Overview

The Senior Director of Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) for the Enterprise Technology & Operations division (ET&O) serves as a strategic finance leader responsible for driving financial planning, forecasting, budgeting, reporting, and decision support across one of the Bank's largest and most dynamic organizations. This role partners closely with ET&O executive leadership, Finance leadership, and business partners to provide financial insights that enable sound strategic and operational decision-making. This role reports into Finance but directly supports the Chief Information and Operations Officer (leader of the ET&O organization). The financial and analysis support within ET&O includes the departments of Technology, Operations, Cyber, Data, Digital, and Project Management (in addition to a few smaller departments). First Citizens India, the bank's global capabilities center in Bangalore, India, also falls into the ET&O organization.

The Senior Director leads a high-performing team of 20+ associates responsible for delivering accurate financial plans, managing executive reporting, supporting investment and project governance, and identifying opportunities and insights to improve financial performance and resource allocation. The role requires exceptional leadership, executive communication skills, analytical expertise, and the ability to influence outcomes across a complex, matrixed organization.

Responsibilities

• Lead all aspects of the annual budgeting process, quarterly forecasting, long-range planning, and monthly financial reporting for the ET&O organization.
• Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to ET&O executives by providing financial insights, recommendations, and decision support that align financial resources with business priorities and through active, in-person engagement in ET&O leadership meetings.
• Develop and communicate executive-level financial presentations, business cases, and analyses for senior management and executive committees.
• Lead financial support for technology and operations investment portfolios, including project funding, business case development, capital planning, benefits tracking, and post-implementation financial analysis.
• Partner with business leaders to evaluate strategic initiatives, operational improvements, organizational changes, and investment opportunities.
• Monitor financial performance against budget and forecast, proactively identifying risks, opportunities, and corrective actions.
• Drive continuous improvement of FP&A processes, financial models, reporting capabilities, forecasting methodologies, and data analytics to improve efficiency and decision quality.
• Ensure timely, accurate, and insightful financial reporting while maintaining strong financial controls and governance.
• Collaborate with Accounting, Project Management, Procurement, Human Resources, ET&O leaders to ensure alignment across financial planning activities.
• Lead the financial oversight of workforce planning, vendor spend, operating expenses, capital expenditures, and other key cost drivers within the ET&O organization.
• Build, lead, coach, and develop a large, high-performing FP&A organization, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and professional development.
• Ensure compliance with corporate policies, financial governance standards, regulatory expectations, risk management standards and internal control requirements.

Qualifications

Bachelor's Degree and 12 years of experience in Finance or Accounting OR High School Diploma or GED and 16 years of experience in Finance or Accounting

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business Administration, or a related discipline (MBA, CPA, or CFA preferred).
• 12+ years of progressive experience in financial planning & analysis, corporate finance, or strategic finance, including significant leadership experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading large teams and developing future finance leaders.
• Experience supporting Technology, Operations, or enterprise shared services organizations within a large financial institution is strongly preferred.
• Strong executive presence with exceptional written, verbal, and presentation skills.
• Proven ability to influence senior executives and translate complex financial information into actionable business recommendations.
• Strong analytical, financial modeling, and strategic planning capabilities.
• Experience managing large budgets, capital investments, and enterprise project portfolios.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, highly collaborative, and matrixed environment while managing multiple priorities.

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Benefits are an integral part of total rewards and First Citizens Bank is committed to providing a competitive, thoughtfully designed and quality benefits program to meet the needs of our associates. More information can be found at https://jobs.firstcitizens.com/benefits.