Business Optimization Specialist, Global

About Vantage

Vantage powers, cools, protects and connects the technology of the world’s well-known hyperscalers, cloud providers and large enterprises. Developing and operating across North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific, Vantage has evolved data center design in innovative ways to deliver dramatic gains in reliability, efficiency and sustainability in flexible environments that can scale as quickly as the market demands.

Business Optimization & Vendor Management Department

The Business Optimization & Vendor Management team supports effective planning, financial visibility, operational discipline, and informed decision-making. The team partners with budget owners, business leaders, Finance, Procurement, and other stakeholders to maintain reliable planning information, monitor financial commitments, improve reporting, and strengthen processes that help the organization use its resources effectively.

Position Overview

The Business Analyst, Budget Planning & Financial Operations serves as a lead financial planning partner supporting assigned business functions. The role is responsible for driving budgeting, forecasting, reporting, financial analysis, and planning activities that enable leaders to make informed operational and investment decisions.

This position acts as a primary point of contact for budget owners and business leaders, providing guidance on financial planning assumptions, spending priorities, resource allocation, and forecast management. The analyst proactively identifies risks, opportunities, and emerging trends while helping stakeholders maximize the effectiveness of approved budgets and financial commitments.

The successful candidate combines strong analytical capability with business partnership skills and demonstrates the ability to independently lead planning discussions, influence decision-making, improve financial processes, and drive accountability across assigned organizations.

Essential Job Functions

Budget Planning & Forecast Management

• Support annual budget planning and recurring forecast cycles, including non-labor operating expense and capital expenditure planning.
• Maintain and update forecast workbooks, planning files, assumptions, and supporting documentation throughout the year.
• Work with budget owners to understand spending plans, project timing, contract obligations, purchase commitments, and changing business priorities.
• Help budget owners maintain realistic forecasts that reduce the risk of overspending and highlight opportunities to use approved funding before year-end.
• Track forecast changes, open actions, and decisions to ensure planning information remains current and explainable.
• Identify potential overages, unused funding, timing shifts, and other risks or opportunities, and raise them for timely discussion and action.
• Support capital planning, project cost tracking, and workforce or position planning activities as assigned.

Budget Planning & Forecast Leadership

• Lead annual budget planning and recurring forecast cycles for assigned business functions, including operating expense, capital expenditure, and workforce planning activities.
• Serve as the primary financial planning partner for assigned budget owners and business leaders.
• Own forecast development, forecast quality, and ongoing forecast maintenance for assigned organizations.
• Challenge planning assumptions and identify financial risks, funding gaps, spending variances, and resource optimization opportunities.
• Facilitate forecast review sessions and lead discussions regarding spending plans, business priorities, project timing, contract commitments, and investment decisions.
• Drive accountability for forecast accuracy, financial planning inputs, and follow-through on agreed actions.
• Develop scenario analyses and planning models to support business decision-making and resource allocation.
• Monitor approved budgets and commitments throughout the year and recommend corrective actions as needed.

Business Partnering & Decision Support

• Build trusted partnerships with business leaders, budget owners, Finance, Procurement, and other stakeholders.
• Provide financial guidance that supports prioritization, investment decisions, and effective use of approved funding.
• Translate complex financial information into clear business recommendations for non-financial audiences.
• Influence business decisions through data-driven analysis and actionable insights.
• Facilitate recurring business reviews and planning discussions with senior stakeholders.
• Support leadership in evaluating financial impacts associated with new initiatives, organizational changes, projects, and operational priorities.
• Act as a subject matter resource for budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning processes.

Financial Analysis & Reporting

• Perform financial analysis of budget, forecast, actual, committed, and planned spending data across assigned business areas.
• Lead variance analysis activities and identify operational drivers impacting financial performance.
• Evaluate financial trends and prepare recommendations regarding spending management, funding reallocations, and business risks.
• Develop and maintain reporting packages, dashboards, KPIs, and executive-ready presentations.
• Perform business case analysis, investment analysis, return-on-investment evaluations, and scenario modeling.
• Contribute to longer-range planning activities using documented business assumptions and financial forecasts.
• Present findings and recommendations to management and business stakeholders.

Data Governance, Controls & Process Improvement

• Maintain audit-ready financial records supporting forecasts, commitments, planning assumptions, and decision documentation.
• Reconcile financial and operational information across systems, reports, and source data.
• Establish and maintain planning controls that improve forecast reliability and data quality.
• Investigate complex discrepancies and recommend resolution strategies.
• Lead improvements to financial planning, reporting, forecasting, and business management processes.
• Drive cross-functional initiatives that improve reporting efficiency, forecast accuracy, and financial transparency.
• Create and maintain process documentation, user guidance, reporting standards, and governance procedures.
• Provide guidance and informal coaching to less experienced analysts and planning stakeholders.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Job Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Analytics, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Approximately 4 to 7 years of experience in financial planning and analysis, budgeting, forecasting, business analysis, project controls, portfolio management, or related disciplines.
• Experience serving as a business partner supporting budget owners, functional leaders, or operational stakeholders.
• Experience leading budget planning, forecast management, variance analysis, and financial reporting activities.
• Strong understanding of operating expense, capital expenditure, financial controls, and planning methodologies.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and ability to work with large and complex data sets.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, organizational, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to influence stakeholders and facilitate financial discussions across multiple organizational levels.
• Experience developing dashboards, management reporting, and executive-ready financial presentations.
• Ability to independently prioritize work, manage competing deadlines, and lead multiple planning activities simultaneously.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to data integrity, documentation, and confidentiality.Ability to build productive partnerships and operate effectively in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Experience

• FP&A or business planning ownership for a business unit, department, or operational function. Capital planning, project portfolio financial management, or multi-year forecast planning.
• Vendor spend management, contract analysis, or procurement-related financial planning.
• Financial modeling, scenario planning, and investment analysis.
• Power BI, Workday, ERP platforms, planning systems, or business intelligence tools.
• Process improvement, financial transformation, reporting automation, or governance initiatives.
• Experience supporting senior leaders through budgeting, forecasting, and strategic planning activities.

Physical Demands and Special Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Final language should be reviewed with HR and Talent Acquisition for the approved work location and role classification.

Additional Details

• Compensation range, job classification, approved work location, and location-specific benefits language will be added by HR and Talent Acquisition, as applicable.
• This position is eligible for company benefits including but not limited to medical, dental, and vision coverage, life and AD&D, short and long-term disability coverage, paid time off, employee assistance, participation in a 401k program that includes company match, and many other additional voluntary benefits.
• Compensation for the role will depend on a number of factors, including your qualifications, skills, competencies, and experience and may fall outside of the range shown.

We operate with No Ego and No Arrogance. We work to build each other up and support one another, appreciating each other’s strengths and respecting each other’s weaknesses. We find joy in our work and each other, actively seeking opportunities to inject fun into what we do. Our hard and efficient work is rewarded with an above market total compensation package. We offer a comprehensive suite of health and welfare, retirement, and paid leave benefits exceeding local expectations.

Throughout the year, the advantage of being part of the Vantage team is evident with an array of benefits, recognition, training and development, and the knowledge that your contribution adds value to the company and our community.

Don't meet all the requirements? Please still apply if you think you are the right person for the position. We are always keen to speak to people who connect with our mission and values.

Vantage is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Vantage does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firm agencies. Fees will not be paid in the event a candidate submitted by a recruiter without an agreement in place is hired; such resumes will be deemed the sole property of Vantage.

We’ll be accepting applications for at least one week from the date this role is posted. If you're interested, we encourage you to apply soon—we’re excited to find the right person and will keep the role open until we do!