Financial Planning and Analysis Manager

Job Spec/Qualifications:

Who We Are

Solera is a global leader in data and software services that strives to transform every touchpoint of the vehicle lifecycle into a connected digital experience. In addition, we provide products and services to protect life’s other most important assets: our homes and digital identities. Today, Solera processes over 300 million digital transactions annually for approximately 235,000 partners and customers in more than 90 countries. Our 6,500 team members foster an uncommon, innovative culture and are dedicated to successfully bringing the future to bear today through cognitive answers, insights, algorithms and automation. For more information, please visit solera.com.

The Role

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Manager of Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) to join Solera's team. The ideal candidate will lead the FP&A function and provide strategic financial insights to support our fleet transportation software and claims management software divisions. This role will be instrumental in driving financial performance, forecasting, budgeting, contribution margin, financial trend analysis and decision-making processes within these business units.

The successful individual in this role will utilize their keen eye for detail and ability to reconcile and align multiple data sources to present well-structured and clear analysis and reporting for a senior audience to consume.

What You’ll Do

Financial Planning and Analysis:

• Lead the development of financial forecasts, annual budgets, and long-range financial plans for the fleet transportation software and claims management software divisions.
• Analyze financial performance, identify trends, and provide actionable insights to support strategic decision-making.
• Focus on sources of variability, understand causes and implement data-driven forecasting improvements and insights as part of variance and forecast analysis
• Heavy data mining to develop robust models on trends, key business drivers and financial results to prioritize and plan key decisions including revenue forecasting
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to understand business drivers, market dynamics, and operational initiatives impacting financial performance.
• Work with corporate Solera FP&A towards corporate initiatives and reporting requirements of the business unit to the total company consolidation, including monthly business unit uploads to TM1 of results, KPIs and forecast loads

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field; MBA or CPA preferred.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in financial planning and analysis, with at least 2 years in a managerial role.
• Strong analytical skills and proficiency in financial modeling, forecasting, and variance analysis.
• Experience supporting software or technology divisions preferred, with knowledge of SaaS business models and metrics (preferred).
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across functions and influence decision-making.
• Proven leadership abilities, with a track record of developing and mentoring team members.
• Clear communication both verbally and via presentation of financials
• Self-motivated / Self-starter with a strong work ethic, inquisitive, enjoy problem solving and looking to seek and drive solutions/improvements towards results
• Knowledge of financial and reporting process optimization a plus

Financial Reporting:

• Prepare and present monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports to senior management, highlighting key performance indicators, variances, and areas of opportunity.
• Ensure accuracy and completeness of financial data and reporting, adhering to accounting standards and regulatory requirements.

Business Partnership:

• Partner with divisional leaders and department heads to provide financial guidance, support business planning, and evaluate investment opportunities.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, fostering collaboration and alignment on financial objectives.

Strategic Analysis:

• Conduct scenario analysis and sensitivity testing to assess potential impacts on financial outcomes and recommend strategic actions.
• Evaluate capital expenditure proposals, M&A opportunities, and strategic initiatives, providing financial insights and recommendations to drive value creation.
• Monitor business performance against KPIs and strategic plans
• Ad hoc reports as needed

Process Improvement:

• Identify opportunities to streamline financial processes, enhance efficiency, and strengthen internal controls.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives within the FP&A function, leveraging technology and best practices to optimize financial reporting and analysis.

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field; MBA or CPA preferred.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in financial planning and analysis, with at least 2 years in a managerial role.
• Strong analytical skills and proficiency in financial modeling, forecasting, and variance analysis.
• Experience supporting software or technology divisions preferred, with knowledge of SaaS business models and metrics (preferred).
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across functions and influence decision-making.
• Proven leadership abilities, with a track record of developing and mentoring team members.
• Clear communication both verbally and via presentation of financials
• Self-motivated / Self-starter with a strong work ethic, inquisitive, enjoy problem solving and looking to seek and drive solutions/improvements towards results
• Knowledge of financial and reporting process optimization a plus
• Advanced skills with Excel required, powerpoint and word preferred; experience with budgetary planning software preferred (TM1), ERP (Cognos, Oracle) and/or analytic tools (Power BI, Tableau, Qlik, etc.) a plus

Soft skills:

• Analytical Thinking
• Detail-Oriented
• Communication Skills
• Collaboration
• Leadership- MORE THAN 3 TEAM MEMBERS
• Problem-Solving
• Strategic Thinking
• Adaptability
• Self-Motivation

NOT NECESSARY EXPERIENCE WORKING IN THE VEHICLE OR SOFTWARE INDUSTRY BUT EXPERIENCE AND FLEXIBILITY IS IMPORTANT

Job Duties / Responsibilities:

Financial Planning and Analysis:

• Lead the development of financial forecasts, annual budgets, and long-range financial plans for the fleet transportation software and claims management software divisions.
• Analyze financial performance, identify trends, and provide actionable insights to support strategic decision-making.
• Focus on sources of variability, understand causes and implement data-driven forecasting improvements and insights as part of variance and forecast analysis
• Heavy data mining to develop robust models on trends, key business drivers and financial results to prioritize and plan key decisions including revenue forecasting
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to understand business drivers, market dynamics, and operational initiatives impacting financial performance.
• Work with corporate Solera FP&A towards corporate initiatives and reporting requirements of the business unit to the total company consolidation, including monthly business unit uploads to TM1 of results, KPIs and forecast loads

Financial Reporting:

• Prepare and present monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports to senior management, highlighting key performance indicators, variances, and areas of opportunity.
• Ensure accuracy and completeness of financial data and reporting, adhering to accounting standards and regulatory requirements.

Business Partnership:

• Partner with divisional leaders and department heads to provide financial guidance, support business planning, and evaluate investment opportunities.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, fostering collaboration and alignment on financial objectives.

Strategic Analysis:

• Conduct scenario analysis and sensitivity testing to assess potential impacts on financial outcomes and recommend strategic actions.
• Evaluate capital expenditure proposals, M&A opportunities, and strategic initiatives, providing financial insights and recommendations to drive value creation.
• Monitor business performance against KPIs and strategic plans
• Ad hoc reports as needed

Process Improvement:

• Identify opportunities to streamline financial processes, enhance efficiency, and strengthen internal controls.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives within the FP&A function, leveraging technology and best practices to optimize financial reporting and analysis.