Business Analyst IV - Contract/Temp

About the Company

Essential Utilities, Inc. delivers safe, clean, reliable services that improve quality of life for individuals, families, and entire communities. Operating as the Aqua (water and wastewater services) and the Peoples and Delta (natural gas) brands, Essential serves approximately 5.5 million people across 10 states. We are committed to sustainable growth, operational excellence, a superior customer experience, and premier employer status. The company is one of the most significant publicly traded water, wastewater service, and natural gas providers in the U.S. and protects more than 7,600 acres of forests and other habitats as dedicated stewards of natural lands.

About the Role

This temporary/contract Business Analyst IV role in the Bryn Mawr, PA area focuses on Financial & Operational Analytics and Strategic Initiatives to support our Executive Leadership Team. Reporting to Financial Planning & Analysis, this individual will provide detailed data analysis, budget modeling, and deep quantitative insights to support the company’s strategic mission and vision within a matrix organization.

Responsibilities

• Perform financial-operational analyses and develop metrics and financial/budget models with the Executive Leadership to help optimize business performance.
• Create new data-driven approaches to generate business insights through data analytics and information visualization.
• Lead high-level analytics discussions at the leadership level to inform strategic decision making and create business cases for process improvements across the company.
• Collect and analyze data to identify problems and opportunities for improvement.
• Identify and prepare/scrub relevant data sources for analysis of operational costs across corporate subsidiaries and functional areas.
• Take initiative in developing a training program to improve Controllers’ and Functional Heads’ understanding of data usage to enhance decision-making.
• Work with State Controllers to improve evaluation processes for municipal acquisition opportunities and legislative initiatives with ratemaking impact.
• Support the “Finance of the Future” vision by sharing knowledge and providing thought leadership on analytical techniques that can be used by finance staff and business partners to drive data-driven decisions.
• Assist with other tasks or projects, as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree (preferably in Finance, Accounting, Engineering, or a technical discipline); MBA and/or CFA is a plus.
• 5–10 years of professional experience in Finance, Accounting, Engineering, or an analyst-oriented role (preferably in a regulated utility environment).

Skills

• Expert computer skills, especially proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.) and other financial software applications.
• Experience with ERP systems; proficiency with SAP and SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC) is preferred.
• Intellectual curiosity to learn more about the business, a passion for data-driven decision making, and a willingness to think outside the box.
• Strong critical thinking skills: using logic and reasoning to analyze complex situations and evaluate alternative solutions.
• Investigative skills to research issues, interpret facts, and provide clear explanations both verbally and in writing.
• Strong work ethic and ability to perform well under pressure.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and adapt to changing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate clearly, concisely, and professionally with internal stakeholders.
• Team player with the ability to work effectively and multitask in a collaborative environment.
• Willingness to travel regularly (up to 35%) to work with subsidiaries across the Essential footprint.
• Deep commitment to integrity, a positive attitude, and a good sense of humor.

Interpersonal & Decision-Making Abilities

• Develops and maintains cooperative and professional relationships with employees and all levels of management, including representatives from other departments and organizations.
• Evaluates the best method of research and exercises sound judgment in establishing priorities and resolving complex matters.
• Considers the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Working Conditions

• Perform sedentary work—exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects (including the human body); sedentary work involves sitting most of the time.
• See, hear, talk, and perform tasks requiring manual dexterity.
• Operate standard office equipment.
• Working conditions may include travel to work sites of Essential Utilities and/or other constituents.