Lead Financial Analyst

Lead Financial Analyst

Location: Worcester

Department: Budget & Operations

Division: Worcester Polytechnic Institute - WPI

The Lead Financial Analyst will sit within the Division of Finance & Operations and work closely with colleagues across the institution to understand their business processes and reporting needs. This role supports the Division through financial planning, analysis, and reporting, with a strong emphasis on hands-on data work, the development of automated reporting tools, and the delivery of real-time financial insights. The ideal candidate is equally comfortable building financial models from scratch and conducting traditional FP&A work as they are developing reporting tools that pull from multiple financial systems. They will also have a strong curiosity about AI and emerging technologies and how they can be applied to improve financial operations. This is a hybrid role with an expectation of three days on-site per week.

Responsibilities

• Develop and conduct financial analysis across all fund types, including operating budgets, cash flows, financial statements, strategic sourcing, cost analysis and efficiencies, and long-term financial planning to identify trends, risks, and actionable insights. Contribute to short- and long-range financial plan development in support of the University's mission.
• Reporting to the AVP of Finance & Operations, assist the CFO, AVP, and Finance team in preparing ad-hoc analyses, reports, dashboards, and presentations to support strategic initiatives and financial planning. Provide clear and accurate budget-to-actuals variance analysis and explanations.
• Design, build, and maintain financial KPIs, scorecards, and dashboards using platforms such as Power BI, Workday, Synario, and Adaptive, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and integrity of financial data. This includes building new tools from scratch to support executive, administrative, and academic resources reporting needs.
• Maintain planning models and tools to support scenario planning, forecasting, and strategic decision-making using Synario, Excel, and Adaptive.
• Translate financial data into clear visuals and narratives that support informed decision-making; research industry best practices and benchmarks to support the planning process and senior leadership.
• Identify and implement opportunities to automate manual reporting processes, including developing scalable, real-time solutions that reduce reliance on one-off analysis.
• Stay abreast of emerging trends in financial automation, AI, and data visualization, with a focus on exploring and adopting new tools and technologies as the field evolves.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to provide guidance, training, and support on financial planning and analysis across the Finance & Operations division.
• Assess and help improve systems and processes, and recommend changes to policies and procedures that impact budgetary models and initiatives.
• Perform all other duties as assigned or directed by the supervisor.

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or other relevant field.
• Minimum 4 years of progressive experience in an FP&A or related finance/accounting role.
• Demonstrated experience building financial models, dashboards, or reporting tools in a professional setting.
• Experience with Power BI or a comparable BI platform, including building dashboards and reports that pull from multiple data sources.
• Advanced Excel skills including Power Query, Power Pivot, dynamic array formulas, and other advanced functions.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail and the ability to manage competing deadlines.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, including the ability to present complex financial findings clearly to non-financial stakeholders.
• Personal maturity and the ability to handle confidential information with discretion.

Preferred:

• Master's degree in business, finance, accounting, or related field.
• Experience with Power BI, Workday, Adaptive Planning, and/or Synario.
• Experience working with multiple financial systems or data sources.
• Exposure to AI or automation tools applied to financial reporting or analysis.
• Experience in a college, university, or other not-for-profit institution.

Compensation: $100,000 $120,000 per year (depending on experience)

Salary is based on related experience, expertise, and internal equity; generally, new hires can expect pay between the minimum and midpoint of the range.

FLSA STATUS: United States of America (Exempt)

WPI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability. It seeks individuals from all backgrounds and experiences who will contribute to a culture of creativity, collaboration, inclusion, problem solving, innovation, high performance, and change making. It is committed to maintaining a campus environment free of harassment and discrimination.