Strategic Finance Manager

CAS uses intuitive technology, unparalleled scientific content and unmatched human expertise to help companies create groundbreaking innovations that benefit the world. As the scientific information solutions division of the American Chemical Society, CAS manages the largest curated reservoir of scientific knowledge, and for 115 years, has helped innovators mine, assess and apply that information to keep businesses thriving. The CAS team is global, diverse, endlessly curious and strives to make scientific insights accessible to innovators worldwide.

CAS is currently seeking a Strategic Finance Manager.  This position will be located in our headquarters in Columbus, Ohio.

Division Overview

Finance Division Staff support the financial activities of CAS, as well as ACSI (subsidiary of the ACS), ensuring the formulation of sustaining fiscal policy & strategy, the execution of sound financial decisions, the accurate fiscal management of business strategies and operations, and the safeguarding of the Society’s assets.  Directing the fiscal affairs of CAS in accordance with organizational policies, U.S. GAAP, and internal control procedures includes:  budgeting & forecasting including short and long-term financial planning and analysis; accounting & compliance including audits, both financial and managerial analyses and reporting of operations, foreign exchange management, credit & collections, fiscal administration of contracts, billing operations, procurement & disbursements, travel processing, sales incentive administration, project tracking/costing, and tax administration.

Position Summary

The Finance Business Partner is a critical role and is responsible for negotiating, monitoring, and reporting of the operating division’s short and long-term strategic financial plans. The Financial Business Partner provides Divisional management, Finance management, and, if required, the CAS Leadership Team financial analysis, insights, reports, and strategic recommendations regarding division and overall operating performance against annual plans and long-range strategic plans.

This position also provides economic, statistical, and financial analysis as requested by Finance leadership, including strategic requests originating from the President and the CAS Leadership Team.

Position Accountabilities

• Partner with functional leadership to provide business counsel, recommendations, and strategic direction to maximize business and financial impact for CAS
• Develops and maintains annual and long-range investment plans and monthly forecasting that support CAS strategy and growth drivers to connect strategy and execution
• Extrapolates and synthesizes data and information to help plan or understand the past (predictive vs reactive) while maintaining objectivity in evaluating analytical outcomes
• Leverages various data gathering and mining techniques to forecast future trends and probabilities
• Designs end-to-end models, which include identifying objectives, sampling, testing, calibration, and monitoring performance
• Extracts financial and non-financial business data from business systems using automated reporting tools and analyzes, organizes, and summarizes this data in a meaningful and concise way to facilitate decision-making and action Finance leaders explaining changes from Plan and prior forecasts.
• Performs variance analysis to understand key drivers of results and presents commentary to business and
• Collaborates and builds effective and trusted relationships with senior leaders and staff across the enterprise
• Strong knowledge of CAS’ business practices, products/solutions, markets and key external partnerships.
• Collaborates and solves issues that are often very complex and strategically very critical to CAS.
• Actively engages in supporting key strategic functional and enterprise projects
• Adapts quickly to a changing environment and remains open to embracing and pursuing new ideas
• Determines adherence to policies, procedures, controls, and sound business practices.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Education/Experience/Technological Knowledge

• Bachelor’s Degree Finance and/or Accounting, Management, or a similar business-related field.
• MBA preferred with excellent financial and business analysis skills.

Technical Experience

• 5 or more years of direct financial planning and analysis or related experience
• Strong business writing and presentation skills
• Detail-oriented with excellent time management, prioritization, and organizational skills with a proactive focus on accuracy, effectiveness, and efficiency
• Demonstrated experience with MS Office applications (particularly Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint)
• Savvy with financial systems and tools (Hyperion/ESSBASE, PeopleSoft a plus) with an eagerness to learn new tools as necessary
• Ability to synthesize and simplify both financial and non-financial information to derive insights
• Identifies metrics that drive performance against strategic priorities
• Strong ability to analyze and report performance metrics to leadership
• Applies a broad range of analytical techniques to identify business issues, opportunists, and risks

Leadership Skills

• Intellectual curiosity and motivation to understand the business, customers, and market
• Acts as a thought partner to business leaders, respectfully challenging status quo and encouraging innovation
• Integrity in handling highly confidential and sensitive information
• Ability to manage multiple projects while meeting agreed-upon deadlines.
• Strong business communication skills with the ability to clearly articulate results and findings of analyses and use data and facts to support recommendations
• Ability to communicate financial results clearly and effectively to both Finance and non-Finance audiences
• Strong core values of integrity, respect, high ethical standards, and teamwork

CAS offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package, including a generous vacation plan, medical, dental, vision insurance plans, and employee savings and retirement plans. Candidates for this position must be authorized to work in the United States and not require work authorization sponsorship by our company for this position now or in the future. EEO/Minority/Female/Disabled/Veteran.