Finance Analyst

Introduction:
As the research and analysis division of the Economist Group, The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) helps leaders prepare for opportunity, empowering them to act with confidence when making strategic decisions. The EIU is the global standard in providing quality, actionable intelligence to the public and private sector, assessing issues that impact the marketplace for over two hundred countries.

The Financial Analyst will lead the financial planning and analysis efforts by providing pertinent and timely analysis of the financial performance of the organisation on a global basis and for each of our business units and functional areas. You will also provide management information including monthly KPI’s and analysis to the business. You will have the opportunity to lead the forecasting and budgeting process and work closely with the Group's other finance teams to prepare monthly reports for inclusion in management reports. The Financial Analyst will also be responsible for the development of finance systems to increase efficiency and robustness of data.

Using your experience and commercial acumen you will question and advise on business assumptions in forecasting & planning and interpret financial results and analysis to enable our stakeholders to make key decisions, achieve targets and drive performance. This may involve pre and post analysis of business initiatives.

The ideal person for this role will be comfortable working across different business structures and managing multiple priorities. They will possess both a creative and logical approach to problem solving and be comfortable working with senior management globally to drive value to the business.

Accountabilities:
**How you will contribute**:

- Take ownership of the business planning and forecasting processes for the relevant P&L’s
- Prepare key monthly analysis including sales, overheads including headcount and the monthly KPI’s for the relevant P&L’s
- Prepare the relevant monthly reporting packs and presentations and annual budget plans for the Healthcare businesses including all group schedules around FX sensitivity and headcount
- Lead the calculation of the annual sales targets and the design and analysis of the sales commissions plans, relating to Healthcare
- Proactively provide insights, identify known and unanticipated challenges as well as opportunities and have the ability to concisely communicate these
- Ensure appropriate financial systems, reporting and analysis to support business growth and objectives, developing the systems roadmap for process improvements and efficiencies including providing automated management information
- Drive operational efficiencies by identifying and implementing systems enhancements that create improved controls, service levels, and process improvements - both within the financial department as well as throughout the organisation
- Ensure detailed reporting on the revenue streams and ensure any initiatives and products are tracked
- Effectively use the various databases (Salesforce, Qlikview, etc) to generate data for analysis
- Work in conjunction with other local and global Finance teams to drive best practice and consistent processes
- Identify and communicate issues to senior management as well as regular reporting
- Ensure that sound accounting principles and practices are maintained, in line with statutory requirement, and that adequate internal controls and accounting policies are in place
- Conduct ad-hoc analyses and financial modelling to support business decisions and provide insight for the FD, EIU and other stakeholders, as requested

Experience, skills and professional attributes:
**The ideal skills for this role are**:

- A university qualification and/or part qualified or newly qualified (CIMA/ACCA/or equivalent) is desirable
- Experience of working and supporting senior Leadership
- Strong financial modelling skills as well as a strong planning and control discipline advantageous
- Proven ability to work in the detail and switch to the big picture based on the task

**Additional experience and skills advantageous**:

- Demonstrated ability to build and manage financial models for business forecasting, variance analysis, and problem solving
- A highly collaborative work style and the ability to work in a team environment
- Exceptional communication skills with an ability to convey a message that can be understood universally, linking business issues, financial results and strategy
- Strong leadership capability, innovative and commercial-minded with a proven ability to take on and create new solutions achieving effective results
- Outstanding analytical skills and ability to connect data analysis with business issues and decisions