Budget & Financial Analyst Lead

## Budget & Financial Analyst Lead Apply locations:
Evanston, ILtime type:
Full time posted on:
Posted 4 Days Agotime left to apply:
End Date:
October 2, 2026 (30+ days left to apply) job requisition :
JR1542
** Job Description
** We have an exciting opportunity for a Budget & Financial Analyst Lead at UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement, based in our Evanston, Illinois, office. The Financial Analyst Lead leads enterprise financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting processes to support strategic objectives. This role partners with senior leadership to translate priorities into actionable financial plans, deliver data-driven insights on financial performance, and provides board-ready analysis on budget-to-actual results.

The position plays a key role in optimizing resource allocation and continuously improving financial planning processes.
** This is a hybrid position (Tuesday & Thursday onsite) at our Evanston, IL office.
**** UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement
** At UL Research Institutes (ULRI) and UL Standards & Engagement (ULSE), we expand the boundaries of safety science to create a more secure and sustainable world. For more than a century, we have studied the unintended consequences of innovation, designed solutions to mitigate risk, created new safety standards and shared our findings with academia, scientists, manufacturers, and policymakers across industries.

We identify critical safety and sustainability issues, asking the tough questions because we believe a safer world begins with knowledge.
** What you’ll learn and achieve:
** As the Budget & Financial Analyst Lead, you will play a key role in the rapid growth of UL as you:
* Lead the development and management of annual budgets and multi-year financial plans, ensuring alignment with organizational strategy.
* Partners with senior leaders and department heads to drive financial planning processes, translating strategic priorities with actionable financial plans while ensuring accuracy, accountability, and strategic alignment.
* Oversee monthly budget-to-actual variance analysis, identifying key drivers and delivering proactive recommendations to optimize costs and improve operational efficiency.
* Prepare and deliver budget-to-actual variance analyses and support narrative for monthly close meetings and quarterly board reports, clearly articulating key drivers, trends, and implications relative to the approved budget.
* Develop and present financial reports, forecasts, and analyses to senior leadership and department stakeholders, ensuring clarity and actionable insights.
* Lead and monitor the quarterly forecasting process, delivering forward-looking projections and actionable insights to support informed decision-making.
* Provide guidance and oversight in preparation of high-impact budget by department and financial presentations for executive leadership and board-level discussions.
* Drive continuous improvement of budgeting, forecasting, and reporting processes, including tools, methodologies, and data quality enhancements.
* Mentor and develop analysts, providing coaching and quality review to strengthen team capabilities and performance.
* Act as a strategic finance partner to functional leaders, supporting decision-making on resource allocation, planning, and cost management.
* Support large-scale financial initiatives, system implementations, and cross-functional projects.
* Perform other duties as directed.
** What you’ll experience working at UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement:
** We have pursued our mission of working for a safer, more secure, and sustainable world for nearly 130 years, embedding conscientious stewardship into everything we do.
* ** People**:
Our people make us special. You’ll work with a diverse team of experts respected for their independence and transparency and build a network, because our approach is collaborative. We collaborate across disciplines, organizations, and geographies to build the global scientific response that today’s global challenges require.
* ** Interesting work**:
Every day is different for us here. We see what’s on the horizon and use our…