Senior Financial Analyst, Financial Planning & Analysis

Individually we are people, but together we are Aviva. Individually these are just words, but together they are our Values - Care, Commitment, Community, and Confidence.

We are looking for our next Senior Financial Analyst of Finance Business Partnering. This role works within a highly professional and strategically focused business partnering team reporting to the Assistant Vice President of Business Partnering for Personal and Commercial Insurance.

This role supports and drives the development and processes of our Aviva Business Plan during our Quarterly and Annual Forecasts.

Aligning plans / forecasts and FP&A with other adjacent functions (e.g., Capital, Actuarial, Pricing, Claims), as well as with our overall company strategy.

Come Join our Team!

What you'll do :

Driving Business Performance

• Ensure all business decisions are supported by high-quality financial analysis with the necessary data resources, analytical tools, structured frameworks, and standard methodologies.
• Drive quality Expense planning ensuring business activities are being built, culminating in expense plans and performance targets being set and corporate targets are met!
• Proactively manage expenses to provide senior management with potential upsides / downsides that can be effectively used to achieve multi-year expense targets.
• Advise Business Unit Operational Reviews and Expense Planning processes, engages business leaders and leverages standard methodologies and common processes.
• Compare expense performance against industry benchmarks using WARD benchmarking study and provide recommendations to senior management to improve efficiency & business performance.
• Leverage deep generalist knowledge, interprets / synthesizes, and delivers timely management information that contributes to beneficial decision support.
• Ensure that financial support is provided to initiatives that contribute to the business.

Cost Management

• Establish and implement a framework to drive expense management discipline and focus within the business - identifying and reducing non-value-added costs in associated business segments.
• Ensure the business uses relevant and reliable product / customer / segment cost information.
• Understand the long-term cost structure of our business and take an active role in the cost management process.
• Understand, challenge and account for Group Recharges

Relationship Management

• Align FP&A with other adjacent functions such as Capital, Actuarial, Pricing, and Claims and coordinates cross-functional deliverables as they relate to both Corporate Planning and the broader FP&A team
• Work closely with entire FP&A team and outside stakeholders to stay ahead of potential headwinds / tailwinds to expenses.
• Able to provide insights into the future, sees the big picture, influence the senior management team, takes the initiative proactively and focuses on aligning Finance and other functions within the business.
• Responsible for growing the relationships with the FP&A team and beyond as a partner providing outstanding client experience and strengthening the relationships across boundaries.

Strategic Management

• Ensure accurate financial assumptions in corporate and business unit strategic planning processes are consistently made
• Participate effectively in the development of expense planning models that reflect key drivers of value and a driven environment
• Provide a consistent approach which assists the business in measuring its performance against strategy and operating plans
• Play a key role in ensuring that competitive analyses are developed for the business
• Bring a digital-first and customer-centric mentality

Performance Measurement and Management Control

• Understand key financial and operational drivers of performance and help to integrate them consistently in business management reporting processes
• Support the development / refinement of appropriate efficiency metrics, dashboards and financial / nonfinancial KPIs to enable effective performance management.
• Track and analyze information that is predictive and actionable
• Coordinate the communication of performance towards goals and strategies of the business.
• Establish and drive forward-looking planning / budgeting processes ensuring alignment between financial and strategic plans.

Governance / Stewardship role

• Coordinate the deployment of financial controls across the business that is effective at preventing undesirable risks
• Align finance processes and priorities with those of the business and is flexible at adapting finance processes to meet the business's changing needs
• Play an upfront and early role in product decision-making processes

What you'll bring :

• 5+ years post-qualification financial management experience (3-5 years of which, preferably in a P&C organization).
• CPA or equivalent.
• This position demands a high level of independence, visibility, and communication. Therefore, effective communication skills are needed.
• Possess strong influencing skills and is a natural leader
• Excellent relationship builder and communicator with proven leadership and motivation ability
• Ability to manage multiple initiatives in a structured and controlled framework
• Proven leader with an ability to empower a team of hard-working individuals
• Demonstrable understanding and strategic perspective on the insurance industry
• Experience with contract negotiation and management, business modelling, acquisitions and integration
• Sound understanding of financial, strategic and performance management processes
• Proven track record of embracing and leading change, being highly adaptable and flexible, decisive and displaying excellent judgment
• A degree in Business (Finance, Economics, Accounting & Finance) or equivalent.

What you'll get :

• Compelling rewards package including base compensation, eligibility for annual bonus, retirement savings, share plan, health benefits, personal wellness, and volunteer opportunities.
• Outstanding Career Development opportunities.
• We'll support your professional development education.
• Competitive vacation package with the option to purchase 5 extra days off per year
• Employee driven programs focused on gender, LGBTQ+, origins, diversity and inclusion
• Corporate wellness programs to support our employees' physical and mental health
• Hybrid flexible work model

Aviva Canada has an accommodation process in place to provide accommodations for employees with disabilities. If upon commencement of employment you require a specific accommodation because of a disability, please contact your Talent Acquisition Partner so that an appropriate accommodation can be arranged.

This process applies throughout your career with Aviva Canada.

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