Deputy Manager - Financial Planning & Analysis

Job Purpose:

We are looking for a (CA Inter) finance professional with 4 - 5 years of experience to join the FP&A team. The role will be responsible for financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, P&L analysis, management reporting, variance analysis and business partnering with various functions.

The candidate should have strong analytical skills, a good understanding of P&L and financial statements, and the ability to independently work with large datasets and convert financial information into meaningful business insights.Primary Job Responsibilities

1. FP&A and Management Reporting

• Prepare monthly, quarterly and annual P&L reports and management dashboards.
• Analyze actual performance against Budget, Forecast and Last Year (LY).
• Prepare YTD / MTD performance analysis and highlight key business drivers.
• Prepare management presentations and business review decks.
• Provide commentary on revenue, gross contribution, margins, operating expenses and profitability.

2. Budgeting & Forecasting

• Support preparation of Annual Operating Plan (AOP) / Budget.
• Prepare periodic forecasts and rolling forecasts.
• Coordinate with business and functional teams to obtain assumptions and forecasts.
• Challenge assumptions and identify key risks and opportunities.
• Track actual performance against budget and forecast.

3. P&L Analysis

• Perform detailed analysis of Revenue, COGS, Gross Margin / GC%, Variable Costs and Fixed Costs.
• Analyze profitability by product category, channel, geography, customer or business segment.
• Identify key drivers behind margin expansion / contraction.
• Track cost movements and identify opportunities for cost optimization.
• Analyze provisions, accruals, committed costs and potential P&L risks.

4. Business Partnering

• Work closely with Sales, Marketing, Operations, Supply Chain, Service, HR and other business functions.
• Understand business performance and translate operational metrics into financial impact.
• Challenge business teams on variances and assumptions.
• Support business teams in making financially sound decisions.

5. Variance & Root Cause Analysis

• Perform detailed Actual vs Budget / Forecast / LY variance analysis.
• Identify root causes for significant variances.
• Develop actionable insights and recommendations for management.
• Track corrective actions and their financial impact.

6. MIS & Data Analytics

• Develop and maintain MIS reports, dashboards and performance trackers.
• Automate recurring reports and improve reporting efficiency.
• Work with large datasets using Advanced Excel / Power Query / Power Pivot.
• Use analytical tools to identify trends, anomalies and business opportunities.
• Ensure accuracy and integrity of financial data used in management reporting.

7. Month-End Closing & Controls

• Coordinate with the accounting team during monthly closing.
• Review provisions, accruals, prepaid expenses and other P&L items.
• Ensure timely and accurate reporting of financial results.
• Identify accounting / reporting gaps and coordinate with relevant teams for resolution.

Key Skills & Qualification:

• Strong understanding of P&L, Balance Sheet and Cash Flow.
• Excellent knowledge of FP&A, budgeting and forecasting.
• Strong variance and profitability analysis skills.
• Advanced MS Excel, including Pivot Tables, XLOOKUP, SUMIFS, Power Query and Power Pivot.
• Good understanding of financial modelling.
• Experience in preparing management presentations / business review decks.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving ability.
• Good communication and stakeholder-management skills.
• Ability to work with large datasets and independently drive analysis.
• Strong attention to detail and financial acumen.

Preferred Experience:

• 4-5 years of experience in FP&A / Business Finance / Commercial Finance / Management Reporting.
• Experience in a FMCG, Consumer Durables, Retail, E-commerce or other fast-paced business environment would be preferred.
• Experience in working with ERP systems such as SAP / Oracle is an advantage.
• Exposure to Power BI would be an added advantage.