FP&A: What It Is & How To Succeed on the Job

FP&A

Finance &
Accounting

Controller

Accounting

https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/careers/map/
FP&A

Finance/CFO

Controller Treasury
Accounting Liquidity FP&A
External Reporting Cap Structure & Financing
Corp Dev
Investor Relations
What FP&A Does
1 2 3
Business
Performance
Partnership / Planning
Management
Strategic Consulting

• Strategy • Strategic Planning • KPI’s

• Consulting • Long Range Planning • OKR’s
• Business Partnership • Annual Planning • Dashboards
• Decision Support • Scenario Planning • Performance Reporting

4 5 6

Ad Hoc Analysis Forecasting Budgeting

• What is … ? • Quarterly • Quarterly

• What if … ? • Monthly • Monthly
• What was…? • By Week / By Day • By Week / By Day
• How did…? • By Business Unit • By Business Unit
• By product type • By product type
• By product • By product
FP&A = Interconnected to Most All Aspects of a Biz
FP&A = Integrated in the Biz; Financial Neocortex

IT Decision
Marketing
Makers
Roles w/in FP&A
Retail (Target) CPG / Manufacturer (P&G)

• Corporate Financial Planning • Corporate Financial Planning

• Investor Relations • Investor Relations
“Above the Biz” • Strategy Finance • Strategy Finance
• Corporate Development • Corporate Development

• Business Unit Finance • Business Unit Finance

“In the Biz” • Negotiations Finance • Sales Finance
(Commercial) • Digital/E-Commerce Finance • DTC/E-Commerce Finance
• Private Label Finance

• Marketing Finance • Marketing Finance

• Supply Chain Finance • Supply Chain Finance
“In the Biz” • HR Finance • HR Finance
(Support) • IT Finance • IT Finance
• Operations (Stores) Finance • Operations (Plant) Finance
The FP&A Hierarchy

CFO

SVP

VP

Sr Director

Director

Sr Manager

Sr Financial Analyst

Financial Analyst
What it Takes to Succeed
Table Stakes Good Thrive & Get Promoted

Table Stakes, plus… Good, plus…

• Excel & PPT
• Modeling & Analysis • On Top of Things • Drive & Achieve Results
• Data Visualization • Anticipate • Create Solutions
• Understand Financial Implications of • Nose for What Others Want/Need • Generate the Best Ideas
Business Decisions • Clarity of Thought • Think Outside the Box
• Communicate • Clear & Concise Communication • Lead Teams & Projects
• Be in a Team • Understand Business Implications • Inspire Others
• Take Directions • Work Well w/ Others • People want to Work w/ and for You
• Execute Tasks • Desired Business Partner • Exude Company Strategy
• Understand the Business & Business • Your Opinion is Sought • Exude Company Values
Model • Understand the Industry • Understand Customers, Suppliers,
Investors, Adjacent Industries &
Public Perception
How to Succeed: Internship or First 3 Months on the Job
1 Create a Plan on How You Will Succeed 2 Ensure You Know How to Do What you Might Get Asked To Do
How to Succeed: Internship or First 3 Months on the Job
1 2 3
Make a Plan / Create a Strategy Search for & Eliminate Blind Spots Pre-Study

• Have Goals • Can you explain the basics of your • Books

• Get Them “On Paper”
• Get a 2nd Set of Eyes on Them
finance curriculum to your grandma? • Online Courses
• Can you explain what an FP&A • Investor Relations Pages
professional does to a plumber? • CapIQ/Bloomberg
• Do you know what current employees • Equity Research Reports
think you should know?

4 5 6
Pre-Network Ultra-Proactivity Execute
• Set up GTKY’s • Put in the time • Create Great Work
 Ask for add’l people to meet w/ • Early, late, weekends • Be Bold
 Ask how to prepare • Ask questions until you really • Be Confident
 Pressure test your prep plan understand • Think Through Every Question That
• Create early deadlines for yourself, and Could Be Asked
get your work in front of people • Leave no stone unturned
• Find your “low stakes” go to person
• Find your knowledgeable, non-
deciding, expert
Suggested Learning / Reading
Questions?