The Data Analyst - Finance transforms complex datasets into clear, actionable insights that support decision making across the organisation. Working as part of a matrix team and aligned to Finance, the role partners closely with business stakeholders to understand their priorities, interpret data in context, and deliver high quality analysis, dashboards, reporting, and presentations. The role is responsible for interpreting financial results, supporting planning and forecasting cycles.The Data Analyst - Finance also supports Finance with projects, tools, and continuous improvement initiatives that enhance performance, drive productivity and strengthen data driven decision making with involvement in and coordination of the optimization of functional processes, tools, and systems.
Responsibilities
1. Functional Business Partnering and Insight Generation
-
You partner with the supported function to understand business priorities, interpret analytical results, and translate data into meaningful insights.
-
You produce accurate, timely monthly management information for the area supported, including analysis, interpretation, and presentation of financial results. In particular, you monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) specific to the function supported and highlight emerging issues or deviations from plan.
-
You support functional performance cycles such as planning, forecasting, budgeting, capex submissions.
-
You review financial plans and budgets, monitor progress, highlight variances, and ensure business leaders remain informed of financial performance and emerging issues.
-
You provide clear and actionable analysis on trends, patterns, risks, and opportunities relevant to the supported function to support operational and strategic decision-making.
-
You support the preparation of internal and external presentations, ensuring insights are communicated clearly and effectively.
-
You act as a trusted analytical advisor within a matrix structure, ensuring strong communication and alignment with both functional leaders and the Business Data Manager.
2. Financial Systems, Controls & Reconciliations
-
You ensure all plans, forecasts, capex submissions, and relevant projects are accurately captured in the appropriate systems.
-
You liaise with Finance and Business leaders to confirm projects remain within approved delegations.
-
You own actuals‑to‑Plan‑to‑Forecast reconciliations for the supported area.
-
You are responsible for the provisions & accruals relevant to the business area supported.
3. Data Cleaning, Preparation, Validation & Governance Alignment
-
You ensure that data is clean and accurate for your function across various sources, such as JDE/ERP and other financial systems.
-
You conduct cleaning, validation and preparation of data for operational use and analysis, ensuring accuracy and consistency in line with data governance standards and business guidelines.
-
You validate the finance dashboards used by colleagues in the Finance team are accurate and without errors. When an issue is identified, you deep-dive into the matter and propose a resolution to the Data Manager and respective Finance stakeholder.
-
You identify other data quality issues and escalate them appropriately to the Business Data Manager and Data Architecture and Governance team.
-
You ensure all reporting uses approved definitions, metrics, and governed datasets.
4. Subject-Matter Expertise, Dashboards & Visualisation
-
You act as a subject matter expert in a designated field (e.g., e.g., functional fixed costs, operations and cost accounting, standard costing, capex, pricing and margin analysis, property and lease costs, or working capital).
-
You maintain PowerBI dashboards, reports, and visualisations that enable stakeholders to easily interpret key metrics and trends.
-
You run and distribute reports when required and not available in self-serve mode (e.g., performance reviews, monthly business updates), while promoting self‑service where appropriate.
-
You continuously improve tools and dashboard performance, usability, and clarity.
-
You suggest and participate in developing improvements to dashboards and reports
5. Collaboration, Capability Build and Continuous Improvement
-
You provide super‑user type support and training to stakeholders on designed tools (e.g Anaplan, Capex tool), Power BI and data‑related activities.
-
You promote a data-driven culture across Elementis.
-
Consolidate feedback on new or updated reporting requirements and support the development of these tools and new Power BI dashboards or enhancements.
-
Collaborate with the Business Data Manager, Technical Specialist, and Data Governance teams to improve data foundations, reporting processes, and analytical capabilities.
-
Participate in periodic rotation across these areas to broaden capability and organisational resilience.
6. Functional Projects & Initiatives
-
Support functional projects and initiatives by providing analytical input, co-ordination capabilities, and subject-matter expertise that enable better decision‑making, higher growth or more efficient operations.
-
Contribute to process improvements, automation opportunities, and enhancements to functional performance tools.
-
Coordinate with cross‑functional teams to ensure project deliverables are aligned, well‑structured, and supported by accurate data.
Decision making
You recommend accruals and provisions for the business unit supported.
You validate business requests relating to data changes before instructing DIG to implement changes ensuring that both functional guidelines and data governance and quality guidelines are met.
You decide how to structure analysis and visualisations to meet business needs.
You resolve day‑to‑day analytical issues to ensure insights are accurate, timely, and aligned with functional expectations.
Job Competencies & key personal attributes
-
Business Partnering & Communication: You work effectively in a matrix, engaging stakeholders across functions and presenting insights and complex concepts in a clear, compelling way. You support your stakeholders making the right decisions.
-
A dedicated self-starter with high enthusiasm - you need to be self-directed, self-motivated; ability to deal with imperfect information, decision and drive to successful conclusions is paramount in this role.
-
Drives engagement and influences effectively - it is critical that you are a strong relationship builder and can create a climate where you are able to influence stakeholders over which you have no direct lines of authority.
-
Analytical Problem‑Solving and “can do” attitude: You interpret complex datasets, identify trends, and translate findings into clear, actionable insights. You need strong problem-solving and issue resolution aptitude to address the daily situations that an analyst comes across.
-
Attention to Detail: You ensure accuracy in data updates, data preparation (e.g. pricing change requests), reporting, and other activity management, such as finance reconciliations and variance analysis.
-
Planning, Project Management & Prioritisation: You manage multiple requests, balancing BAU and ad‑hoc work, and deliver outputs on time.
-
Team player across functional and data team with uncompromising ethics and unwavering integrity - you need to be a humble, low ego individual who is strong team player, motivated by company goals rather than individual drivers, and with unquestionably integrity.
Technical Knowledge and Skills
-
Proficiency in Power BI and visualisation best practices.
-
Excellent Excel skills, including pivot tables. Statistical knowledge is an advantage.
-
Proven track record of successful partnering with business leadership
- Advanced skills in data collections, cleansing and validation in order to minimize errors and discrepancies.
-
Strong analytical and quantitative skills.
-
Strong data financial modelling skills
- Understanding of standard cost accounting is a distinct advantage
- Familiarity with Python or other analytical tools is an advantage
-
Understanding of standard cost accounting is a distinct advantage
Position Requirements
Education:
-
Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance or Business Administration (required).
-
Qualification in Accounting pertinent to the country in question (or in-progress) for Finance Analysts
Experience:
-
3+years work experience including experience in an international manufacturing/industrial environment.
-
3+ years work experience in an analytical or support role within Finance.
-
Demonstrated ability to deliver high‑quality dashboards, reports, and insights.
-
Experience working cross‑functionally and partnering with business stakeholders.
-
Experience of operating under matrix management is a distinctive advantage.
IT Skills: Proficient Power BI (required), Proficient or expert level in MS Excel, including pivot tables (required); Python, SQL (is an advantage but not a must).
Language Skills: Verbal and written fluency in English.
Working arrangements: The role is full-time and based at the Porto Hub (minimum 3 days per week in the office).
Traveling required: Occasional international travel to other Elementis sites as required.
