Strategic Director, Financial Planning & Analysis

Director, Financial Planning & Analysis (Remote)

Help Build the Next Generation of FP&A at Penn Foster

Penn Foster Group has been helping learners build better futures for more than 135 years. Today, we're transforming how education and workforce development are delivered, serving more than 100,000 learners annually while pursuing an ambitious vision for continued growth.

As we modernize our business and operating model, we're seeking a Strategic Director of Financial Planning & Analysis who is excited by the opportunity to build, innovate, and challenge traditional ways of working.

This is not a role focused on maintaining the status quo. We are looking for a leader who can elevate our FP&A capabilities, modernize processes, leverage emerging technologies, and help shape the future of financial planning and decision support across the organization.

Reporting to the VP, FP&A, this leader will play a highly visible role partnering with senior executives, influencing strategic decisions, leading a talented team, and helping create a best-in-class FP&A function.

Why This Opportunity?

This role offers a rare combination of

• The ability to help design and modernize an evolving FP&A organization
• Executive-level visibility and partnership across the business
• The opportunity to evaluate and implement next-generation planning tools and AI-enabled finance capabilities
• A leadership role with direct impact on business strategy and operational performance
• The chance to coach, develop, and build a high-performing FP&A team
• A culture that embraces change, innovation, and continuous improvement

Over the past two years, Penn Foster has undergone significant leadership transformation, creating an environment where new ideas are welcomed and leaders are empowered to drive meaningful change.

What You'll Do

Lead Enterprise Planning & Forecasting

• Own the annual operating plan, rolling forecasts, and long-range planning processes
• Partner with leaders across the organization to develop financial plans aligned to strategic priorities
• Deliver scenario modeling and business insights that support executive decision-making
• Drive accountability, consistency, and rigor across planning activities

Modernize FP&A Operations

• Assess current planning, reporting, and forecasting processes and identify opportunities to improve efficiency and scalability
• Help lead the evaluation and implementation of a future FP&A planning platform
• Drive automation initiatives utilizing modern reporting, analytics, and AI-enabled capabilities
• Build processes that reduce manual effort and increase organizational agility

Partner with Business Leaders

• Partner with Sales, Marketing, Operations, and business leaders to evaluate customer acquisition, retention, enrollment, and revenue drivers, providing insights that improve business performance and investment decisions.
• Develop and maintain forecasting models that incorporate key business drivers, including customer acquisition, retention, conversion, and lifetime value metrics.
• Translate complex financial information into actionable business recommendations
• Support strategic investments, growth initiatives, and operational improvements through financial analysis and business case development

Lead and Develop the Team

• Lead a team consisting of a Manager of FP&A and Senior Analysts
• Assess team capabilities and create development plans that elevate performance and readiness
• Build organizational capability through coaching, mentorship, and succession planning
• Foster a culture of ownership, accountability, innovation, and continuous learning

Deliver Executive Insights

• Oversee monthly reporting, performance reviews, variance analysis, and KPI reporting
• Develop executive presentations and materials for senior leadership discussions
• Provide forward-looking analysis of key business drivers, risks, and opportunities

What Success Looks Like

Within your first 12 months, you will

• Successfully lead the company's annual budgeting and forecasting process
• Identify and begin implementing opportunities to streamline and modernize FP&A operations
• Establish yourself as a trusted advisor to executive leadership
• Assess and develop the FP&A team while building organizational capability
• Create a roadmap for enhanced planning tools, automation, and future-state FP&A processes
• Help position the finance organization to support the company's next phase of growth

What We're Looking For

• 10+ years of progressive finance experience, including leadership within FP&A
• Demonstrated experience utilizing metrics such as Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC), Life Value (LTV), retention, churn, cohort analysis, or similar measures to inform financial planning and business decision-making
• Experience improving, scaling, or transforming FP&A functions in complex organizations
• Demonstrated success leading budgeting, forecasting, and strategic planning processes
• Strong business partnership and executive communication skills
• Experience leading and developing high-performing teams
• Advanced financial modeling and analytical capabilities
• Experience with planning, reporting, and business intelligence tools
• Strong process improvement mindset with a passion for innovation and automation

Preferred Experience

• CPA and/or MBA
• Experience in education, workforce development, subscription-based, membership, consumer services, SaaS, or other recurring revenue business environments
• Experience implementing FP&A systems such as Adaptive Planning, Anaplan, Hyperion, or similar platforms
• Exposure to AI-enabled finance processes, automation initiatives, or advanced analytics environments

Who Will Thrive Here

The ideal candidate is

• A builder who enjoys creating structure and improving processes
• Curious and willing to challenge traditional ways of working
• A proactive leader who brings solutions, not just observations
• Comfortable balancing strategy with hands-on execution
• Passionate about developing people and building high-performing teams
• Energized by change, growth, and transformation

Work Environment & Hiring Requirements

• U.S. Work Location Requirement: All employees must reside in and perform work within the United States. We do not support international remote work arrangements for this role.
• Travel Expectations: While this is a remote position, occasional travel may be required for team meetings, company events, conferences, summits, etc. Candidates must be willing and able to travel as needed.
• On-Camera Work Environment: We operate in a highly collaborative, remote, on-camera culture. Employees are expected to be on camera during meetings unless extenuating circumstances apply.
• Recorded Video Interviews: All video interviews conducted during the hiring process will be recorded to support internal hiring consistency and process improvement.
• Background Checks: Employment with Penn Foster Group is contingent upon successfully completing applicable pre-employment screening requirements, which may include verification of employment history, education, and criminal background, where permitted by law.
• Identity Verification (Form I-9): As part of our onboarding process, all hires must complete employment eligibility verification in compliance with federal law. This includes remote Form I-9 verification, which may require an in-person identity verification step with an authorized representative.

About Us

At Penn Foster Group, we are transforming online learning to help learners by uniting Penn Foster, CareerStep, Ashworth College, James Madison High School, the New York Institute of Photography, the New York Institute of Art and Design, and other education platforms. Together, we create an accelerated path to greater economic mobility through real-world skills and knowledge that enable them to achieve long-term success in the workplaces of the future. Our history dates back to 1890 when our founder, Thomas Foster, pioneered distance education by offering training by mail for coal miners to get the necessary skills for safer jobs. Today, with the partners who use our education and training programs, we continue that mission of providing accessible training and education for in-demand skills and are building a workforce that’s prepared for the future job market.

Equal Employment Opportunity

We strive toward Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Penn Foster Group by intentionally building teams that are diverse – in identities, lived experiences, and ideas to create a culture where people feel connected to each other and have a sense of belonging. We value diversity, equity, and inclusion because it is the foundation that enables us to achieve what we set out to do as an organization – from maximizing the number of learners who can reach their goals while giving them the kinds of experiences we want them to have, to becoming the type of company we want to work in.

What We Offer

We offer a robust benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, flexible spending, generous paid time off, sponsored volunteer opportunities, a 401K with a company match, plus free access to all of our online programs.