Distribution Engineering - Financial Specialist

Financial Specialist

First Energy (NYSE: FE) is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability, and operational excellence. Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, First Energy includes one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, and a regulated generating fleet with a total capacity of more than 3,500 megawatts.

This is an open position with the First Energy Service Company, a subsidiary of First Energy Corp. First Energy's Program Delivery Financial Management & Controls team plays a critical role in overseeing a multi-billion-dollar portfolio, managing more than $2 billion in regulatory and program spend across a five-year horizon. We are committed to ensuring the financial health, compliance, and cost efficiency of our programs while supporting strategic growth and operational excellence.

The Financial Specialist is a strategic, results-driven professional with strong financial and business acumen. This specialist is a proactive leader who excels at guiding program financial performance, strengthening controls, and delivering high-quality insights to senior leadership while fostering accountability and cross-functional collaboration. This role will serve as the financial specialist supporting our West Virginia and Maryland reliability enhancement programs. The individual will support program budgeting, variance analysis, and regulatory reporting needs through collaboration with Engineering, Project Management, Rates, Regulatory Reporting, and Corporate Finance.

This position reports onsite. The preferred reporting locations are either the Mon Power Headquarters in Fairmont, West Virginia, or the First Energy Headquarters in Akron, Ohio. Other locations within the company's service territory will be considered.

Responsibilities include:

• Providing leadership and oversight for program financial management, including budgets, forecasts, and cost controls.
• Collaborating with cross-functional stakeholders to align financial strategies with program objectives.
• Partnering with stakeholders to ensure grant management compliance where applicable.
• Partnering with stakeholders to ensure audit readiness and compliance execution, including internal and external audits.
• Supporting continuous improvement activities across the business unit and First Energy.
• Monitoring and reporting progress against program plans and providing presentations to leadership and other ad-hoc data requests.
• Developing solutions for complex assignments while actively seeking ways to build challenge and adding value within scope of assignments.
• Promoting a sense of urgency in the team for reaching goals and meeting deadlines.

Qualifications

• Two-to-four-year degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, Economics, Engineering or related discipline and minimum 4 to 10 years' related work experience is required.
• In lieu of a degree, minimum 7 to 13 years' related work experience is required. Relevant work experience includes financial forecasting & analysis, cost flow oversight, expense verification & correction, project management controls, strategic financial planning, or portfolio management.
• Proven experience in financial management with budget ownership. Strong understanding of financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and risk management.
• Possess strong computer skills in the Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, and Word), SAP, Qlik View, Planner Dash, Power Plan and Coupa. PowerBI/Toad skills are a plus.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to interpret, analyze, and clearly communicate complex data.
• Strong analytical, decision making, planning, and problem-solving skills.
• Collaborative team player with able to work cross-functionally across business units.
• Questioning attitude to learn and produce results while working across First Energy.
• Demonstrates a curious, questioning mindset with a focus on continuous learning and driving results.

Benefits, Compensation & Workforce Diversity

At First Energy, employees are key to our success. We depend on their talents to meet the challenges of our changing business environment. We…