Financial Planning and Analysis Manager

INTRODUCTION:

University of the People (UoPeople) is the first non-profit, tuition-free, American, accredited, 100% online university. Today, UoPeople has over 170,000 students enrolled from more than 200 countries and territories, including 18,800 students who are refugees. UoPeople is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) and is recognized by the DEAC as an accredited online University.

We believe that higher education is a basic human right and that it can transform not only the lives of students, but also their families' lives, their communities, their nations, and, by extension, the world. See President Reshef’s TED talk when he announced the founding of the University.[ TED talk ]

UoPeople is an innovative university, and we welcome team members who bring creativity and innovation to their roles. We’re a fast-paced organization with remote teams all around the globe. If you’re a self-starter who wants to succeed alongside a passionate team, we’d love to hear from you!

UoPeople is supported by the generosity of individuals and foundations, including the Gates, Hewlett, Ford Foundations, Fondation Hoffmann, and others. The University has been covered by the New York Times, BBC, NPR, Times Higher Education, US News and World Report, and more. President Reshef’s TED Talk and Nas Daily interview about the University have 30 million views combined.

Position: FP&A Manager

Budget: $100000/ Annum

Position Summary

The FP&A Manager is a high-impact, senior individual contributor responsible for driving financial planning, analysis, and strategic decision support across a complex, global organization. This role is designed for an experienced finance professional who combines deep modeling expertise with a strong command of systems and technology, and the intellectual agility to move fluidly between granular financial detail and broad strategic context.

Reporting to the VP Finance, the FP&A Manager serves as a critical analytical engine for the organization — owning the forecasting and budgeting cycle, elevating the quality of financial insights, and building scalable, technology-enabled processes. The ideal candidate is self-driven, analytically rigorous, and commercially astute, with an instinct for identifying what matters and the communication skills to influence leadership decisions.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Planning, Forecasting & Budgeting

• Own and lead the annual budgeting process, rolling forecasts, and long-range financial planning across business units and geographies.
• Design, build, and continuously enhance dynamic financial models that support scenario analysis, sensitivity testing, and multi-variable planning.
• Drive revenue forecasting with a strong understanding of business drivers, fund flows, and operational dynamics.
• Challenge assumptions, identify risks and opportunities, and translate complex financial data into clear, decision-ready insights for senior leadership.
• Maintain forecast accuracy through disciplined variance analysis, proactively flagging deviations and recommending corrective actions.

Strategic Analysis & Business Partnership

• Act as a trusted financial advisor to the VP Finance and functional leaders, delivering structured analysis that supports strategic and operational decisions.
• Conduct business case modeling, investment appraisals, and ROI analysis for organizational initiatives and capital priorities.
• Synthesize financial and operational data to surface trends, anomalies, and strategic implications — communicating findings clearly at both executive and working levels.
• Support cross-functional planning cycles and ensure financial perspectives are embedded in key business decisions.

Financial Close & Reporting Support

• Partner with the Controller and accounting team to support the monthly, termly, and annual close process, ensuring FP&A outputs are aligned with actuals.
• Own management reporting deliverables, including variance commentary, KPI tracking, and executive dashboards.
• Ensure integrity and consistency of financial data across planning, reporting, and ERP systems.

Systems, Technology & Process Excellence

• Lead the development and optimization of FP&A tools, models, and reporting infrastructure, including BI platforms (e.g., Power BI) and planning systems.
• Champion automation and process improvement across the finance function — reducing manual effort and increasing analytical bandwidth.
• Drive integration and data flow improvements across ERP, CRM, and financial reporting systems; serve as a finance lead on systems enhancement projects.
• Establish and maintain scalable, well-documented financial processes appropriate for a growing global organization.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate effectively with accounting, operations, and non-finance stakeholders, translating financial complexity into accessible, actionable communication.
• Build strong working relationships across functions, acting as a reliable and credible finance partner.
• Represent finance perspectives clearly in cross-functional discussions and planning processes.

Qualifications & Experience

• 7–10 years of progressive experience in FP&A, corporate finance, or financial planning roles within global or multi-entity organizations.
• Prior experience in a role reporting directly to a VP Finance or CFO, with a track record of leading or managing a team within the last three years. We warmly welcome candidates who are now looking to channel their leadership experience into a senior individual contributor capacity — and who are excited by the opportunity to shape and build the FP&A function from the ground up.
• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field (Required).
• Master's degree or MBA is a strong advantage.
• Demonstrated experience leading full-cycle budgeting and forecasting processes, including multi-entity or multi-currency environments.
• Expert-level financial modeling skills — able to build complex models from scratch and critically evaluate models built by others.
• Advanced Excel proficiency (required); strong Power BI skills (required); experience with additional BI or planning tools is an advantage.
• Deep familiarity with ERP systems, CRM-finance integrations, and financial databases; experience driving system improvements and automation.
• Track record of working independently in remote or distributed environments with minimal day-to-day supervision.

Certifications (Preferred)

• CPA, ACCA, CIMA, CMA, CA, or CFA (completed or in progress).

Core Competencies

Modeling & Analytical Depth

Exceptional financial modeling capabilities, including multi-scenario, driver-based, and integrated 3-statement models. Able to identify what data matters, interrogate assumptions, and draw analytically sound conclusions from complex datasets.

Big Picture & Detail Orientation

The ability to zoom in on financial detail without losing sight of the strategic context — and to move fluently between both perspectives. Sees implications, not just numbers.

Systems & Technology Fluency

Highly tech-savvy with a genuine interest in leveraging tools and automation to improve financial processes. Comfortable leading systems projects and translating finance needs into technical solutions.

Self-Driven Execution

Proactive, independent, and outcome-oriented. Comfortable operating in ambiguity, setting priorities without being told, and driving deliverables to completion with high standards.

Communication & Influence

Able to present financial analysis clearly and persuasively to senior leadership. Translates complex financial content into business language — without losing precision or accuracy.

Integrity & Professional Judgment

Maintains the highest standards of financial integrity, confidentiality, and professional maturity. Trusted to handle sensitive information and exercise sound, independent judgment.