Director, Financial Planning & Analysis

About Data Society Group
At Data Society Group, we provide the highest quality, leading-edge, industry-tailored data and AI training and solutions for Fortune 1,000 companies and federal, state, and local governmental organizations. We partner with our clients to educate, equip, and empower their workforces with the skills they need to achieve their goals and expand their impact. Data Society Group publishes CDO Magazine, the preeminent global publication for Data Officers. Our executive boards include industry leaders, engineers, and data scientists from across the world. We are empowering the workforces of the future, from data literacy for all employees to support for data engineers and data scientists to train up on the most complex AI solutions and Machine Learning skills.

Role Details
The Financial Planning & Analysis Director is a highly visible role that serves as a key financial partner to the business. Requiring frequent collaboration with senior management and other key internal and external stakeholders, the FP&A Director will rely on a collective and proactive approach to lead the annual planning process, establish regular forecasting/review meetings, and leverage financial data to provide broad decision support to leaders across all parts of the business.

This is a full-time permanent remote position, based anywhere in the United States.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Strategic Financial Reporting & Insights 
  • Lead the strategic development and compelling presentation of monthly management reporting packages, encompassing comprehensive profit & loss, balance sheet, segmental profitability, free cash flow analysis, performance against budgets, and variance analysis. This includes preparing executive-level materials for the CEO and Board of Directors.
  • Drive the optimization, automation, and continuous improvement of core FP&A processes and systems (e.g., Sage/Intaact, HubSpot, and related manual processes), leveraging technology to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and adherence to the corporate calendar. You will be hands-on in implementing and maintaining these systems.
  • Strategically design, implement, and continuously refine the structure, cadence, and core processes for the company's annual strategic planning cycle, monthly/quarterly reporting and analysis, integrated forecasting, and multi-year strategic planning efforts.
  • Lead the execution and continuous improvement of global reporting cycles, specifically owning and personally presenting the monthly topline performance forecasts and associated insights to the executive leadership team.
  • Translate complex financial data into clear, actionable insights regarding both historical performance and future projections, articulating strategic implications to key stakeholders across the organization.
  • Conduct deep-dive financial analysis into cost variances against budget and expenditure trends, identifying root causes, and providing strategic recommendations to optimize spending and improve financial performanc
• Forecasting & Financial Analysis
  • Drive and own the comprehensive short- and long-range planning processes, collaborating extensively with senior leadership and cross-functional stakeholders to develop robust 3-year financial and operational plans, encompassing bookings, revenue, and expense forecasts.
  • Develop, maintain, and continuously enhance sophisticated financial forecasting models for all operational functions (e.g., Sales & Marketing, Business Units, G&A), ensuring accurate and dynamic re-forecasting and insightful variance analysis against actual performance. This includes direct model building and maintenance.
  • Serve as a key strategic partner to the CEO on critical cash management and cash flow forecasting initiatives, providing proactive insights and recommendations. You will be directly responsible for building and maintaining these forecasts.
  • Lead the financial planning and analysis aspects of Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) activities, including due diligence, valuation support, and the seamless integration of acquired entities into the company's forecasting, reporting, and planning frameworks, processes, and timelines.
  • Design and deliver complex ad-hoc financial models and executive-level presentations to support strategic initiatives, critical business decisions, and investment opportunities.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive FP&A experience, ideally in PE-backed environments.
• Hands-on strategic leadership - as both a leader and individual contributor, the ability to balance hands-on and strategic work in a dynamic environment.
• Experience in professional services, media, technology, education, or SaaS environments.
• Experience with M&A activities including due diligence, financial modeling, and post-merger integrations a plus.
• Expert level financial modeling abilities  with superior Excel skills.
• Prior experience with ERP and business analytic tech; experience with Sage/Intaact a plus - ideally some systems implementation experience.
• Solid grasp of GAAP, financial statements, and the impact of operations on financial results.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills - ability to partner closely with internal teams to both understand and influence business operations through financial leadership.