Director - Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)

Skyward Specialty is a property and casualty insurance holding company formed in 2007. Based in Houston, Texas, and with staff throughout the country, Skyward Specialty provides admitted and non-admitted solutions to retail and wholesale distributors, managing general agents and captive markets. We have built highly respected businesses in specialty lines including management liability, professional liability, medical stop loss, surety, E&S property and liability, and large commercial property, as well as multi-line solutions for the energy, trucking, and construction industries.

At Skyward Specialty, we approach this business differently. In fact, we’re different from most others in our industry in just about every way. We have the spirit of a start-up with the security of over $1.7 billion in Written Premium. We put immense brain power and energy into finding greater insights to uncover better opportunities for our clients, partners, and people. We think at a higher level, so they can succeed at a higher level.

We are committed to a Diverse Workforce

Skyward Specialty is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, nativity, neurodiversity, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. For more information about us please visit www.skywardinsurance.com

The Director of FP&A is a key member of the Accounting and Finance team who will partner with both business and functional leaders in providing business results, projections, modeling, and actionable data supporting key business and strategic decisions.  

Essential Responsibilities

• Continuously engages with business/functional leaders to understand business drivers impacting financial results and provide timely and relevant analysis in support of business decisions and initiatives
• Proactively provides transparent and frequent financial updates and actionable insights for business and functional leaders
• Drives end-to-end planning, budgeting, and forecasting process across a division/staff function, including all inputs and drivers within the planning tool
• Develops the annual plan, associated budgets, and forecasts for a division/staff function, supported by an FP&A team
• Prepare, review, and distribute monthly/quarterly comparisons of the budget to actual results and prior year actual results to the current year, together with variance explanations for consolidated, divisional and departmental results
• Oversee the maintenance and further development of robust monthly/quarterly reporting packages that provide for timely and reliable financial and operational information supporting internal decision-making processes, quarterly business reviews and strategic reviews, including analytics that accompany the financial reports
• Support decision making and accurate planning through the creation and development of financial models, in support of due diligence efforts and valuations, including goodwill
• Engages key internal stakeholders, including other members of the Finance & Accounting organization along with functional counterparts, to keep abreast of changes in market landscape and advise on potential implications to the business
• Supports ad hoc analysis and special projects, as required
• Promote a culture of personal responsibility/accountability and open communication 
• Ensure fair and ethical policies and practices in all relationships and operations
• Oversee the administration of the budgeting and financial reporting software
• Other duties as assigned                                                                                            

• Minimum Four (4) year degree from an accredited institution in Accounting, Finance, or similar
• 10+ years of experience with data modeling, planning, forecasting, analysis, and budgeting
• Must have Property & Casualty insurance experience
• CPA highly preferred

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Expert verbal and written communication skills
• A highly organized individual is required
• Ability to manage people and possess good interpersonal skills
• Must have strong decision making and leadership skills
• Must be able to see the big picture while having an exceptionally detail-oriented focus
• Ability to meet deadlines and work well under pressure in a fast paced environment
• Should be a proactive self-starter
• Must be able to work irregular hours when required to complete tasks by deadlines
• Experience managing multiple priorities with ability to make changes when needed
• Require broad conceptual judgment, initiative and ability to deal with complex issues
• Exercises initiative; demonstrates adaptability, service motivation, respects the differences of others, and accepts personal responsibility
• Ability to select and implement appropriate software to ensure accurate and timely forecasting and reporting