FPA Analyst – Financial Planning & Analysis

Job Description

FP&A Specialist | Lenovo

The Tone:
This is a hybrid role at Lenovo, located in Chicago, IL. Lenovo is a US$83 billion global technology powerhouse that builds a full-stack portfolio of AI-enabled devices, infrastructure, software, solutions, and services, serving millions of customers in 180 markets. The company is focused on delivering Smarter Technology for All through continuous investment in world-changing innovation. This FP&A Specialist role is vital within the R&D Finance – BU Expense team, supporting critical budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning cycles to ensure strong financial controls and accurate reporting across the organization.

The TL;DR
• Role: Early Career
• Type: Full-time
• Location: Hybrid, Chicago, IL
• Pay: $68000–$80000 yearly
• Team: R&D Finance – BU Expense team
• Mission: Support budgeting, forecasting, monthly/quarterly close, and financial planning cycles, ensuring accurate financial data and strong controls.
• Tech Stack: SAP, Excel (pivot tables, charts, dynamic functions formulas, power query, macros)

What You’ll Actually Do
• Financial Cycle Support: Support MT budget, forecasting cycles, and monthly/quarterly close activities.
• Performance Analysis: Consolidate, analyze, and report financial results (actuals vs. forecast) and identify key drivers.
• Planning & Forecasts: Support financial planning cycles (MT, CtC, YoY), including variance analysis and forecast updates.
• Expense Control: Monitor spend, maintain accurate expense tracking across dashboards and control files, and review Purchase Requisitions for compliance and budget alignment.
• Accounting Operations: Perform close tasks, including manual journal entries, support Finance team members, and prepare cost allocations across franchise, geography, and technology.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Bachelor’s degree in Finance or a related field, having graduated within the last three years. Possesses strong financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting capabilities, and a solid understanding of accounting principles (expense recognition, accruals, capitalization, account/balance sheet reconciliation, journal entries).
• Experience: Experience with ERP/systems such as SAP, financial reporting, variance analysis, and the ability to manage and analyze large datasets and multiple trackers.
• Skills: Advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, charts, dynamic functions formulas, power query, macros), strong data validation, reconciliation, attention to financial accuracy, analytical thinking, problem-solving mindset, and effective communication skills.
• Bonus: Experience with BPC, Power BI, or other BI/analytics tools, expertise with financial modeling and scenario analysis, expertise with automation tools (Power Query, Power Automate), knowledge of procurement processes (P2P and Ariba workflows and approvals), and exposure to a multinational environment with multi-geo cost allocation.