Financial Planning and Analysis - Associate

About the role

This Portugal-based role will support firmwide, global financial planning with a primary focus on expense management. Responsibilities include budgeting and forecasting of operating expenses and investment spend, analysis of key financial and performance indicators, and monthly/quarterly management reporting (including support during the close). The position will partner closely with global business leads, Expense Controllers, Procurement, and Finance stakeholders across regions to strengthen cost visibility, improve forecasting accuracy, and drive disciplined spend decisions. The Firmwide Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) - Associate will be a member of the Corporate Finance team, reporting into the Head of Financial Planning & Analysis, Senior Vice President.

Responsibilities

• Assist in preparation and coordination of the annual budget process across operating expenses, headcount planning, and key performance indicators; help define expense targets and track progress against firmwide cost objectives.
• Develop expense dashboards and management metrics (e.g., run-rate, cost per head, vendor concentration, discretionary spend trends) with clear analytics for the Operating Committee and Business Leads.
• Partner with line of business FP&A teams and local Finance stakeholders to develop cost center budgets, expense forecasts, and business-specific unit cost/KPI views; ensure consistent assumptions and allocation methodologies.
• Proactively identify opportunities to enhance expense reporting and governance (standardized cost center views, clearer run-rate reporting, improved forecast cadence) and develop new approaches to evaluate spend efficiency.
• Partner with Expense Controllers and budget owners to deliver monthly variance analysis (budget vs. actuals), explain drivers, and identify/track cost optimization initiatives (e.g., vendor rationalization, discretionary spend controls).
• Support preparation of monthly management and quarterly board reporting packages, with a strong focus on expense performance: consolidation of budget vs. actuals, revised forecasts, variance commentary, and standardized business line reporting.
• Identify and remediate process gaps and implement effective internal controls across expense processes (budget ownership, approvals, accruals, and allocations); improve documentation and ensure consistent control execution.
• Perform cash operating activities related to cash flow, borrowings, debt and capital management, and incorporate insights from expense run-rate and timing (e.g., vendor payment cycles) into cash forecasting.
• Assist in completing special projects as needed such as implementation of new software, expense reporting automation, planning tool enhancements, and process improvements across purchase order, invoice, and T&E workflows.
• Candidate Profile
• Preference for candidates with experience in planning/BI and ERP tools (e.g., Workday, Tableau, Essbase). Exposure to expense-related workflows and systems (general ledger, cost center hierarchies, purchase order/invoice processing, T&E reporting) is preferred.
• Ability to partner with business and department leads on performance and expense management, including budget ownership routines, forecast discipline, and clear variance storytelling.
• Treasury operations, including cash forecasting experience
• Advanced degree and/or credentials desired, such as MBA, CPA, CFA
• Advanced skills in Excel and PowerPoint
• Strong organizational, planning, quantitative modeling and problem-solving skills; strategic and creative thinking
• Ability to manage large sets of data and be able to implement checks and balances
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Detailed oriented with big picture capability
• We believe the best ideas and innovation happen when we are together. Employees in this role will work in the office four days, with the flexibility to work remotely one day (Friday).

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