Associate Director, Business Planning & Analysis

Financial Planning and Analysis

Location:  Boston, MA

If Other: 

Remote Option:  No

• Director, Business Planning & Analysis (BP&A)

• Manages up to four Financial Analysts

• All managers in Oxfam America and particularly coordination with the Controller and Accounting Department, Resource Development, Public Engagement Division, and Program Managers

The Associate Director, Business Planning & Analysis will be responsible for implementing Oxfam America’s (OUS) financial, budgeting, business planning, financial analysis, and reporting activities, bringing to bear expertise management expertise. The Associate Director will assume responsibility for representing the Director to the Senior Leadership Team and the team’s portfolio of work and services to the agency, as needed. The Associate Director will develop and enhance business planning and reporting processes.

The Associate Director will lead on business analysis, the improvement of restricted funds management and accuracy in systems, and the identification and implementation of improvements to team policies and procedures. The position will manage the existing financial systems for budgeting and reporting and will contribute to the assessment and implementation of new financial systems and tools. This is a management position responsible for managing up to four full-time Financial Analysts.

• Serve as a strategic partner and thought partner with Director and all program staff to provide ongoing strategy development, process monitoring, and evaluation of function and core processes.

• Budgeting and Business Planning

• Lead the annual financial planning (budget) process and coordinate and integrate the process with agency business planning and the strategic plan

• Works with the Director of Business Planning and Analysis to analyze the budget and prepare Board financial reporting

• Lead or co-lead complex strategic projects that are often cross-functional in nature

• Develop and refine budgeting tools and procedures to improve efficiency and effectiveness

• Coordinate the timely forecasting and maintenance of department expense budgets in accordance with agency policies and donor restrictions, monitoring internal records of budget adjustments in Oracle and tracking logs

• Coordinate with Resource Development Division and appropriate managers to ensure the preparation of budgets for proposals to donors and potential donors and operationalization of donor-restricted fund budgets. Ensure that potential budget impacts are communicated effectively to all stakeholders

• Partner closely with countries and business managers having budget authority, training and coaching them through the bottom-up process to prepare cost center budgets and address key resources issues for their specific programs and/or initiatives

• Coordinate the forecasting process that facilitates donor-required budgeting and planning that is “off cycle” with the agency’s fiscal year and which may cover multiple fiscal years.

• Provide support and guidance to OUS staff and country office finance staff on the use of the OUS budgeting systems and tools in accordance with applicable policies and procedures

• Act as a thought partner to Directors on a broad set of topics impacting the overall management of program operations, including business strategy, human resources, navigating broader agency requests, and relationships with other business units with a high degree of transparency and collaboration

• Personnel Management

• Provide direct supervision to FP&A Financial Analysts, including ensuring regular feedback sessions and professional development opportunities as appropriate

• Monitor and manage succession planning, team performance and development

• Work with the director of Business Planning & Analysis to continually improve the timeliness, accuracy and value of the services and responsibilities of the group

• Develop through documentation and internal training a cadre of technical staff capable of transferring essential skills in Financial Management

• Reporting and Analysis

• Oversee development of the monthly management dashboard and quarterly management reporting packages

• Ensure the timely and accurate production of annual and periodic CONSOL-compliant and CQMR-compliant reports to support decision-making by management

• Run accurate ad-hoc reports as needed in ORACLE and Unit 4 (when implemented), including standard reports as well as advanced queries in OBIEE/Answers

• Ensure Analysts deliver timely accountability reports and related analyses with respect to expense and revenue performance against budget.

• Meet with managers to review periodically financial results and develop forecasts.

• Make specific recommendations for improvements in the allocation of agency resources and the management of expenses (supports all levels of management)

• High-level Customer Service

• Ensure the FP&A team provides a strong customer service orientation toward managers and colleagues within Finance and Operations, responding to requests promptly, anticipating others’ needs, and collecting feedback for meaningful continuous improvement of FP&A products and services.

• Other responsibilities as may be assigned from time to time.

• Will stay abreast of professional standards, trends and issues affecting this set of responsibilities, demonstrating continuous learning of the field.

• Will work effectively and collaboratively in support of building a team-based culture of work, will perform all duties appropriately for a multi-cultural environment, treating all persons with dignity and respect, and will be familiar with and committed to Oxfam America mission and goals.

• Will have an understanding of gender justice and diversity within key areas of responsibility and a commitment to promoting gender justice and diversity in our workplace and programs.

• Within key areas of responsibility, will have a commitment to providing a safe environment for staff, partners, and beneficiaries, and a commitment to promoting safeguarding in our workplace, programs, and the communities we serve.

• Partner with support functions and program/functional team management to manage, recruit, develop and train staff who support the activities needed to plan, execute and achieve the strategic plan.

• Responsible to help promote culture and values and may design organization structure, facilitate retreats and cross-organization collaboration

• All types of budgeting and financial planning will be coordinated with the agency’s annual business planning and strategic plan. The budgeting and planning process will be transparent, accessible to all managers, and the basis of an effective and flexible accountability system. Changes in budgets will be made in a timely and accurate manner.

• Financial reporting, analysis, and recommendations will be timely and effective for managers at all levels in meeting business requirements. Financial information will be readily accessible to managers.

• Financial systems will be effectively implemented and supported. Staff will be kept current and trained on systems’ capabilities. Systems will be used effectively to meet business needs.

• Master’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field, or equivalent combination of education experience, and training.

• Ten or more years of progressively responsible experience, including management responsibility, at the enterprise (corporate/headquarters) level in Finance, Planning, and/or Financial Systems at an organization(s) with greater than $90 million in annual operating expenditures.

• Seven or more years of management experience.

• Key attributes required include analytical and problem-solving skills, accountability for results, strong partnership and collaboration, attention to detail, excellent interpersonal and communication skills, and experience working well with others in a team setting.

• Visionary, passionate leader with an outstanding track record of achievement in roles of increasing responsibility.

• Capable of working across a diverse set of disciplines, bridging a wide range of expertise with a demonstrated ability to work with flexibility, efficiency, and diplomacy in a fast-paced, challenging environment.

• Demonstrated ability to lead people and teams to effectively achieve clear, yet complex goals and objectives.

• Strong communication skills both written and oral in Spanish.

• Strong technical and financial knowledge; including the ability to efficiently communicate data and results to inform sound strategic and tactical decisions.

• Experience developing, evaluating, managing, and monitoring business plans, budgets and financial reports.

• A sense of humor.

• Strong familiarity with financial systems including but not limited to:

• Cloud-based financial systems
• Oracle e- Business Suite
• Microsoft Office, including data visualization in Excel and PowerPoint
• Microsoft Power BI

• CPA

• Prior experience with an international non-profit/NGO with greater than $90 million in operating expenditures is strongly preferred.

• Experience working in developing countries.

• Fluency in at least one of the other predominantly spoken languages, French or Spanish.