Financial Analyst-Entry Level

Christensen Farms is one of the largest, family-owned pork producers in the United States, marketing approximately 3 million hogs per year. Headquartered in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, the company operates throughout the Midwest with facilities in Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois and South Dakota. Christensen Farms owns four feed mills, manages 145,000 sows on 44 farms, and oversees more than 350 nurseries and grow-finish sites. The company employees nearly 1,000 people and maintains 1,500 contract partnerships.

The company is vertically integrated with a strong presence across the pork value chain - from farm to fork. Christensen Farms is the largest shareholder of Triumph Foods LLC, a producer-owned primary pork processing plant in St. Joseph, Missouri. In turn, Triumph Food members own 50 percent of Daily's Premium Meats, a specialty pork processor bacon and other premium pork products. Triumph Foods also holds a 50 percent partnership in Seaboard Triumph Foods, LLC of Sioux City, Iowa, a primary pork processing plant.

Position Description:

The Financial Analyst position is a critical member of the finance organization. This position plays a key role in working with business leaders across specific departments, namely Procurement, Feed Mill Operations, Production and Finance/Accounting. This individual will be responsible for establishing and monitoring the appropriate business metrics to measure business performance. A successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to identify and pursue business improvement initiatives and cost capture opportunities, analyze business performance and future opportunities and collaboratively assess and recommend strategic and daily business decisions across the organization in areas such as expense and process management.

A successful candidate will demonstrate sounds analytical skills, the ability to decipher large data sets and translate into key messages and actionable outcomes, be highly inquisitive and creative, and most importantly, engage with business leaders through a solid understanding of the business coupled with a significant level of interaction to drive results.

Position Responsibilities:

• Responsible for extracting data from highly developed internal and external sources to deliver insightful and innovative communication across the business.
• Collects and analyzes records of present and past operations, trends and costs, estimated and realized revenues and expenses.
• Recommends improvements and changes in key performance indicators that drive spend optimization and overall organizational effectiveness.
• Works collaboratively with other support departments to maintain consistent quality of data input and adherence to defined processes.
• Reports production and operational financial results periodically.
• Consults proactively with business unit heads to ensure information, analysis and reporting needs are met.
• Collects and maintains records of actual operating expenses to compare with budget and reviews with appropriate management.
• Advises management on matters such as effective use of resources and most profitable practices.
• Works with managers to create production projections from conception through to implementation.
• Conducts ad hoc analyses to analyze complex financial actions and prepares recommendations for policy, procedure, control or action.
• Assists in financial performance evaluation, cost management, and asset management.
• Identifies cost reduction and/or revenue enhancement opportunities and provides options and alternatives to management to realize optimal results.
• Ability to build and develop intricate and detailed production and financial models used to project future levels of spending, the development of annual plans and measurement of variances to budgets in areas such as Supply Chain, Feed Mill Operations and companywide.

Attributes of a Successful Candidate:

• Highly intelligent with excellent critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to produce results in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to adapt to change of responsibilities and additional duties demanded by the business.
• Approaches complex problems and analyses with an open, collaborative mindset.
• Eager and willing to contribute to the success of the finance team through close collaboration and team building.
• Seeks additional training and knowledge to build expertise and proactively shares know-how for betterment of team members and processes.
• Supports and leads areas of assigned responsibility through effective and frequent collaboration and business partnering.

STRONG ANALYTICAL SKILLS - Quantitative and qualitative analysis; ability to identify the significant factors of an issue; employ creativity in identifying causes, implications and remedies; demonstrate a balance between theoretical and practical solutions; detail-oriented and ensures a high level of data accuracy and reliability.

INITIATIVE - Ability to work independently; effective follow through on assignments with successful outcomes; timely follow-up; meet deadlines; demonstrate a sense of urgency; effectively prioritize multiple projects while setting clear expectations with business partners; strong organizational skills; Aptitude and desire to learn other areas of the business for a well-rounded perspective.

EXCELLENT COMMUNICATION SKILLS - Efficient and effective oral and written communication skills; strong presentation skills - confidently present a concise and intuitive build-up of information to 'tell the story' to senior management; ability to communicate at all levels of the organization; builds and maintains strong relationships with peers.

Must Have - Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business Analytics or other equivalent.
• 0-2 years of related experience.
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel

Nice to Have:

• Agri-business/livestock background.
• Experience in database querying skills.
• Microsoft Solomon, SQL, Hyperion, or Power BI experience.