Finance Analyst

We are in relentless pursuit of an equitable and inspiring workplace that is respectful of all, reflects and represents the world in which we live, and fosters trust, collaboration and belonging. Consistent with this approach, we hire the best qualified candidates for all positions. The Financial Analyst will sit within the North American Controllership function and report to the Finance Manager.

The Analyst will have primary responsibility for the accounting, reconciliation and forecasting of U.S. workforce-related costs, including salaries, professional freelance and temporary clerical costs, taxable fringe benefits and employee perquisites. The role will also support employee welfare budgeting and play a significant role in redesigning the end-to-end freelance management process. This is a visible role requiring regular partnership across front- and back-office functions, including Payroll, Resource Management, Human Resources & Employee Relations, and various market and practice leaders.

The successful candidate will be expected to combine detailed accounting execution with analytical judgment, proactively investigate exceptions and communicate both findings and recommended solutions.

Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance with 2+ years of relevant experience. High degree of confidentiality and ability to manage sensitive data responsibly. Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel and automation tools including ChatGPT and Copilot. Demonstrated analytical ability and understanding of financial statements, budgeting, and forecasting concepts. Ability to organize and analyze detailed financial data, identify inconsistencies, and clearly communicate findings with explanations and/or proposed solutions in a clean and timely manner.

Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills. Strong attention to detail and ability to manage recurring deadlines while responding to ad hoc requests. Consistently demonstrates curiosity, willingness to learn and sound judgment. Comfortable working with large datasets and developing repeatable analytical processes. Familiarity with Workday and Adaptive products a plus. CPA candidates a plus (role will be eligible for Edelman’s tuition reimbursement program after 6 months of employment and CPA testing and licensing fee expense reimbursements, if desired).

• Salaries & Freelance Compensation Own the reconciliation process of salaries and freelance costs as part of month end close by timely, completely and accurately comparing Payroll wage reports and general ledger (GL) balances to forecasted costs within Adaptive and subsequently investigating and resolving all exceptions as appropriate.
  • Preparing journal entries for month end close including expense accruals and reclassification entries.
  • Coordinating with Payroll and HR to resolve identified discrepancies.
  • Updating forecast for hires, terminations, promotions, compensation changes, and other workforce activity.
  • Maintaining supporting schedules used to forecast for salaries and other employee expenses.
  • Partnering with the Controller and Employee Relations in review of the severance accrual.
  • Preparing monthly forecast-to-actuals variance commentary.
• Freelance Process Manage the freelance tracking process, evaluating spend by practice, analyzing trends and identifying ongoing opportunities for cost savings. Additionally, collaborate with Resource Management and Finance to document existing freelance processes, identify opportunities for improvement, and develop an efficient process for tracking, managing, and reporting freelance activity. General responsibilities may include:
  Reviewing requests to engage freelance. Entering and…