Financial Planning and Analysis Senior Analyst

In this hybrid role at WLS Corporate in Merrillville, IN, the Senior Financial Planning & Analysis Analyst supports hotel and corporate profitability through budgeting, forecasting, reporting, and technical support for IBM Planning Analytics (TM1).

Role Overview

The position partners with corporate and hotel teams to run key planning cycles, deliver monthly and ad-hoc reporting for senior leadership, and improve planning workflows and reporting tools. The role also supports budgeting activities for both established hotels and preopening efforts, while maintaining and enhancing TM1 and BI reporting assets.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the annual budget and monthly long-range forecast (LRF) by preparing data and schedules and completing variance analysis to ensure accuracy and timeliness
• Maintain the forecast and budget calendars, communicate deadlines to stakeholders, and support planning and execution of the annual budget calendar
• Track forecast submissions, follow up with hotel teams on outstanding items, and share forecast updates according to established schedules
• Maintain budget reports and templates, assist with budget reviews and corrections, and prepare budget reports and submissions within required timeframes
• Produce monthly, annual, and ad-hoc reporting for ownership groups and senior leadership, including financial statement analysis and summarizing findings and recommendations
• Assist with benchmarking asset-level performance against internal portfolio standards and external hospitality industry data, and surface performance opportunities to the FP&A team
• Support capital budget activities as needed
• Assist with preopening budgets by updating the budget in TM1 once approved and participating in openings calls as needed
• Support stub budget preparation for new openings, including helping GMs preload relevant budget data and preparing key stub budget reports
• Prepare presentation materials as needed
• Use IBM Planning Analytics (TM1) daily, learn system navigation and troubleshooting, and assist with cube, dimension, and TurboIntegrator updates under system administrator guidance
• Maintain and update TM1 reports, including rolling reports forward for a new year, and help build or enhance reports
• Build and update dashboards and data visualizations in Power BI and/or Tableau with guidance from BI and IT
• Support user training and onboarding for Planning Analytics users across the portfolio
• Respond to routine GM/RVP inquiries about reports in a timely manner and escalate complex questions to the Director of FP&A
• Flag evolving business requirements to the FP&A team and help develop solutions
• Assist with evaluating and piloting AI-powered workflows (including anomaly detection, automated variance narratives, and scenario modeling) while following team best practices for responsible AI use
• Support the portfolio workforce management (WFM) platform and monthly performance-to-standard analysis, including preparing trend summaries and flagging savings opportunities prior to sharing with RVPs, GMs, and key stakeholders
• Support hotel leaders with routine budget-related questions and escalate more complex questions as needed
• Recommend improvements to processes, reports, or systems to add value to the organization
• Communicate clearly with hotel leaders and support the FP&A team in executing key strategic plans

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Hospitality, or a related field
• 1+ years of FP&A, accounting, or finance experience
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel and all Microsoft Office applications
• Technical aptitude with computer systems; hands-on experience with IBM Planning Analytics (TM1) preferred
• Working knowledge of Power BI and/or Tableau, including dashboard development
• Understanding of accounting principles; knowledge of hotel financial statements (USALI) and hospitality financial operations preferred
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Familiarity with AI tools such as Claude or similar platforms is a plus
• High attention to detail, integrity, and ability to maintain confidentiality

Technologies

• IBM Planning Analytics (TM1)
• Power BI
• Tableau
• TurboIntegrator
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Office
• AI tools (such as Claude)
• Workforce management (WFM) platform

Working Conditions

• Hybrid schedule with 3 days in the Corporate office per week
• Desk-based analytical work combined with hands-on systems support 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
• DailyPay, get paid when you need it
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off (PTO) with rollover
• Complimentary wellness tools
• Unlimited employee referral bonuses
• Leadership development & tuition reimbursement
• Discounts on hotel rooms, dining, and travel
• Growth opportunities across multiple hotel properties

Competencies

• Customer Orientation
• Managing Work
• Building Partnerships
• Work Standards
• Planning & Organizing
• Technical/Professional Knowledge and Skills

Location

Merrillville, IN 46410 (hybrid)