Financial Planning & Analysis Specialist

Job Description **About the Role** The FP&A Specialist (Data Analytics) sits within the Regional FP&A Centre of Excellence (MEDEBA) and supports 19 markets across Mediterranean Europe and Baltics. Reporting to the Regional FP&A Lead, this role combines financial planning expertise with strong technical and analytical capabilities to support forecasting, planning systems, management reporting, and continuous process improvement. Unlike a traditional FP&A business partnering role, this position has a strong focus on data management, financial systems, reporting automation, and planning processes. The successful candidate will work closely with local finance teams and regional FP&A colleagues to ensure the accuracy, integrity, and efficient flow of financial data across forecasting and reporting cycles. This role offers an excellent opportunity for finance professionals, FP&A analysts, controllers, or data analysts with an interest in finance who are looking to develop broader FP&A expertise in a multinational environment. **Primary Responsibilities** **Financial Planning, Analysis & Reporting** * Partner with finance teams and business stakeholders across multiple markets to support annual budgets, periodic forecasts, and business planning activities. * Coordinate, consolidate, and validate planning inputs, ensuring accuracy and consistency of key assumptions, including sales, pricing, expenses, headcount, and profitability drivers. * Load, maintain, reconcile, and troubleshoot planning and reporting data within financial systems. * Perform variance, trend, profitability, and driver-based analyses to evaluate business performance and identify risks and opportunities. * Prepare and distribute recurring and ad hoc financial reports, translating complex datasets into actionable insights that support decision-making. * Support monthly reporting cycles, forecast submissions, performance reviews, and peak planning periods through timely analysis and business support. **Data Management & Systems Administration** * Maintain financial planning and management reporting systems, master data structures, and planning hierarchies. * Support data uploads, system validations, and integrity checks across planning and reporting platforms. * Serve as a key point of contact for finance users on data-related and system-related queries. * Contribute to the development and maintenance of planning dashboards, reporting solutions, and Power BI visualizations. * Collaborate with regional teams to enhance reporting tools and improve system efficiency. **Continuous Improvement, AI & Automation** * Foster a continuous improvement mindset by identifying opportunities to simplify processes, improve data quality, and reduce manual activities across FP&A operations. * Leverage AI-powered tools, automation, and advanced analytics in day-to-day work to enhance productivity, strengthen financial insights, and improve the quality of planning, reporting, and analysis. * Support the adoption and implementation of digital, automation, and AI-enabled solutions that drive efficiency and innovation across FP&A processes. * Share best practices and contribute to the standardization and continuous evolution of FP&A processes, tools, and ways of working. **What We're Looking For** **Required Qualifications** * Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business Analytics, Information Systems, or a related field. * 2-5 years of relevant experience in FP&A, Controlling, Financial Analysis, Accounting, Business Analytics, or Data Analytics. * Strong Excel skills, including advanced formulas, data manipulation, and analytical modelling. * Solid understanding of financial statements, P&L structures, and basic accounting principles. * Strong analytical mindset with the ability to work with large datasets and identify key business drivers. * Experience working in multinational or matrix organizations. * Excellent problem-solving, organizational, and prioritization skills. * Fluent English communication skills. **Preferred Qualifications** * Experience with financial planning and reporting tools such as SAP, BPC, Power BI, planning dashboards, or similar systems. * Experience supporting budgeting, forecasting, or management reporting processes. * Background in FP&A, controlling, management accounting, data analytics, or business intelligence. * Familiarity with AI, automation, or process improvement initiatives. * Experience working with Power BI or other reporting and visualization tools. **Success in This Role** Successful candidates will: * Enjoy working with data and analytical problem-solving. * Be comfortable navigating financial systems and large datasets. * Thrive in a dynamic environment with periodic forecasting and reporting peaks. * Demonstrate a strong learning mindset and willingness to build expertise in FP&A processes and planning systems. * Be motivated to develop into broader FP&A and senior specialist roles over time. **What we offer** * Exciting work in a great team, global projects, international environment * Opportunity to learn and grow professionally within the company globally * Hybrid working model, flexible role pattern * Competitive salary & incentive pay * Pension and health insurance contributions * Internal reward system and referral scheme * **5**  weeks annual leave, **5** sick days, **15** days of certified sick leave paid above statutory requirements annually, **40**  paid hours annually for volunteering activities, **12** weeks of parental contribution * Cafeteria for tax free benefits according to your choice (meal vouchers, sport, culture, health, travel, etc.), Multisport Card * Vodafone, Raiffeisen Bank, Foodora, and discount programmes * Up-to-date laptop and iPhone * Parking in the garage, showers, refreshments, massage chairs, library, music corner _Ready to take up the challenge? Apply now!_  _Know anybody who might be interested? Refer this job!_  **Required Skills:** Budgeting, Data Analysis, Financial Planning, Financial Reports, Management Controls, Stakeholder Management, Variance Analysis **Preferred Skills:** Current Employees apply [HERE](https://wd5.myworkday.com/msd/d/task/1422$6687.htmld) Current Contingent Workers apply [HERE](https://wd5.myworkday.com/msd/d/task/1422$4020.htmld) **Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully**  Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company.  No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.  **Employee Status:** Regular **Relocation:** No relocation **VISA Sponsorship:** No **Travel Requirements:** No Travel Required **Flexible Work Arrangements:** Not Applicable **Shift:** Not Indicated **Valid Driving License:** No **Hazardous Material(s):** n/s **Job Posting End Date:** 09/21/2026 **\*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.**