Job Purpose
Panera, LLC is a leader in the specialty bakery-café space, known for our commitment to quality, innovation, and community. We are seeking a highly analytical and results-oriented Director, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) to join our Planning team. This role is a strategic partner to our Supply Chain leadership, leveraging data-driven insights to forecast and optimize food cost and performance across our bakery-cafés.
Duties & Responsibilities
- Strategic Business Partnership: Serve as a trusted financial advisor to the Supply Chain Leadership Team, delivering actionable insights and recommendations that influence key business decisions.
- Financial Planning & Forecasting: Lead the planning and forecasting processes for supply chain and inflation, playing a pivotal role in the annual budgeting cycle and long-range planning.
- Advanced Analytics & Modeling: Develop and maintain robust financial models to evaluate performance, identify trends, and uncover opportunities for efficiency and growth.
- Reporting & Visualization: Design and deliver impactful weekly and monthly reporting packages using advanced data visualization tools to communicate performance metrics and business drivers.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with cross-functional teams to support strategic initiatives, ensuring alignment between financial goals and operational execution.
- Technology & Process Innovation: Champion the adoption of emerging tools and technologies to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of financial reporting and planning processes.
- Executive Communication: Present key findings and strategic insights to senior leadership in both scheduled and ad hoc forums, influencing high-level decision-making.
Qualifications (Education & Experience)
Education & Experience:
- MBA with 3+ years of experience in corporate finance, FP&A, investment banking, consulting, or a related field; or
- Bachelor’s degree with 5+ years of relevant experience.
Technical Proficiency:
- Advanced Excel skills and experience with financial modeling.
- Familiarity with planning, dashboard, and data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau, Anaplan).
Analytical Excellence:
- Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving capabilities.
- Demonstrated ability to analyze complex data sets and translate findings into clear, actionable insights.
Leadership & Communication:
- Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with a proven ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
- Strong sense of ownership, accountability, and a collaborative mindset.
Personal Attributes:
- High attention to detail, intellectual curiosity, and a proactive, “can-do” attitude.
- The ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with shifting priorities.
Working Conditions
- Required travel – 0%.
- While performing this job, the incumbent is regularly required to stand, sit, talk, hear & use hands and fingers to operate keyboards.
Direct Reports
- This position will have approximately 1 direct report.
Competitive Pay $155,477 - $186,572 annually
The actual pay offered will be determined by multiple factors, including but not limited to the candidate’s relevant experience, job-related knowledge, skills, and geographical location. Individual compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate.
Newton Support CenterSkills Required
- MBA or Bachelor's degree with relevant experience
- Experience in corporate finance, FP&A, or consulting
- Advanced Excel skills
- Familiarity with data visualization tools
- Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving capabilities
- Exceptional communication skills
What We Do
Panera began in 1987 as St. Louis Bread Company, a humble community bakery founded with a sourdough starter from San Francisco and a dream of putting a loaf of bread in every arm. While our business has expanded well beyond St. Louis since then, that same sourdough starter is still used in our iconic sourdough bread and the craft of baking bread fresh each day remains at the heart of Panera Bread. Each day, our trained bakers fill our bakery shelves with delicious freshly baked cookies, pastries, bagels, and a range of breads from focaccia to classic baguettes. We believe in serving delicious, freshly prepared, clean food made with carefully selected ingredients that we are proud to serve our own families. Our menu, crafted by chefs and bakers, features classic, comforting dishes, each with an intriguing twist. We respect our planet and take measures to lessen our impacts. We believe in treating people with warmth, kindness, and respect, whether it’s a guest in our cafe or one of our associates. And we believe in helping our local communities, especially in times of need. We’re also focused on improving quality and convenience. With investments in technology and operations, we offer omni-channel access to your Panera favorites – like mobile ordering, catering, and Rapid Pick-Up® for to-go orders, Curbside pick-up and delivery – all designed to make things easier for our guests. Today, Panera operates as both Panera Bread® or Saint Louis Bread Co St. Louis Bread Company in 48 states, the District of Columbia and Canada. Panera Bread is privately held by JAB Holding Company. Panera Bread is part of Panera Brands, one of the largest fast-casual restaurant platforms in the U.S., comprised of Panera Bread®, Caribou Coffee® and Einstein Bros.® Bagels.
