Senior Analyst, Financial Planning & Analysis

Job Description

The Job

Prepare financial analyses to support business operations, monitor operating results against plan, and support Global Business Services (GBS) in administering accounting processes (including order to cash). Position requires collaboration with DC departments (including Revenue, Editorial, Business Affairs, and Marketing) and WB corporate groups (Accounting, Treasury and Accounts Payable).

The Daily

Financial Analyses
• Prepare budgets & forecasts for all financial planning cycles and iterate results with relevant stakeholders.
• Review and report actual performance against plan and identify variance drivers.
• Develop financial models to evaluate new business opportunities and project proposals.
• Provide recommendations and next step action items based on assessment.
• Update and maintain the greenlight model to reflect changing business considerations by collaborating with various stakeholders.
• Identify key operating plan assumption drivers and analyze historical trends to test assumptions (returns, sell through rate, standard costs, etc.).
• Develop and maintain key performance indicators to facilitate operating plan review.
• Create product files, management reports, by-title gross profit, post-mortem reports and presentation decks for senior executives.

Financial Operations
• Oversee GBS workflow including revenue recognition, accounts receivable management, customer invoicing, cash application, credit/collections and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Assist monthly/quarterly close processes such as journal entries preparations, reconciliations and variance analysis.
• Analyze and review quality of the receivable portfolio.
• Analyze bad debt reserve and provide accrual recommendations.

Financial Systems
• Assess adequacy of system data model for reporting actuals & plan for all stakeholders.
• Work with technology team on system enhancements to optimize reporting & analysis capabilities.
• Assist with user acceptance testing.
• Maintain and update finance systems related documentation and training materials for DC Finance.

Ad Hoc & Special Reporting
• Document business requests and maintain balance between finance and business priorities.
• Adapt to ad hoc requests, as needed, to meet the needs of the business in a timely manner.

The Essentials
• Minimum 3 years experience in financial systems, accounting and finance required
• Big 4 public accounting or comparable consulting firm experience preferred
• Industry experience preferred
• BA/BS degree in Accounting, Business or related field required
• CPA, MAcc and/or MBA preferred
• Thorough knowledge of accounting principles
• Financial Systems Skills: SAP experience required
• PC Skills: Excel, Word, Access and PowerPoint required
• Knowledge of MS Project, PowerPoint, SQL and/or Visio preferred
• Must be able to develop and implement projects
• Must have the ability to communicate effectively and tactfully with persons at all levels, in person and on the telephone
• Must have the ability to pay close attention to detail and understand written and oral instructions
• Must have the ability to organize and schedule work effectively
• Must have the ability to multi-task and work well under time constraints
• Must be able to work in a fast-paced environment
• Must be able to work independently and meet deadlines

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-gken98-3-129-13-201-42 in your application.