Financial Analyst

Financial Analyst

You are a financial analyst who leverages your FP&A expertise to uncover valuable insights, using data to help drive business growth. You are also highly detail-oriented and an effective communicator, able to translate complex financial information into clear, actionable recommendations. We are passionate, innovative, lifelong learners, and creative thinkers working to develop culturally authentic language learning products for K-12 schools and universities.

Role Overview

As a Financial Analyst here at VHL, you will help provide timely, value-added financial, business support and analysis to the organization by analyzing financial data, forecasting trends, preparing reports, and evaluating business performance. Working closely with the Financial Manager and stakeholders, your insights into budgets, investments, and financial risks, will help to ensure alignment with organizational goals, drive strategic planning and operational efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Planning, Budgeting & Decision Making

• Support strategic planning and investment decisions through financial modeling, scenario analysis, and sensitivity testing.
• Contribute to the development and refinement of budgets, rolling forecasts, and long-term financial plans.
• Evaluate financial implications of business initiatives, pricing strategies, and operational changes and provide variance analysis with root-cause insights to support business performance improvement.
• Assist in documenting key assumptions and methodologies used in financial models to support transparency and review.
• Proactively identify opportunities for improvement, anticipate potential challenges and work independently to address them.

Reporting, Dashboards & Performance Analysis

• Assist in preparing clear, concise financial presentations and dashboards for senior management and stakeholders.
• Effectively gather, structure, and interpret moderately complex financial data, identify patterns and inconsistencies and translate into actionable insights and visualizations to support storytelling in reports.
• Develop standardized templates and automate reporting processes where possible to enhance efficiency.
• Track and analyze key metrics such as revenue growth, margin trends, cost drivers, and ROI to assess business health.
• Support the design and continuous refinement of performance scorecards or KPIs dashboards.
• Apply logical reasoning and attention to detail to support decision-making and contribute to problem-solving efforts.

Collaboration & Cross-functional Work

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align financial plans with operational goals and project timelines.
• Participate in business case development with other departments, providing financial input on feasibility and ROI.
• Ensure adherence to internal financial policies and procedures, as well as external audit and regulatory requirements.
• Lead small to mid-sized projects or workstreams with minimal oversight.
• Plan and prioritize tasks, coordinate with stakeholders, manage risks, and ensure projects meet quality standards and deadlines.

Required Skills & Experience

You must have (minimum required skills & experience):

• Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance
• 3+ years of work experience in a corporate Financial Analyst or FP&A role
• Financial Reporting and Analysis Experience
• Solid foundation in FP&A, financial reporting and analysis, with the ability to interpret and synthesize key financial metrics
• Proficient in preparing and analyzing financial statements, including income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements
• Skilled in building and refining financial models and conducting scenario analyses to support planning and decision-making
• Capable of performing ratio analysis to evaluate liquidity, profitability, and solvency metrics
• Working knowledge of accounting standards (e.g., GAAP, IFRS), including journal entries, accruals, and revenue recognition practices
• Able to conduct variance analysis, identify performance drivers, and assist in developing accurate forecasts and budgets
• Financial Acumen
• Capable of independently analyzing financial data to uncover trends, assess performance, and highlight opportunities for cost optimization or revenue growth
• Apply solid understanding of financial principles to support departmental goals and contribute to strategic discussion
• Prepare clear, concise financial reports and presentations to communicate findings and recommendations to managers and stakeholders
• Support budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis processes, ensuring accuracy and timeliness of financial information
• Technical Skills
• Proficient in financial and accounting platforms
• Familiar with ERP systems
• Strong Microsoft Excel capabilities, including pivot tables, charting, conditional formatting, data validation, and lookup functions
• Skilled in using productivity tools such as Microsoft Office and Google Workspace
• Effective in leveraging digital communication and collaboration platforms to support team and project efficiency

Preferred Skills & Experience

Ideal if you have or are:

• Familiarity with MS Great Plains (GP)
• Hands-on experience working with QuickBooks, NetSuite or similar
• Experience working for a US-based company
• Experience working in the education, publishing or similar industry

Location & Salary

Location: Boston-Hybrid Position requires current residence within the United States of America and willingness to work a Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday in-office Hybrid schedule in our Boston, MA office location. Relocation assistance is not available. Salary: $65k-$80k annual This position is salaried and is eligible for an annual incentive based on employee and organizational performance.