Financial Planning and Analysis Manager (Luxury Retail)

Client Overview: Our client is a globally recognized premium consumer brand.

This role is 5 days onsite in NYC.

Role Overview: This role will have broad responsibility across financial planning, forecasting, management reporting, P&L performance, marketing investment, headcount, and personnel costs. The Manager will work closely with Finance, HR, Marketing, Retail Operations, and corporate stakeholders to connect business activity with financial outcomes and provide leadership with actionable insights.

Financial Planning and Analysis Manager Responsibilities:

• Lead the annual budget, quarterly forecasting, and long-range planning processes for North America.
• Partner with regional leadership and Corporate FP&A to develop financial plans, forecasts, and strategic business scenarios.
• Own recurring financial reporting, including P&L performance, expense analysis, forecast updates, and management commentary.
• Analyze actual results against budget and forecast, identifying key business drivers, risks, opportunities, and corrective actions.
• Monitor financial and operating performance across retail, e-commerce, business sales, and other regional activities.
• Partner with Accounting to ensure accurate P&L reporting, accruals, reclasses, and month-end and quarter-end financial activity.
• Prepare financial presentations and insights for North American leadership and executive-level business reviews.
• Lead the financial planning and forecasting process for regional marketing investments and related operating expenses.
• Partner with Marketing leadership to consolidate spending plans, monitor actual activity, and maintain accurate forecasts.
• Review marketing and operating expense accounts on a monthly basis and investigate significant variances.
• Identify opportunities to improve expense discipline, forecast accuracy, and resource allocation.
• Translate spending trends into meaningful recommendations for business and Finance leadership.
• Own financial planning and forecasting for North American headcount and personnel-related costs across retail and corporate populations.
• Partner with HR, Talent Acquisition, Retail Operations, and functional leaders to incorporate hiring plans, organizational changes, compensation assumptions, and workforce strategies into financial forecasts.
• Maintain detailed models covering headcount, salaries, bonuses, benefits, vacancies, attrition, promotions, and other employee-related costs.
• Report monthly workforce actuals against budget and forecast, highlighting significant movements and emerging financial risks.
• Evaluate the financial impact of new positions, organizational changes, restructuring initiatives, and workforce optimization programs.
• Provide scenario analysis to support decisions around staffing levels, hiring timing, compensation, and cost management.
• Ensure workforce plans and financial forecasts remain aligned as business and organizational priorities evolve.
• Develop and enhance dashboards, financial models, and reporting tools that improve visibility into business and workforce performance.
• Serve as a Finance subject matter resource for planning and reporting systems and partner with technology teams to resolve issues and enhance capabilities.
• Improve FP&A processes, reporting standards, planning assumptions, and data integrity.
• Identify opportunities to streamline manual processes and increase the efficiency and accuracy of financial reporting.
• Build strong relationships with Finance, HR, Marketing, Retail, and corporate stakeholders across the organization.
• Lead recurring performance discussions with business and functional leaders and constructively challenge assumptions when appropriate.
• Proactively communicate financial risks and opportunities and recommend practical solutions.

Financial Planning and Analysis Manager Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field.
• 5+ years of progressive Financial Planning & Analysis experience.
• Strong background in budgeting, forecasting, variance analysis, financial modeling, and management reporting.
• Experience with P&L management and operating expense planning.
• Demonstrated experience with headcount planning and personnel cost forecasting, including salaries, bonuses, benefits, payroll, and related expenses.
• Experience partnering with cross-functional stakeholders such as HR, Marketing, Retail Operations, and Corporate Functions.
• Background in retail, consumer products, e-commerce, or another multi-channel or multi-location environment is preferred.
• Advanced Excel and financial modeling skills.
• Experience with Power BI, Hyperion, Business Objects, or comparable financial planning and reporting platforms.