Principal Finance Analyst

Cytel • Columbia, SC • 16h ago

Cytel is seeking a highly analytical and business-focused Principal Financial Analyst to support the financial planning, analysis, and operational performance of our PBS (Preclinical & Clinical Services) business unit. This role will serve as a strategic finance partner to operational leaders, project management teams, and executive stakeholders, providing financial insights that drive profitable growth, improve forecasting accuracy, and support informed business decisions.

The ideal candidate will have experience supporting CRO, life sciences, consulting, clinical research, or professional services organizations, with a strong understanding of project-based revenue models, resource planning, forecasting, and financial performance analysis.

Financial Planning & Analysis

Lead monthly, quarterly, and annual forecasting processes for PBS service lines.

Develop and maintain financial models to support revenue forecasting, profitability analysis, and strategic planning.

Analyze financial performance against budget, forecast, and prior-year results.

Partner with business leaders to identify risks, opportunities, and corrective actions.

Prepare executive-level financial presentations and business reviews.

Business Partnership

Act as a trusted finance business partner to PBS operational leadership.

Support project leaders and department heads with financial decision-making and resource planning.

Evaluate business performance and provide recommendations to improve operational efficiency and profitability.

Collaborate with commercial and delivery teams to assess project financial performance.

Revenue & Project Financial Analysis

Monitor project revenue, utilization, margins, backlog, and project profitability.

Analyze contract performance and revenue recognition trends.

Support project budgeting, workforce planning, and capacity analysis.

Track key operational and financial KPIs across PBS service offerings.

Identify drivers impacting project margins and recommend improvement opportunities.

Reporting & Analytics

Develop dashboards and management reporting tools to monitor business performance.

Perform variance analysis and communicate key financial drivers to stakeholders.

Support data-driven decision-making through advanced financial modeling and analytics.

Ensure reporting accuracy and consistency across business units.

Strategic Initiatives

Support annual operating plans and long-range strategic planning efforts.

Participate in business transformation and process improvement initiatives.

Assist with M&A integration activities, financial due diligence, and business case development as needed.

Drive continuous improvement in forecasting, reporting, and financial processes.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Forecast Accuracy

Revenue Growth Performance

Project Gross Margin Performance

Utilization Rate Analysis

EBITDA Contribution

Budget Variance Management

Backlog & Pipeline Analysis

Working Capital Performance

Financial Reporting Timeliness & Accuracy

Resource Capacity Optimization

Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business Administration, or related field.

5+ years of progressive FP&A, financial analysis, or strategic finance experience.

Experience supporting professional services

Advanced Microsoft Excel and financial modeling skills.

Strong analytical, problem-solving, and business partnering capabilities.

Experience presenting financial information to senior leadership.

Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Preferred Qualifications

MBA, CPA, CMA, or CFA designation preferred.

Experience within a CRO, clinical research, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or market access organization.

Experience supporting project-based service businesses.

Knowledge of revenue recognition principles and project accounting.

Experience with ERP systems, financial planning tools, Power BI, Tableau, or similar reporting platforms.

Familiarity with preclinical services, clinical trials, biostatistics, epidemiology, HEOR, market access, or evidence-generation consulting services.

Preferred Industry Background

Contract Research Organizations (CROs)

Clinical Research Services

Biostatistics & Data Science Consulting

Market Access & HEOR Consulting

Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Services

Life Sciences Consulting

Clinical Development Organizations

Cytel Inc. is an Equal Employment / Affirmative Action Employer. Applicants are considered for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristics protected by law.

Cytel

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