Strategic Finance Analyst

Position: Strategic Finance Analyst
Location: Fargo, ND
Employment Type: 9-Month Contract
Target Start Date: September 14, 2026
Work Schedule: Must be flexible supporting business partners across Pacific and Central Time Zones

Overview
The Strategic Finance Analyst will provide comprehensive financial analysis and guidance supporting the company's strategic capital acquisition process and high-priority Business Unit initiatives. This individual will partner with project sponsors, Project Managers, Finance leadership, and senior executives to evaluate proposed investments, develop and analyze business cases, reconcile approved financial plans with project execution, support change-control decisions, and assess results through project closeout and benefit realization.
This is a hands-on strategic finance position requiring more than financial reporting. The successful candidate must be able to understand how a proposed capital investment or business initiative could affect the company's financial position now and, in the future, develop the analysis necessary to evaluate that impact, and translate complex financial information into clear recommendations for decision-makers.
The position requires advanced Microsoft Excel capabilities, strong Finance and Accounting experience, and practical command of financial concepts including ROI, NPV, cost/benefit analysis, margin analysis, underwriting financial development, and capital resource analysis. The individual must be comfortable managing multiple capital and ad-hoc assignments simultaneously while operating with minimal supervision and communicating effectively across all levels of the organization.

Purpose:
Influence how the organization evaluates and manages important strategic investments. The financial analysis developed in this role will help project sponsors and senior executives understand the economic implications of capital projects, business opportunities, major contracts, system conversions, new products, and other strategic initiatives before and after investment decisions are made.
Gain exposure to the complete strategic capital lifecycle rather than one component of traditional financial analysis. The analyst will participate from project inception and business-case development through project execution, financial change control, closeout, and post-implementation benefit realization while interacting with Project Managers, Business Units, senior management, Boards of Directors, and potentially external agencies and regulators.
This opportunity is suited to an experienced finance professional who enjoys analyzing ambiguous business opportunities, building sophisticated financial models, challenging assumptions, and transforming complex information into recommendations management can act upon. The role provides significant variety, exposure across the organization, and the opportunity to influence important financial decisions.

Objectives
1. Develop Rigorous Financial Business Cases for Strategic Capital Investments. Throughout the nine-month engagement, work with project sponsors to review inception-stage financial information and develop, analyze, and refine the financial components of assigned capital business cases. Build or customize financial analyses incorporating cost/benefit considerations, ROI, NPV, capital requirements, margin implications, underwriting financial development, and other appropriate financial measures while clearly identifying assumptions and potential implications for current and future operations. Apply critical thinking and sound financial judgment rather than simply accepting project assumptions, and prepare findings so they can be effectively presented to senior management when requested. Success will be measured by the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, and decision usefulness of business-case financial analyses. AI-assisted analytical tools may be used where permitted to support scenario development or model review, with all outputs independently validated before use.

2. Maintain Financial Alignment Between Approved Business Cases and Project Execution. Throughout the life of assigned capital projects, partner with Project Managers and project sponsors to ensure approved business-case financial information remains reconciled with detailed project plans. Analyze the financial implications of changes in scope, cost, timing, resources, or expected benefits and provide the analysis required to support formal project change controls. Maintain sufficient visibility into project financial performance to identify meaningful discrepancies and communicate their implications to appropriate stakeholders. Success will be measured by accurate reconciliation, timely financial analysis of project changes, completion of required change-control support, and reliable financial information for project decision-making.

3. Deliver Strategic Financial Analysis and Recommendations to Business and Executive Leadership. During the engagement, provide responsive financial support for ad-hoc Business Unit and senior/executive management initiatives, including new business opportunities, proposals and bids, major contracts, system conversions, new product development, and other corporate projects. Design and customize financial models using advanced analytical techniques, financial systems, Microsoft Excel, and available data-query tools to determine the financial implications of each initiative. Translate findings into clear recommendations and be prepared to present analyses to diverse audiences including senior management, Boards of Directors, external agencies, and regulators when required. Success will be measured by analytical quality, responsiveness, clarity of recommendations, and stakeholder confidence in the financial information provided.

4. Complete Financial Closeout and Support Benefit Realization. As assigned capital projects reach completion, provide the financial analysis required to close the project and support post-implementation benefit-realization requirements. Compare available project results with the original business case, identify relevant financial differences, and provide stakeholders with the analysis necessary to understand project outcomes. Coordinate with Project Managers and sponsors to ensure required financial information is complete and appropriately documented. Success will be measured by timely completion of financial closeout responsibilities, accurate analysis of project outcomes, and completion of required benefit-realization support.

Subtasks
1. Understand Assigned Capital Initiatives and Financial Requirements. At the beginning of each assigned initiative, work with project sponsors and relevant stakeholders to understand the business objective, proposed investment, financial assumptions, resource requirements, timing, and expected outcomes. Review available financial information and determine what additional analysis is required to understand the initiative's potential impact on the company's current and future financial position. Organize competing assignments and establish an analytical work plan capable of supporting multiple simultaneous projects. Success will be measured by timely understanding of project requirements, identification of missing financial information, and effective prioritization of assigned work.

2. Build and Analyze Financial Models. Develop and customize financial models using Microsoft Excel, financial systems, and available data-query tools to evaluate project economics and strategic business opportunities. Apply appropriate techniques including ROI, NPV, cost/benefit, margin, underwriting, and capital resource analysis based on the requirements of each initiative. Test assumptions and analyze alternatives using critical thinking and sound financial judgment, maintaining sufficient supporting information for review. Success will be measured by model accuracy, analytical rigor, usability, and the ability of stakeholders to understand the financial implications of proposed decisions.

3. Develop and Review Capital Business Cases. Prepare findings for presentation to senior management when requested and respond effectively to questions regarding the underlying analysis. Success will be measured by complete and supportable financial analyses delivered within required project timelines.

4. Reconcile Business Cases with Detailed Project Plans. Provide appropriate financial support for change-control activities throughout the remaining project lifecycle. Success will be measured by accurate reconciliation, timely identification of financial differences, and completion of required change-control analysis.

5. Provide Ad-Hoc Financial Analysis and Executive Decision Support. Communicate conclusions clearly in written, verbal, and presentation formats appropriate to the audience. Success will be measured by responsiveness, analytical quality, ability to manage competing priorities, and effectiveness of stakeholder communication.

6. Support Project Closeout, Benefit Realization, and Financial Process Improvements. Support Senior Financial Analysts, Lead Financial Analysts, and department management as required while maintaining ownership of assigned priorities. Success will be measured by completion of required project financial activities, reliable analytical support, and effective contribution to broader Finance team priorities.

Ideal Candidate Profile
The successful candidate will typically possess a BA/BS in Accounting, Finance, Economics, Business, Statistics, or a related discipline with approximately six to eight years of progressive and relevant professional experience. CPA, CMA, MBA, ASA, and health insurance industry experience are preferred based on the original requirements but are not identified as mandatory.
The candidate must bring strong Finance and/or Accounting experience and advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel. The individual should demonstrate an in-depth understanding of financial concepts and principles sufficient to independently support capital business-case and budget development, including ROI, NPV, cost/benefit, detailed margin, underwriting financial development, and capital resource analysis.
The strongest candidate will also demonstrate the ability to build and customize complex financial models, work with financial and data-query systems, manage multiple simultaneous capital or ad-hoc initiatives, and operate with minimal supervision. Strong presentation and communication skills are important because the role interacts across all levels of the organization and may present analysis to senior management and other high-level audiences.
The individual is regarded as a trusted financial partner who can independently take a complex business initiative, understand its financial implications, develop the appropriate analysis, exercise sound judgment, and clearly advise project sponsors and senior decision-makers.