Operations Controlling Associate

Position Details

RWE Americas, LLC – Full‑time, permanent. Remuneration:
Exempt.

Functional area:

Finance / Controlling. To start as soon as possible.

The Operations Controlling Associate is a key role, serving as a trusted financial partner and advisor to RWE Americas (RWEA) Operations leadership to support in delivering on their core financial targets. This role provides crucial support for the financial reporting and forecasting for a 13 GW portfolio of Onshore Wind, Solar, and Energy Storage operating assets. The associate analyzes asset performance and cost drivers to explain results, identify opportunities to improve financial and operational outcomes, and implements scalable process improvements to support RWEA’s growth targets.

• Assists with the preparation of monthly and quarterly financial reporting activities for the portfolio, ensuring accuracy and completeness of actuals, commentary, and KPIs (focus on OpEx, Ops Cap Ex, Inventory).
• Supports quarterly and annual forecasting by gathering input data, validating source files, and entering assumptions into models and systems.
• Maintains asset‑level cost trackers, data logs, and budget support files for operating wind, solar, and storage projects.
• Performs variance analyses to identify key drivers of deviation from forecasted performance and escalates findings to senior staff.
• Collaborates with team members to prepare presentation materials for performance review meetings with senior management.
• Participates in stakeholder meetings to take notes, track action items, and follow up.
• Assists with data extraction, report formatting, and consolidation of key KPIs (e.g., cost/MWh, EBIT).
• Contributes to ad‑hoc tasks such as cost reclassification efforts and benchmarking assets.
• Acts as a trusted financial partner to Site Operations and Asset Management leads, helping to translate operational plans into KPIs.

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, economics, business, or equivalent professional experience.
• Minimum 1 year of relevant experience. CPA preferred but not required.
• Experience in an FP&A role and/or within the renewable energy sector preferred.
• Basic knowledge of core accounting concepts and principles; advanced knowledge is a plus.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills (written and verbal), and comfortable driving collaboration across functions.
• Ability to explain findings clearly to internal stakeholders and act as a finance partner with asset managers and technical teams.
• Demonstrates initiative, structured analytical thinking, and problem‑solving skills; identifies core insights in financial data.
• Proficient understanding of forecasting, variance analysis, asset performance metrics, and reporting tools (e.g., Power BI).
• Focus on building relationships to standardize processes and solve problems.
• Strong technical acumen with advanced proficiency in Excel, SAP, SAC, PowerBI, and/or Tableau a plus.
• Detail‑oriented, strong business acumen, analytical mindset, and sound understanding of business concepts.
• Proven ability to empathize, build relationships, and effectively communicate with a diverse set of backgrounds.
• Motivated self‑starter, goal‑oriented, and strong problem‑solving abilities.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to coordinate multiple tasks and deliverables.
• Identifies issues and modifies processes and methods as needed.
• Demonstrates desire to learn about the company and renewables space.
• Responds well to direction, is coachable, and open to development.
• Leads assigned tasks with management direction/guidance.
• Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. RWE Americas is unable to sponsor employment visas at this time.

The annual base salary range for this position in Illinois is $65,000 – $114,000. This range represents our good faith estimate for this position and reflects factors such as scope and responsibilities, education & experience, certifications, key skills, market, and business considerations.

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Short‑Term Disability, Long‑Term Disability, 401(k) match, Flexible Spending Accounts, EAP, Education Assistance, Parental Leave, Paid Time Off, Holidays. Eligible employees also participate in short‑term incentives in addition to salary.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected status.