Financial Business Analyst

Title: Financial Business Analyst 
Rate: $55/hr. C2C, 
Client: Utility industry 
Location: Houston, TX
Onsite interview 
LinkedIn required! 
Strong SAP experience

This is a new Engineering /Financial Business Analyst position. Read the FULL DETAILS! This is not a typical FA role. Blend of Finance/Accounting and Engineering / Gas Operations experience is required. 
About the job
Our client is located in Downtown Houston and looking to add an Engineering Financial Analyst to their team on a 6 month contract basis.

Summary:
In support of the Regulated Operations business unit, this position analyzes and projects financial impacts associated with management decisions and changes in the business environment for use by other departments, senior management and agencies external to the business unit. Aggregates data using SAP and financial records to assist in completing data analysis in support of capital planning activities and creates and coordinates financial records to support Engineering functions and rate case requests.
Essential Duties/Responsibilities:
• Gather relevant and accurate financial information, interpret and discuss with engineering management to create actionable business intelligence which leads to improved and optimized decisions and performance.
• Use SAP, analytical, financial models, and spreadsheet skills to support capital planning and reporting, benchmarking efforts for project estimating and resource planning, cost comparisons, productivity/efficiency studies and variance analyses to communicate with other business unit requests as necessary.
• Develop financial models (e.g. resource allocation, regulatory testimony support, rate case schedules, settlement negotiations, future financing, and impact of accounting issues).
• Supports planning and rate case filings by establishing accurate activity and/or unit costs through financial analysis of historical expense and/or capital expenditures and related activity/units as necessary.
• Prepare various types of financial analysis projects for review (e.g. risk analysis, internal rate of return, lease vs. purchase, discounted cash flows, revenue requirements, utility comparisons, budget evaluations).
• Provide management with assistance in developing and monitoring capital budgets in relation to the capital plan, including providing meaningful capital planning and expenditures information and ad hoc reports, such as metrics, invoice reconciliation, etc. Liaisons with and assists other departments with their capital planning impacts the Gas Operations capital plan, including departments such as Operations, Gas Supply, Gas Measurement, etc.
• Liaisons with the Finance department to ensure knowledge transfer and skill sets remain current and provides business input into system and process changes that will occur through Advanced Finance initiatives.
• Use a variety of software tools: 
1) to perform analyses
2) to support report preparation
3) to extract needed information from SAP and other databases for use at the request of Gas Engineering leadership.
• Participate on or lead cross-functional teams to provide business, accounting/financial expertise in support of Gas Engineering efforts for capital planning and Gas Engineering analyses.
• Maintain data integrity and financial tools or systems used to track capital projects and expenditures (SAP, MS Access, etc.), such as planned material, engineering consultant capital expenditures, etc.
• Compile and analyze cost data and prepare billing for reimbursable projects and coordinate and prepare data requests and audit responses.
• Prepare, participate, and lead monthly budget review meetings with regional management.
Experience & Education Required:
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance or Business Administration
• 5+ years experience in accounting, finance, engineering or operations.
• Experience with SAP and current versions of Microsoft Office products.
• Able to provide and maintain a valid driver's license in the state where you reside and have a safe driving record.
• Able to plan, schedule and track activities required for successful completion of ongoing and special project activities.