Manager, Financial Planning and Analysis

• Thinks like the business - understands how freight volume, yield, fuel and linehaul costs flow through the P&L

• Owns the answer, not the file - goes from question to recommendation without being told which tab to update

• Automates the second time - any task done twice gets a template, a query or a workflow

• AI native - uses AI daily to draft commentary, build decks, reconcile files and research markets, and knows how to check the output

• Own the consolidated monthly forecasting process (3+9, 6+6, and 9+3 forecasts) and annual budget cycle, including timelines, templates, and segment submissions.

• Develop and maintain driver-based financial models linking volume, yield, purchased transportation, labor, and headcount assumptions to financial results.

• Build scenario analyses and pro forma models supporting acquisitions, divestitures, restructuring initiatives, and other strategic opportunities.

• Coordinate planning activities across business segments and ensure alignment of forecast assumptions.

• Deliver monthly variance analyses comparing actual results to forecast, budget, and prior year performance, including concise commentary on key drivers.

• Prepare consolidated Business Review MBR and Board reporting materials, including EBITDA bridges, margin analysis, and KPI dashboards.

• Partner with Finance, Accounting, and operational leaders across Ground, Air, Ocean, and Contract Logistics on forecast assumptions and performance.

• Lead ad hoc analyses related to pricing, fuel surcharge impacts, cost allocation, SG&A initiatives, capital expenditures, and working capital (DSO/DPO).

• Translate market data (freight indices, peer benchmarks) into planning assumptions

• Support monthly close activities through variance investigation, reporting validation, and reconciliation of planning and financial results.

• Serve as a power user and design partner for Anaplan implementation and related planning, consolidation, and reporting tools and data flows.

• Design and enhance automated reporting solutions, dashboards, and data pipelines using tools such as Databricks, Tableau, Excel, and Power Query.

• Leverage AI-enabled tools to automate recurring finance workflows, including reporting, commentary preparation, and data analysis.

• Present financial results, insights, and recommendations to senior leadership in a concise, executive-ready format.

• All other duties as assigned to meet evolving business needs.

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field from an accredited college or university required; MBA preferred.

• Certification/Licensure:, Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Certified Public Accountant (CPA), or progress toward a professional finance certification preferred.

• Industry Exposure: Preferred experience in transportation, logistics, distribution, or other complex multi-entity operating environments preferred. 

• Experience: 4+ years in FP&A, corporate finance, investment banking, consulting, or a related analytical finance environment; Prior people/team leadership preferred.

• Strong understanding of income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow dynamics.

• Advanced Excel skills, including financial modeling, driver-based forecasting, scenario toggles, Power Query, and dynamic arrays.

• Experience working with large, complex data sets and translating data into actionable business insights.

• Experience supporting budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, variance analysis, and capital expenditure planning.

• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate financial concepts to executive audiences.

• Experience with enterprise planning, financial consolidation, and business intelligence tools such as Anaplan, Workday Adaptive Planning, OneStream, Oracle EPM, Tableau, or Power BI.

• Preferred experience with SQL, Python, Databricks, or similar analytics tools.

• Demonstrated experience leveraging AI tools, such as Microsoft Copilot, Claude, or ChatGPT, to improve efficiency and automate finance workflows.

• Demonstrated discretion and confidentiality in handling and protecting sensitive information.

• Technical: Proficient with common office technologies, including Windows PCs, Microsoft O365 (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) and web conferencing (Teams, Zoom, Webex, etc.)

• Environment: Comfort commuting to/from and working in a 100% on-site setting (listed in this posting), with travel for related meetings/events.

Forward Air is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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