Financial Planning and Analysis Manager

The Financial Planning and Analysis Manager will join White Lodging’s FP&A team to support both hotel and corporate profitability through budgeting, forecasting, reporting, and technical administration of IBM Planning Analytics (TM1). This is a hybrid role based in Merrillville, Indiana, with three in-office days per week.

Role Responsibilities

• Support the annual budget and monthly long-range forecast (LRF) processes by maintaining accuracy, meeting timelines, and delivering meaningful variance analysis.
• Maintain forecast and budget calendars; coordinate with relevant parties to assist the Director and VP of FP&A with annual budget calendar planning and execution.
• Provide timely updates to owners and key stakeholders regarding forecast changes according to established schedules, while maintaining strong communication around forecast submissions.
• Maintain budget reports and templates; participate in budget reviews and corrections; prepare budget reports and submissions within required timeframes.
• Complete monthly, annual, and ad-hoc reporting for ownership groups and senior leadership, including financial statement analysis and translating insights into clear operational recommendations.
• Benchmark asset-level financial performance against internal portfolio standards and external hospitality industry data; identify performance opportunities and collaborate with key stakeholders on solutions.
• Assist with the capital budget process as needed.
• Support preopening budgets, including updating approved budgets in TM1 and participating in openings calls as needed.
• Support stub budget preparation for new openings, including helping GMs preload budget data and preparing key stub budget reports.
• Assist with preparation of presentation materials as needed.
• Serve as backup administrator of IBM Planning Analytics (TM1), including navigation, troubleshooting, and reprogramming as needed (cubes, dimensions, and TurboIntegrator processes).
• Maintain and update TM1 reporting, including rolling reports forward for a new year; create new reporting or enhance legacy reporting to improve the value of business reports.
• Develop dashboards and data visualizations in Power BI and/or Tableau in partnership with BI and IT to build scalable solutions.
• Support user training and onboarding for Planning Analytics users across the portfolio.
• Respond to GM and RVP inquiries about reports in a timely manner.
• Proactively identify and develop strategies to address evolving business requirements.
• Evaluate and pilot AI-powered workflows (including anomaly detection, automated variance narratives, and scenario modeling) and follow team best practices for responsible AI use.
• Support administration of the portfolio workforce management (WFM) platform and monthly performance-to-standard analyses; communicate trends, savings opportunities, and corrective actions to RVPs, GMs, and key stakeholders.
• Support hotel leaders with budget-related questions as needed and appropriate, and assist RVPs and GMs with requests when required.
• Initiate proposals for improvements and enhancements to processes, reports, or systems, focusing on adding value to the organization.
• Communicate effectively with hotel and key leadership and help execute key strategic plans.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Hospitality, or a related field.
• 3+ years of FP&A, accounting, or finance experience.
• Experience with IBM Planning Analytics (TM1) or a comparable planning system.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and strong use of all Microsoft Office applications.
• Technical aptitude with computer systems; hands-on experience with IBM Planning Analytics (TM1) preferred.
• Proficiency in Power BI and/or Tableau, including dashboard development.
• Strong understanding of accounting principles, hotel financial statements (USALI), and hospitality financial operations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• High attention to detail, integrity, and the ability to maintain confidentiality.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in hospitality finance, hotel operations, or multi-site distributed operational environments.
• Excel VBA experience.
• Experience building financial dashboards in Power BI and/or Tableau.
• Experience with workforce management systems and labor planning.
• Familiarity with AI-assisted forecasting or automation tools.

Technologies

• IBM Planning Analytics (TM1)
• TurboIntegrator
• Power BI
• Tableau
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Office
• Claude

Work Location and Schedule

• Hybrid schedule in Merrillville, Indiana with 3 days per week in the corporate office.
• Combination of desk-based analytical work and hands-on systems administration activity.
• Periodic travel may be required to support openings, system deployments, or critical initiatives.

Benefits

• Benefits starting day 1
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Life and disability insurance
• Paid parental leave
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off (PTO) with rollover
• Complimentary wellness tools
• Unlimited employee referral bonuses
• Leadership development and tuition reimbursement
• Discounts on hotel rooms, dining, and travel
• Growth opportunities across multiple hotel properties

Competencies

• Creating a Service Reputation
• Inspiring Excellence
• Guiding Team Success
• Building Talent
• Driving Execution
• Strategic Planning