Senior Financial Analyst

Job Description

Job Description

ABOUT FIRST BOOK

First Book is a leading nonprofit social enterprise dedicated to removing barriers to quality education for children in need. Through innovative public–private partnerships and a national network of more than 600,000 educators, program leaders, and community organizations, First Book has distributed over 250 million books and educational resources to under-resourced communities. Our work spans e-commerce (First Book Marketplace), research and insights (First Book R&I), and tailored program development (First Book Accelerator), all designed to elevate the voices and needs of educators serving children in low-income communities.

 

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Senior Financial Analyst is a key member of the Finance team, supporting financial planning, reporting, inventory analysis, and month-end close processes within a complex nonprofit operating environment. Reporting directly to the CFO, this role plays an important part in ensuring accurate financial reporting across earned revenue, donated inventory, grants, and programmatic activity.

This position partners closely with Accounting, Operations, Supply Chain, Development, and IT to provide financial insights, support inventory valuation and reconciliation processes, and strengthen reporting systems that inform strategic decision-making.

 

WHAT YOU’LL OWN

Financial Reporting & Departmental Support

• Prepare and analyze monthly, quarterly, and annual internal financial reports across revenue, inventory, and program operations.
• Support management reporting related to Marketplace activity, donated inventory, grants, and operating performance.
• Provide recurring and ad-hoc departmental reporting support for Operations, Supply Chain, Development, and Program teams.
• Analyze trends, variances, and key financial drivers and communicate findings clearly to leadership.
• Build recurring and ad hoc reporting that gives the CFO and executive team a real-time-enough view of cost-to-serve and margin/subsidy by program.

Budgeting, Forecasting and Financial Modeling

• Support the annual operating budget and rolling forecast processes, including preparation of financial models and supporting schedules.

• Calculate and maintain true unit costs across product lines and distribution channels.
• Develop and maintain an overhead/indirect cost allocation methodology that fairly assigns shared costs across programs and channels.
• Assist in tracking performance relative to plan across revenue streams, inventory margins, and operating expenses. Support new program and partnership evaluation with cost/benefit and breakeven analysis before commitments are made.
• Support scenario modeling related to pricing, margin analysis, and program investments.
• Collaborate with department leaders to provide financial insights that improve budget adherence and operational efficiency.

Financial Systems & Data Integration

• Serve as a Finance resource for financial and operational systems, including ERP/accounting platforms and inventory systems.
• Support system enhancements, integrations, and reporting automation initiatives.
• Assist in testing system updates and validating data integrity between financial and operational systems.
• Maintain documentation of reporting processes and system controls.

• Identify gaps in current systems (ERP, inventory/warehouse systems, CRM, program tracking tools) that prevent full-cost visibility, and work with Finance and IT to close them

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required:

 

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive experience in financial analysis, accounting, FP&A, or financial systems roles.
• Strong working knowledge of GAAP and financial statement structure, including experience preparing journal entries and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Demonstrated experience supporting month-end close, management reporting, and budgeting/forecasting processes.
• Advanced Excel proficiency, including complex formulas, pivot tables, lookups, and financial modeling.

EDUCATION

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field required.
• MBA, CPA, or CFA a plus but not required.

 

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

• 5+ years of progressive experience in financial analysis, FP&A, or business/commercial finance, ideally including exposure to operations-heavy environments (logistics, distribution, retail, manufacturing, supply chain finance or a mission-driven organization that also runs earned-revenue or fee-for-service lines).
• Demonstrated experience building activity-based costing, unit economics, or full-cost allocation models from the ground up
• Proven ability to analyze large data sets, identify discrepancies, and translate data into actionable financial insights.
• Advanced Excel/Google Sheets modeling skills; strong SQL or equivalent data-querying ability.
• Experience supporting system implementations, upgrades, or process automation initiatives.
• Familiarity with CRM and reporting platforms (e.g., Salesforce, Tableau, Power BI, or similar tools) preferred.
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to connect operational activity to financial outcomes.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain financial concepts clearly to non-finance partners.
• Collaborative approach and comfort working cross-functionally with Accounting, Operations, IT, and Revenue teams.
• High degree of ownership and accountability; comfortable operating with minimal oversight.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:

• Salary Range: $90,000.00 (non-negotiable).

All full-time employees are eligible for the following:

• Medical and dental insurance coverage
• Life insurance and Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) coverage
• Paid vacation and sick leave
• 12 paid holidays annually
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer matching contributions
• Employer-provided parking stipend (Washington, DC)

TO APPLY

• Submit a resume and a cover letter detailing your interest in this position.
• Only applications submitted through First Book's approved platform will be considered.
• Applications submitted through external or unapproved sites will not be reviewed.
  • First Book does not accept unsolicited recruiter submissions and does not pay fees for resumes submitted outside of a formal written agreement.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

First Book is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, marital status, personal appearance, family responsibilities, genetic information, matriculation, political affiliation, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, District of Columbia, or local law.

EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION, SPONSORSHIP, AND ACCURACY OF ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

Employment Authorization and Sponsorship Statement

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application and must maintain valid work authorization throughout their employment.

First Book does not sponsor employment-based visas and does not participate in immigration programs that require employer-specific obligations such as training plans, reporting requirements, or compliance filings.

 

Misrepresentation of Employment Eligibility

Falsification, omission, or misrepresentation of any information related to employment eligibility, work authorization status, or visa classification will disqualify a candidate from further consideration. If such misrepresentation is discovered after an offer has been extended, First Book reserves the right to withdraw the offer. If discovered after employment begins, it may result in immediate termination.

Candidates are required to provide truthful, accurate, and complete information regarding their work authorization status at the time of application and throughout the hiring process. Any change in work authorization status must be reported to First Book immediately.

WORK PRESENCE & EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS

• This position is structured as a hybrid role and requires regular in-office presence at First Book's Washington, DC office on designated days to support collaboration and partnership activities.
• Reasonable accommodation will be considered in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.
• Relocation assistance is not provided.