Senior Financial Analyst

Supported non-expedite business lines (P&Ls) include, but are not limited to, the following:

• International Freight Forwarding
  • Air Freight Forwarding
  • Ocean Freight Forwarding
  • Customs Brokerage – Also includes order management and trade compliance.
• Brokerage & Managed Transportation
  • Truckload Brokerage
  • Less than Truckload Brokerage
  • Agent Network – 3rd party truckload brokerage activity contracted under Ascent’s provider network.
  • Central Minnesota Logistics – Oversized or heavy-cargo freight.
  • Managed Transportation – LTL rate negotiation, audit & billing services.

Key responsibilities of the Senior Financial Analyst are as follows:

• Support Ascent’s Global Annual Financial Planning & Continuous Financial Forecasting Program by working collaboratively with internal business partners and the Team Lead to create an annual financial plan and forecasts for Ascent’s corporate functional departments and non-expedite business lines and other areas as assigned.
  • Key annual planning areas of responsibility include, but are not limited to, the following:
    • Roll forward SG&A and gross profit budget templates for the non-expedite business lines and work with internal business partners to populate them.
    • Roll forward the SG&A templates for all of Ascent’s corporate functional departments and work with internal business partners to populate them.
    • Support the roll forward of the annual budget reporting package(s) as assigned, which include consolidated and business line P&Ls, top customer lists, SG&A schedules, SG&A and EBITDA bridges and other reports.
    • Support and conduct budget reviews with the non-expedite business leaders and corporate functional department leaders.
    • Assist with other annual planning tasks as assigned.
  • Key continuous forecasting areas of responsibility include, but are not limited to, the following:
    • Support the roll forward of the forecast within Ascent’s Operating model by collaborating with business partners to analyze trends and adjust key inputs for Ascent’s non-expedite business lines.
    • Support the completion of a bi-monthly EBITDA Flash submission for Ascent’s non-expedite business lines.
    • Assist with other forecasting tasks as assigned.
• Support Ascent’s Monthly Financial Review Program by working collaboratively with internal business partners and the Team Lead to facilitate monthly financial reviews for Ascent’s non-expedite business lines and for other areas as assigned.
  • Key monthly financial review areas of responsibility include, but are not limited to, the following:
    • Work with accounting to review the preliminary monthly close financial results and roll forward the EBITDA Flash to actuals bridge(s) for assigned areas.
    • Support the roll forward of the monthly executive financial reporting package as assigned.
    • Partner with accounting to prepare, analyze, and review the reporting packages and dashboards for all corporate functional departments and non-expedite business lines and to conduct monthly financial reviews.
    • In all reporting packages, identify and document key action items and business drivers of variances to the annual plan, forecasts, and historic periods.
    • Assist with other reporting tasks as assigned.
• Support the maintenance and expansion of Ascent’s FP&A Technology Platform, which is comprised of Alteryx workflows, a Snowflake data warehouse, PowerBI dashboards and Excel based reports. The underlying data of the warehouse is sourced from various transportation management systems and the Great Plains accounting system.
  • Key maintenance tasks include rolling forward and maintaining various Alteryx workflows that import data into the Snowflake data warehouse from various transportation management systems and maintain applicable PowerBI dashboards and other automated reports.
• Support the completion of the projects and initiatives from the Annual FP&A Continuous Improvement Plan including the following specifically for 2025:
  • Support the initiative to improve the review cadence for Ascent’s Monthly Financial Review Program so that reporting packages and dashboards are reviewed at least monthly instead of intermittently.
  • Enhance the Ascent Operating Model to include additional business line P&Ls and forecast functionality.
  • Support the initiative to streamline certain accrual journal entries and to transfer the process from FP&A to the accounting team.
  • Assist in the creation of new Alteryx workflows and PowerBI dashboards to further automate monthly financial reporting deliverables.
• Perform ad-hoc analysis & reporting as assigned and assist with special projects to support strategic decision-making.
• Develop proficiency in all relevant financial systems, policies, and procedures.

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics or similar degree

• 3 years or more of work experience in financial planning and analysis, preferably in the logistics industry

• Working knowledge of financial statement concepts and GAAP.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, and preferably Great Plains, PowerBI, Power Query, Snowflake and Alteryx.

• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

• Periodic travel may be required.

Ascent’s Competitive Benefits

• 401(k) and employer matching

• Life Insurance

• Health, Dental, Vision Insurance

• Short- & Long-Term Disability

• Paid Time Off (PTO)

• Employee Assistance Program

• Paid Parental Leave

• Employee Wellness Program

• Paid Holidays

• Employee Recognition Programs

• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

• Tuition Reimbursement

• Health Savings Account (HSA)

• Overtime, Differential & Bonus Pay