The Strategic Role of
FP&A Professional
Level 1: Found tion l Course
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Purpose
Understand the critical Explore the responsibilities,
role of FP&A in modern challenges, and
organisations . opportunities in FP&A.
Learning Objectives
Understand FP&A’s position
De ne FP&A and outline its within the organisational structure.
primary functions.
Identify the key technical and
non-technical skills required
Recognise FP&A’s strategic
Lay the foundation for advanced
contributions to business
FP&A concepts and certi cations.
decision-making
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Overview of FP&A
A forward-looking nance
Supports strategic business
Identifying risks and
Providing actionable insights.
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Top FP&A Challenges
Key Issues
Poor measurability of Lack of e ective Upskilling across nancial
forecast performance scenario planning and strategic domains
• Di culty in evaluating the • Di culty in preparing for
• Increasing demand for
accuracy of forecasts. advanced nancial,
uncertainties.
• Limited accountability for • Inability to adapt quickly to analytical, strategic, and
nancial outcomes. organisational skills.
changing market
• Skills gap in leveraging
modern tools and
processes.
Solutions to Address These Challenges
• Focus on time and effort for building robust frameworks.
• Invest in the right people, processes, and technologies.
• Enable continuous learning and upskilling.
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What is FP&A and Why is it
Important?
What is FP&A?
FP&A is a corporate function that manages, understands, and interprets nancial data
provides insights for strategic decision-making and problem-solving.
Key Bene ts of FP&A:
Ensures business leaders have the data to make informed decisions & Drive growth and
change e ectively.
Reduces risks through evidence-based decisions
Identi es opportunities to improve performance and e ciency.
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Why FP&A is Critical
Many CFOs regard FP&A as one of the most vital functions within a business;
However, it is often perceived as underperforming, not just within nance but across the
entire organization.
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How CFO, Controller, and FP&A Work Together
Compliance and reporting
Financial statements
Liaison for audits and taxes
Scenario planning & forecasting
Budgeting & analysis
Collaboration across departments
Traditional Focus vs. Modern Focus
Compliance and Reporting: Strategic Insights:
Compliance Focused on ensuring accurate nancial statements Emphasis on providing actionable insights to guide Strategy
and adhering to regulations. business decisions.
Driven Driven
Manual Processes: Automation and AI:
Routine tasks like data entry, reconciliations, and Use of ERP systems and AI to handle routine tasks,
report generation dominated. freeing up resources for strategic activities.
Historical Analysis: Forward-Looking Analysis:
Relied on analyzing past nancial performance to Focused on forecasting, scenario planning, and
explain results. "what-if " analysis to prepare for the future.
Departmental Silos: Cross-Functional Collaboration:
Limited collaboration with other business units, Actively partners with operations, marketing, and
creating fragmented decision-making. sales to align nancial strategies with business goals.
Risk Avoidance: Opportunity Identi cation:
Prioritized minimizing risks by adhering strictly to Identi es growth opportunities and supports
rules and regulations. expansion, acquisitions, and market entry.
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How FP&A Connects Strategy and Operations
The Core Functions of
Financial Teams
What Does the Accounting Team Do?
Ensuring Compli nce nd Fin nci l Accur cy
Record Keeping: Maintains accurate and up-to-date nancial records
Custodianship: Safeguards the organisations nancial assets
Accounts Receivable/Payable: Manages invoices, payments, and cash ows
Budgeting & Reporting: Prepares budgets and ensures compliance with nancial
plans
Taxes and Compliance: Ensures adherence to tax regulations and other legal
standards
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What Does the FP&A Team Do?
Driving Str tegy Through An lysis
Strategic Planning: Aligns nancial strategies with business objectives
Business Modelling: Evaluates opportunities and risks for expansion and innovation
Forecasting and Projections: Prepares data-driven nancial forecasts
Risk Management: Identi es and mitigates potential nancial risks
Transactions and M&A: Supports mergers, acquisitions, and other strategic
nancial activities.
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Interactive Exercise
"You are the CFO of a growing organization. You’ve received a
report indicating challenges in compliance, forecasting, and
strategic alignment. How would you delegate tasks across the
Controller and FP&A teams to address these challenges?"
Planning: Setting the Stage
Annual Budgets Scenario planning Cash ow Monitoring
Forecast Adjustments Expense tracking Goal Alignment
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Analyzing: Unlocking the Power of Data
Trend Analysis Cost Optimisation KPI Monitoring
Pro tability Reviews Predictive Insights Recommendation
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Reporting: Turning Numbers into Narratives
Dashboards Executive Summaries Financial Performance
Tailored Reports Operational Tracking Channel Pro tability
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Strategizing: Solving Financial Puzzles
Risk Management Capital Investments Modelling
M &A Restructuring Real Estate
The Financial Control Tower
FP&A - The Strategic Hub
FP&A
FP&A
FP&A - The Strategic Hub
FP&A
How the Financial Control Tower Operates
Turning D t into Str tegic Action
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The Power of the Financial Control Tower
Impact Across Departments
Boosting revenue focus with Aligning budgets with hiring
forecasts and insights and retention goals.
Maximising ROI with data- Uncovering savings in vendor
driven campaign analysis and spending analysis
FP&A
Delivering insights for Prioritising innovation with
strategic leadership decisions ROI-driven insights.
Ensuring compliance and Enhancing ef ciency through
accurate nancial reporting resource optimization
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FP&A as a Strategic Partner
The Role of FP&A in Building Partnerships
Aligning Vision with Action
Aligns
departmental
objectives with the
company’s` vision,
ensuring every
team contributes to
shared success.
Turning D t into Decisions
Aligns Transforms
departmental complex data into
objectives with the actionable insights,
company’s` vision, customised for
ensuring every each team’s needs
team contributes to
shared success.
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Prep ring for Every Scen rio
Aligns Transforms Prepares for risks
departmental complex data into and opportunities
objectives with the actionable insights, with adaptable
company’s` vision, customised for plans for any
ensuring every each team’s needs situation
team contributes to
shared success.
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Bridging Te ms for Imp ct
Aligns Transforms Prepares for risks Bridges gaps
departmental complex data into and opportunities between teams,
objectives with the actionable insights, with adaptable fostering
company’s` vision, customised for plans for any collaboration and
ensuring every each team’s needs situation eliminating
team contributes to inef ciencies
shared success.
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Bridging Te ms for Imp ct
Aligns Transforms Prepares for risks Bridges gaps Tracks
departmental complex data into and opportunities between teams, performance,
objectives with the actionable insights, with adaptable fostering re nes strategies,
company’s` vision, customised for plans for any collaboration and and ensures
ensuring every each team’s needs situation eliminating alignment across
team contributes to inef ciencies departments.
shared success.
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Key Roles & Responsibilities
Connecting Strategy, Data, and Execution
Aligning Vision with Fin nci l Go ls
Strategic planning is
about charting a clear
course for the future,
aligning nancial
goals with
organisational vision,
and ensuring every
decision supports
long-term success.
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Building Dyn mic Fin nci l Blueprint
Budgeting and
forecasting ensure
agility and alignment,
creating a robust
nancial framework.
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N vig ting Uncert inty with Con idence
Scenario analysis
equips organisations
with the tools to
prepare for the
unexpected, ensuring
agility and resilience
in an ever-changing
world.
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From D t to Str tegic Decisions
FP&A transforms
data into clear,
actionable insights,
enabling leaders to
make informed
decisions that drive
growth and mitigate
risks.
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Keeping Finger on the Pulse
Real-time monitoring
ensures teams stay
proactive, aligned,
and focused on
achieving success.
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Aligning Te ms with Fin nci l Objectives
Effective
collaboration ensures
seamless alignment
between teams,
enabling stronger
nancial outcomes
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Future-Proo ing FP&A’s Role
By leveraging
cutting-edge tools
and adapting to
trends, FP&A stays
ahead in driving
strategic growth.
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Key Roles & Responsibilities of FP&A Professional
How Companies Bene t
from a Formal FP&A
Function
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Exploring Agility, Pro it bility, nd Str tegic Resilience
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FP&A in Di erent Comp ny Sizes
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From Reactive to Proactive Finance
The Future of FP&A
Technology Meets Str tegic Insight
Leveraging AI and machine learning for real-time data processing
Blending technical expertise with storytelling & strategic advisory
The future FP&A professional is a data scientist, strategist,
& communicator
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Key Skills for FP&A
Professionals
FP&A Skills for Strategic Excellence
Together, these skills
drive organisational
strategy and success.
Technical Skills
Building the B ckbone of Fin nci l An lysis
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Non - technical Skills
Turning Insights into Action
Course Summary
Your Journey Through FP&A
A Ro dm p of Discovery nd Growth
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FP&A isn’t just a job
it’s a cra , and you are its master
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