Senior Finance Specialist - Financial Planning and Projects

Description

Senior Financial Specialist – Financial Planning and Projects

Why is this a great job? (From the hiring manager) As the Senior Financial Specialist – Financial Planning and Projects at LPHI, you will use your analytical, research, and finance skills to help shape LPHI’s strategic direction. Your financial expertise will support our mission to improve lives in communities across Louisiana and the nation. As part of a growing finance team, you will help drive departmental progress and change. LPHI’s mission and core values create a fulfilling environment where you can make a meaningful impact. This role offers opportunities for professional growth, social impact, and a supportive workplace.

ABOUT US
The Louisiana Public Health Institute (LPHI) is a statewide, non-profit organization that has been promoting the health and well-being of Louisianians since 1997. Our 65+ employees work alongside 500+ partner organizations at the local, state, and national levels to leverage our broad expertise in public health to achieve our mission of ensuring that everyone has fair and just opportunities to be healthy and well.  

Our strategic plan priority areas include Health Equity, Partnerships and Collaboration, A Healthier Louisiana, and A Thriving Organization. To learn more, visit www.lphi.org. 

POSITION DETAILS

Job Title: Senior Financial Specialist – Financial Planning and Projects
Salary: $77,000 – $95,000 (Professional 3)

• Salary is based on various factors unique to each candidate, including skill set, experience, qualifications, and other job-related reasons

Work Schedule: 40-hour work week

• LPHI offers traditional (M-F, 8 am-5 pm), flexible (for example, M-F 10 am-7pm), and compressed work schedules (for example, M-Th 8 am-7 pm). Schedule details finalized between employee and manager. 
• This position may require occasional after-hours or weekend work as needed with minimal travel. 

Location: This is a Louisiana-based, hybrid position with occasional (<10%) travel required

• LPHI maintains an office in New Orleans if the employee prefers to be full-time in-office
• Employee must reside in Louisiana during the time of employment 

Team: Finance 

Reports To: Chief Financial Officer

Supervises: None 

Benefits:

• LPHI contributes 7% of pre-tax salary to the employees’ 401k per pay period regardless of employee contribution, after six continuous months of employment
• 100% paid premiums for employee health (Core plan), dental, short-term disability, long-term disability and term life insurance beginning on the first day of the month, on or following one month of full-time employment
• 100% paid Employee Assistance Program
• 100% paid parking at 601 Tchoupitoulas Parking Garage
• Traditional, flexible, or compressed work schedules
• Resources committed to professional development
• Holidays, Vacation and Sick Days:
• 15+ paid holidays per year that includes Thanksgiving Break and Winter Break 
• 10 vacation days accrued per year, years 0-2
• 15 vacation days accrued per year, years 3-5
• 20 vacation days accrued per year, year 6+ 
• 3 personal days
• 1 floating holiday (employee’s choice)
• 12 sick days

ABOUT THE POSITION

The Senior Financial Specialist – Financial Planning and Projects is a specialist-level role responsible for financial planning and analysis, grant and project financial operations, and management reporting. This position supports organizational decision-making by preparing budgets, forecasts, grant billing, and financial reports while ensuring accuracy, compliance, and transparency. The role operates as a high-impact individual contributor within the Finance team and in partnership with other internal teams.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities 

Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)

• Prepare annual operating budgets, including program- and grant-level budgets.
• Develop and maintain rolling forecasts and financial models.
• Perform budget-to-actual variance analysis and prepare clear narrative explanations.
• Support scenario modeling and ad hoc financial analysis for leadership.
• Assist with preparation of internal management and board-ready financial materials.

Grant & Project Finance

• Develop and maintain grant and project budgets.
• Monitor grant spending, burn rates, and funding timelines.
• Prepare grant and project billing calculations and supporting documentation.
• Produce funder-required financial reports in accordance with grant agreements.
• Identify potential compliance risks and escalate issues as appropriate.
• Support cost allocation and tracking across programs and funding sources.

Reporting & Data Analysis

• Prepare monthly and quarterly financial reports for departments and programs.
• Maintain dashboards, schedules, and reporting templates.
• Ensure consistency and accuracy of financial data across reports.
• Translate financial data into clear, actionable insights for non-finance staff.

Cross-Functional Support

• Partner with program and department leaders to support financial understanding and accountability, including training.
• Provide close-related schedules and reports to the Assistant Controller.
• Support audit and monitoring requests related to grants and program finance.
• Collaborate with finance teammates to improve budgeting, reporting, and grant workflows.
• Aid Assistant Controller in conducting finance trainings with other LPHI teams.
• Support Assistant Controller in the creation of finance manuals to document internal processes and training manuals available to non-finance teams.
• Other duties as assigned. 

ABOUT YOU

Position Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance with a minimum of five (5) years experience financial analysis, grant finance, non-profit accounting, invoicing and collections, and completing and supporting program and organizational budget development.
• Knowledge of nonprofit accounting standards
• Experience in managing local, state, and federal government grant programs; and philanthropic foundation grants.
• Experience preparing budgets, forecasts, and variance analysis.
• Experience submitting invoice packets to external partners or clients.
• Excellent reasoning and analytical skills.
• Strong oral and written skills.
• Demonstrated capacity and ability to lead and manage projects.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills, with careful attention to detail.
• Advanced knowledge and use of Microsoft Excel (e.g. financial modeling, pivot tables, formulas)
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Power Point.
• Sound and strategic judgment, ability to solve problems, and nimbleness in adapting to changing circumstances.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multi-faceted projects and perform well under pressure.
• Ability to work with diverse personalities with a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences.

Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities 

• Commitment to public health and achieving health equity.
• Experience in managing government and philanthropic foundation grant programs.
• Experience documenting financial policies and procedures.
• Experience working with restricted funding and cost allocation.
• Experience in web-based accounting and financial planning software.
• Experience supporting audits or funder financial reviews.
• Ability to work in a team-based environment, and an orientation to the work that recognizes and values the contributions of all team members.
• Ability to collaborate effectively and build strong, positive relationships with colleagues and partners, both internal and external to LPHI.
• Exceptional emotional intelligence, including interpersonal skills and experience working with individuals and groups from diverse backgrounds.
• Demonstrated learning orientation.
• Ability to champion innovation and changes within an organization.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver with excellent quality and impact.
• Ability to apply systems thinking and act strategically.
• Desire to support the development of individuals and team.

Your Impact at LPHI
The work you do at LPHI supports the organization’s ability to operate effectively and serve its mission. Your role contributes to how work gets done across teams—helping ensure efforts are organized, responsive, and aligned to organizational priorities that improve and advance health equity. 

We value collaboration, respect for lived experience, and continuous learning, and we strive to create an environment where every team member can contribute fully to advancing Health Equity, strengthening Partnerships and Collaboration, building a Healthier Louisiana, and supporting a Thriving Organization. 

How We Work

Work Environment & Physical Considerations: 

We operate in a flexible work environment that includes both hybrid and fully remote roles, depending on position responsibilities and organizational needs. Our approach emphasizes trust, accountability, collaboration, and clear outcomes.

In all roles, employees can expect:

• Clear goals, priorities, and performance expectations
• Regular communication with supervisors and colleagues to support alignment and progress
• Thoughtful use of technology to enable effective collaboration and productivity
• Shared responsibility for maintaining a consistent organizational voice and upholding our values

Some positions require a hybrid schedule, with periodic onsite presence to support collaboration, relationship-building, and key meetings. Other positions are designated as fully remote. Work arrangements are determined by role requirements and may evolve over time based on operational needs.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Statement: Louisiana Public Health Institute is committed to accessibility and inclusion by providing reasonable accommodations and, when appropriate, flexible work arrangements, for qualified individuals with disabilities to support the job application process and performance of essential job functions consistent with applicable laws and organizational requirements. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at [email protected]. 

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement: Louisiana Public Health Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race (including hair texture and natural hair styles), color, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and religious grooming practices), sex (including pregnancy, perceived pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender, gender identity (including transgender identity, status and transitioning), gender expression and sex stereotyping, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, legally protected medical condition or information (including genetic information), family care or medical leave status, military caregiver status, military status, veteran status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, enrollment in a public assistance program, engaging in protected communications regarding employee wages, requesting a reasonable accommodation on the basis of disability or bona fide religious belief or practice, or any other basis protected by local, state, or federal laws. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any of these factors.

*As with all positions at LPHI, this position is funded through grant and/or contract funding, which is renewed under the provisions of the grantor of the contract. Positions are contingent upon the continuation of grant/contract funding.