Financial Systems Analyst

Description

Easterseals Serving Chicagoland & Greater Rockford (ECR) provides exceptional services for children and adults with disabilities and other special needs so they can live, learn, work, and thrive in their communities. 

For more information about our organization, please visit us online at www.eastersealschicago.org.

The Financial Systems Analyst combines financial analysis, reporting, and business systems expertise to support effective financial management and decision-making across the organization. Under the leadership of the Senior Director of Finance, this role is responsible for the evaluation, implementation, maintenance, optimization, and ongoing administration of ECR’s financial and related enterprise systems. 

The position bridges Finance, Accounting, Programs, and IT to ensure financial systems are efficient, well-controlled, and aligned with organizational, operational, and compliance requirements. The Financial Systems Analyst builds models, dashboards, reports, and analytical tools, provides user training, and delivers insights that support financial performance, strategic planning, and continuous improvement.

This position is headquartered at Easterseals Chicago Location at 1939 W 13th Street, Chicago, IL 60608.  

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Financial Systems, Technology & Optimization

• Evaluate, select, implement, configure, and optimize financial and related business systems to meet evolving organizational needs.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for ECR’s financial systems, including general ledger, budgeting, forecasting, reporting, grants, and programmatic data systems.
• Understand, document, and translate business and reporting requirements into effective system configurations and solutions, in collaboration with Finance, Accounting, Programs, and IT.
• Assess software and system needs and identify enhancements, integrations, or new solutions to improve efficiency, accuracy, and access to financial data.
• Explain the benefits, risks, and potential return on investment of system changes or new implementations and make informed recommendations to leadership.
• Maintain and improve financial systems by configuring system settings, structures, and logic (e.g., chart of accounts, cost centers, allocations, reporting hierarchies).
• Develop, maintain, and document financial system processes, procedures, configurations, and internal control support materials.

Financial Analysis, Reporting & Decision Support

• Design, build, and maintain automated forecasts, budgets, financial reports, dashboards, and models to support operational, programmatic, and executive decision-making.
• Develop custom reports to meet the requirements of finance management and staff.
• Generate and analyze financial reports that support budgeting, forecasting, variance analysis, and strategic planning.
• Build and maintain organizational budgeting and forecasting processes by leveraging automated tools and financial models.
• Analyze operational and financial data to identify trends, variances, risks, and opportunities and recommend actions to management.
• Improve financial visibility and performance by monitoring results and supporting data-driven decision-making.
• Coordinate with members of the Finance & Accounting team to ensure accuracy, consistency, and efficiency in reporting and analytics.

Systems Support, Training & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Provide training, guidance, and ongoing support to Finance, Accounting, and program staff on the effective use of financial systems and reports.
• Serve as a liaison between Finance and IT to ensure system solutions align with business needs and technical standards.
• Provide expert knowledge and technical support related to automated financial systems and reporting tools.
• Partner with other departments to integrate financial systems with broader operational and business processes.
• Support cross-functional initiatives related to data integration, automation, and process improvement.

Other

• Assist with internal and external audits by providing system documentation, data extracts, reports, and analytical support as needed.
• Perform special projects, analyses, and other duties as assigned in support of organizational priorities.

Requirements

Education/Certification:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Information Systems, Business Analytics, Computer Science, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Experience Required:

• Three to five (3–5) years of experience evaluating, implementing, supporting, or optimizing finance and accounting systems.
• Experience with financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and analytical modeling.
• Extensive computer knowledge and experience including advanced experience in Microsoft Excel, accounting software optimization, financial planning & analysis tools, business intelligence and data visualization platforms, and business process automation.
• Experience in a nonprofit, grant-funded, healthcare, education, or human services environment preferred.

Skills/Abilities:

• Strong understanding of accounting and finance principles and how they are operationalized within financial systems.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including complex formulas, pivot tables, data analysis, and report automation.
• Proficiency with accounting and financial planning and analysis systems, reporting tools, data extraction, business intelligence platforms, and business process automation.
• Technical aptitude to manage and analyze financial data, support system enhancements, and work with relational datasets.
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to transform complex financial and operational data into actionable insights.
• Ability to identify system gaps or inefficiencies and implement practical, sustainable improvements.
• Excellent problem-solving, organizational, and documentation skills with strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical users.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities and work collaboratively across departments.
• Commitment to continuous learning, process improvement, and professional development.

Vehicle/Transportation Requirements:

• Valid driver’s license
• Auto insurance
• Reliable vehicle

ADA: Easterseals will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disability Act of 1990. Unless exempted by the Americans with Disabilities Act, all persons hired for this position are required to possess the ability to perform the physical tasks necessary to treat clients, i.e., bending, floor-sitting, etc., as well as to have the ability to lift up to 50 pounds frequently.