and drive profit optimization. Analysis of profitability at the customer, segment, region, and product level, utilizing COPA and other Business Intelligence (BI) Software.
• Partner with the business to develop costing/profitability models and reports. Super user and maintenance responsibility for COPA, the BI Software.
• Identify issues and proactively initiate analysis (product costing, material usage, spending, etc.)
• Coordinate the capital spending review process for the company. Monitor the capital needs of the business including tracking spend, forecasting, calculating payback, reviewing AFE (Authorization for Expenditures) for completeness, and ensuring AFE's are closed out timely.
• Prepare presentations in support of monthly/quarterly senior leadership meetings, such as the monthly business review meetings with the President & CEO.
• Influence the accuracy and effectiveness of the corporate accounting consolidation and closing process through analytical review and trend analysis.
• Compliance with internal controls and Company policies and procedures.

Qualifications, Education And Experience

• BA/BS in Accounting.
• Advance degree in Finance/Accounting or MBA. Certification (CPA, CMA or Certified FP&A) is preferred.
• 4 to 5 years plus of experience, which must include:
• Accounting
• Financial analysis
• Cost accounting experience
• Budgeting and forecasting
• Superior data management and modeling skills
• Income and manufacturing variance computation and analysis
• Performing break even and contribution margin studies
• Modeling cost/volume/profit relationships
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Strong mathematical and analytical skills
• Strong organizational skills; attention to detail
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint
• SAP experience is a plus

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; stand; walk; use hands to touch, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, or crouch. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate as normally based in an office. Some of the work may be required in the operating units which can require usage of required PPE including safety glasses, hearing protection, etc. May also result in exposure to outside elements and may require usage of stairs and elevators. Travel up to 10% including air travel or auto travel.

Westlake is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any characteristics protected by applicable legislation.