Financial Analyst with 4 years of experience in budgeting, forecasting and variance analysis for a $600M consumer products manufacturer. Built a driver-based forecast model that cut forecast error from 8% to 3% on quarterly gross margin. Brings strong Excel and SQL modeling, clear commentary for business partners and a disciplined monthly close cadence.
Experience
Financial Analyst, Cedar Hollow Brands (Cincinnati, OH)
Jan 2023 – Present
Own monthly variance analysis for 3 product lines totaling $240M in revenue, presenting findings to brand directors
Built a driver-based gross margin forecast that cut quarterly forecast error from 8% to 3%
Modeled the business case for a $4.5M packaging line, approved with a projected 2.6-year payback
Automated weekly sales flash reporting with SQL and Power BI, saving 6 hours a week
Financial Analyst I, Queensgate Bank (Cincinnati, OH)
Jul 2022 – Dec 2022
Prepared branch profitability reports for 45 locations
Reconciled monthly expense accruals for the retail banking division
Finance Intern, Cedar Hollow Brands (Cincinnati, OH)
Jun 2021 – Aug 2021
Analyzed trade promotion spend for 2 retail customers, identifying $300k in unclaimed deductions
Education
B.S. in Business, Finance and Accountancy, Miami University (Aug 2018 – May 2022)
Skills
Financial Analysis: budgeting, forecasting, variance analysis, business cases, NPV and IRR
Tools: Excel (advanced modeling), SQL, Power BI, SAP S/4HANA, Adaptive Planning
Accounting: GAAP fundamentals, accruals, month-end close support
Certifications: CFA Level I Candidate
How to write a Financial Analyst resume
A strong Financial Analyst resume shows accuracy, risk reduction and the financial or legal outcomes you were accountable for. Put your most relevant recent role first and make every bullet show a result, not a duty.
Sections, in order
Summary
Experience
Education
Skills
Certifications
Length: One page for most candidates; move to two only if every line is relevant.
Summary: Write two or three lines: your role, your strongest skills, and one result that proves them.
Skills to feature
Financial modeling
FP&A
GAAP or IFRS
Audit and controls
Excel and SQL
ERP systems (NetSuite, SAP)
Contract drafting and review
Regulatory compliance
Risk assessment
Stakeholder reporting
Example bullet points
Shortened the monthly close from 10 to 5 business days by automating reconciliations in NetSuite
Built the three-statement model used in a $40M Series C, keeping forecast variance under 3%
Negotiated 120 vendor and customer contracts a year, cutting average review time from 9 to 4 days
Tips from recruiters
List licences and qualifications (CPA, CFA, bar admission) prominently; they are often hard filters.
Use a conservative, single-column layout; finance and legal readers value precision over style.
Quantify the scale you handled: revenue, assets, deal value or number of matters.
Recommended templates
Ledger (ATS-friendly): moderncv banking: accent name, bold dates on the right
Ivy (ATS-friendly): Harvard-style Times layout with centered headings
Classic (ATS-friendly): Jake's-style LaTeX classic: small caps and hairline rules
Financial Analyst resume FAQ
What should a Financial Analyst resume include?
A Financial Analyst resume should show accuracy, risk reduction and the financial or legal outcomes you were accountable for. Use these sections in this order: Summary, Experience, Education, Skills and Certifications. Put your most relevant recent role first and make every bullet show a result, not a duty.
What is the best resume template for a Financial Analyst?
Ledger, Ivy and Classic work well for Financial Analyst roles. They are single-column with standard headings, so applicant tracking systems (ATS) parse them reliably.
How long should a Financial Analyst resume be?
One page for most candidates; move to two only if every line is relevant.
Which skills should a Financial Analyst put on a resume?
Prioritize the skills named in the job posting. Common ones for Financial Analyst roles are Financial modeling, FP&A, GAAP or IFRS, Audit and controls, Excel and SQL and ERP systems (NetSuite, SAP).
How do I write strong Financial Analyst resume bullet points?
Start with an action verb, say what you did, and end with a measurable result such as close time, forecast variance and savings. For example: "Shortened the monthly close from 10 to 5 business days by automating reconciliations in NetSuite."