Finance Planning Analyst (FP&A)

Description

ROLE OVERVIEW

We are looking for an experienced finance professional to join Ceragons global Finance COE as Manager – FP&A & Cost Management, based in India. The role will lead fixed-cost management and analysis, supported by COGS, revenue, gross margin and CAPEX analysis, budgeting, forecasting, variance analysis and management reporting.

The primary focus is end-to-end visibility and performance management of fixed costs, including headcount and payroll, R&D, SG&A, IT, facilities and other corporate operating costs. The role will understand cost drivers, challenge assumptions, monitor performance against budget and forecast, and partner with budget owners to improve cost discipline and financial performance.

The successful candidate will be commercially oriented, analytically strong and comfortable partnering with FP&A, Controllership, HR, Operations, Supply Chain, procurement, Sales and senior business leaders in a global, matrixed environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Fixed Cost Management
• Own global fixed-cost planning, budgeting, forecasting and performance management.
• Provide visibility and analysis of headcount, payroll, R&D, SG&A, IT, facilities and other corporate fixed costs.
• Establish and monitor cost drivers and KPIs; lead monthly actual vs. budget/forecast variance and root-cause analysis.
• Partner with functional and regional budget owners to challenge assumptions, improve cost discipline and identify optimization opportunities.
• Manage headcount and personnel-cost planning, including hiring plans, attrition, vacancies, salary increases, bonuses and other workforce drivers.
• Analyze R&D and SG&A cost structures, identifying trends, cost pressures, efficiency opportunities and potential cost leakage.
• Assess fixed versus variable cost behavior, operating leverage and the impact of cost structure on profitability.
• COGS, Revenue & Gross Margin
• Drive COGS planning and forecasting across key cost components; analyze performance, drivers and corrective actions with Operations, Supply Chain and Procurement.
• Analyze revenue mix, pricing, customer/project profitability and gross-margin movements; support commercial decisions and highlight risks and opportunities.
• CAPEX
• Lead CAPEX planning, forecasting and performance analysis, including approved spend, commitments, actuals and capitalization.
• Monitor CAPEX variances and investment utilization, ensuring alignment between approvals, POs, capitalization and financial reporting.
• FP&A & Management Reporting
• Lead monthly and quarterly management reporting across fixed costs, COGS, revenue, gross margin, CAPEX and overall financial performance.
• Prepare executive-level analysis covering key drivers, risks, opportunities and recommended actions.
• Own budget vs. actual, forecast vs. actual and year-over-year variance analysis.
• Develop financial models for fixed costs, COGS, revenue, gross margin and CAPEX, including scenario and sensitivity analysis.
• Support AOP, long-range planning and rolling forecasts; establish standardized KPIs and dashboards for visibility and accountability.
• Business Partnering & Transformation
• Act as a strong finance business partner to functional and regional leadership and translate financial data into clear business insights and actions.
• Identify opportunities to improve cost efficiency, financial controls, reporting quality and planning processes.
• Drive automation and standardization using Power BI, ERP/EPM systems and other technology-enabled solutions, while improving data quality and reporting timeliness.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

• 10+ years of relevant finance experience across FP&A, cost management, commercial finance, management accounting, controllership or financial planning.
• CA or CMA qualification in India is required.
• Strong hands-on experience in fixed-cost management, including headcount, payroll, R&D, SG&A, IT, facilities and corporate operating costs.
• Strong understanding of cost drivers, fixed vs. variable cost structures and operating leverage; solid experience in COGS, revenue, gross margin, profitability and CAPEX analysis.
• Strong budgeting, forecasting, AOP, rolling forecast, variance analysis and financial modeling skills, including driver-based forecasting and scenario/sensitivity analysis.
• Advanced Excel skills and experience with Power BI, Tableau or similar BI tools; experience with Oracle, SAP, HFM, Oracle EPM or similar ERP/EPM platforms.
• Experience working with senior stakeholders and cross-functional teams in a global, matrixed organization.
• Strong analytical, communication and presentation skills, with high ownership and attention to detail.
• Experience in telecom, technology, manufacturing or project-based organizations is preferred.