Senior Director of Financial Planning and Analysis

Department:  Finance / FP&A 

Location:  Hybrid (UA HQ - Scotts Valley, CA)

Universal Audio (UA) is a leader in the recording and audio technology industry, renowned for combining cutting-edge innovation with a deep passion for audio artistry. Our business is rapidly growing, and we are looking for an experienced FP&A leader to fulfill a dual role; firstly, as manager of the FP&A team to mentor, motivate and lead the FP&A team and raise the standard of business analysis at the company; and secondly, as an individual contributor, to help support and grow our Software business.

The Senior Director of FP&A will play a critical role in shaping and driving the financial strategy of UA's business. The successful candidate will provide actionable insights through financial modeling, forecasting, and performance tracking to drive data-informed decisions and ensure alignment with business goals. The ideal candidate has a strong analytical background, excellent modeling skills, and has a track record of delivering exceptional results in high-growth, data-driven businesses. 

----- As leader of the FP&A Team -----

Strategic Financial Planning:

• Develop and execute long-term financial strategies aligned with overall business objectives. 
• Lead the annual planning process. 
• Create and maintain complex financial models for scenario analysis and decision support. 

Financial Reporting and Analysis:

• Oversee the preparation of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial forecasts. 
• Conduct variance analysis to identify key performance drivers and areas for improvement. 
• Analyze financial data to identify trends, opportunities, and risks. 

Forecasting and Budgeting:

• Manage the forecasting process, including regular updates and adjustments based on market conditions. 
• Develop detailed budgets for business segments and functions. 
• Monitor performance against budget and forecast, providing insights to management. 

Team Leadership and Development:

• Lead and mentor the FP&A team. 
• Develop and implement training programs to enhance team capabilities. 
• Foster a culture of data-driven decision making within the FP&A team. 

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Partner with other departments to understand business drivers and align financial plans. 
• Provide financial expertise to support strategic initiatives and investment decisions. 

----- As an Individual Contributor -----

SaaS Financial Modeling & Reporting: 

• Build and maintain financial models to forecast subscription growth, revenue, customer acquisition costs, lifetime value, and churn. 
• Develop and monitor KPIs for SaaS performance, including MRR/ARR, net retention rate, and cohort analysis.
• Partner with data team to develop automated reports to help instrument the Software business

Cost Analysis 

• Establish and maintain a cost analysis framework for enhancing software margins. 
• Evaluate the impact of royalty structures and associated costs on current software margins.
• Pinpoint specific cost elements and royalty terms that influence profitability.
• Make recommendations and insights to product and commercial teams to improve profitability.

Product-Led Growth Analysis: 

• Partner with Product & digital teams to analyze customer behaviors, free-to-paid conversion rates, and usage metrics.
• Provide financial insights to support decision-making on feature prioritization and product launches. 

Price Sensitivity Analysis: 

• Analyze market research and perform data-driven analysis to determine optimal pricing strategies for software products. 
• Assess the financial impact of pricing changes on growth, retention, and profitability. 
• Analyze pricing promotions and subscription tiers to ensure alignment with revenue goals.

Growth & Performance Marketing Analysis: 

• Collaborate with Marketing teams to evaluate ROI on campaigns, acquisition channels, and promotions.
• Analyze performance data and provide insights to refine customer acquisition and retention strategies.
• Provide financial analysis on growth and performance marketing efforts tied to customer acquisition cost efficiency.

Scenario Planning & Strategic Support: 

• Create scenario models to evaluate the financial impact of growth initiatives, market shifts, or new product launches. 
• Partner with leadership to align financial goals with strategic objectives. 
• Collaborate with Finance and Product teams to ensure alignment between financial forecasts and product strategies.

Portfolio Planning & Product Roadmap: 

• Collaborate with Product and Engineering teams to assess the financial impact of development initiatives on subscription and perpetual software revenue. 
• Build models to estimate the ROI of new features, product enhancements, and software updates.
• Track and report on the realized financial outcomes of launched features compared to pre-development forecasts.
• Identify opportunities to optimize investment and resource allocation for development efforts to maximize ROI. 

Budgeting & Forecasting: 

• Support the budgeting process for the software business unit, ensuring alignment with overall company goals.
• Provide ongoing variance analysis and actionable recommendations to meet or exceed targets.
• Develop and maintain accurate revenue and expense forecasts for subscription and perpetual software sales. 

Qualifications: 

• Experience in leading and managing FP&A teams
• Expertise in SaaS metrics and product-led growth models.  
• Strong proficiency in Excel and financial modeling; experience with BI tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI). 
• Proven ability to work cross-functionally with Product, Marketing, and Leadership teams.
• Experience conducting price sensitivity analysis and working with growth/performance marketing data.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Education/Experience: 

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, economics, business, or a related field or equivalent work experience preferred.
• An MBA or CFA is a plus. 
• 5+ years of experience in FP&A, financial analysis, or similar roles, with a focus on SaaS or software B2C businesses.

UA Salary Range/Hourly Rate of Pay:  California Salary Range = $160K - $225K

Base salary/hourly rate of pay will be based on the cost of labor for the city/state in which the new hire resides, at the time of hire.

UA offers competitive benefits:  Profit sharing, Medical/Dental/Vision, 401K Safe Harbor Contribution, Stock Options, Flexible time-off (PTO/Sick Leave/Company Holiday Time-off), etc.

UA Mission:  We exist to thrill and inspire music makers everywhere with timeless sound and impeccable craftsmanship, freeing the songs inside and allowing you to sound like the records you love.

UA Vision:  In the future, music makers around the world will trust Universal Audio as a friend and creative partner, inspiring them to craft amazing records as naturally as playing their first instrument or singing their favorite song. The best home, project, and professional studios will feature most of the UA equipment from floor to ceiling — ranging from audio interfaces and guitar gear to microphones and software — all of it working together to deliver unrivaled sonics and operational symphony. Our customers will eagerly await each new UA product like a hit record or blockbuster movie, trusting that it may spark them to create the best music of their lives. In doing so, UA will become revered worldwide as the way that music is made.

Universal Audio is an equal employment opportunity employer. Our policy is not to discriminate against any applicant or employee based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, mental or physical disability, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable law. UA also prohibits harassment of applicants or employees based on these protected categories.