Associate R&D; Strategic Finance (FP&A;)

Location: Chennai
Function: Strategic Finance – R&D;
Work Schedule: 2:00 PM – 11:00 PM IST
Work Model: Hybrid

Toast is seeking an Associate of R&D; Strategic Finance to support financial reporting, forecasting, budgeting, and strategic planning for its Research & Development (R&D;) organization.

The role will work closely with R&D; leadership, Corporate Finance, and Talent Acquisition to manage headcount reporting and reconciliation, analyze budget versus actual performance, oversee vendor-related financial activities, and improve financial reporting processes through automation and standardization.

The ideal candidate will have strong FP&A; experience, advanced Excel skills, financial modeling capabilities, and the ability to translate complex financial data into actionable business insights.

Key Responsibilities

- Financial Planning & Analysis: Support monthly and quarterly financial close processes, including budget versus actual analysis, forecast updates, and financial reporting for the R&D; function.
- Headcount Planning & Reporting: Own R&D; headcount tracking, reporting, and reconciliation. Conduct trend analysis and collaborate with Finance, R&D; leadership, and Talent Acquisition to align resource planning with business priorities.
- Headcount Forecasting: Analyze headcount trends and workforce-related financial data to support resource planning, forecast accuracy, and financial decision-making.
- Budget Management: Analyze financial performance, investigate variances,



and prepare standard financial reporting packages with actionable insights for R&D; leadership.
- Vendor Financial Management: Manage financial reporting for the R&D; vendor portfolio, including purchase order (PO) and invoice reconciliation, variance analysis, and trend reporting.
- Financial Reporting & Analysis: Build and maintain reports using financial systems, tools, and datasets. Identify opportunities to improve reporting quality, analytical insights, and forecast accuracy.
- Financial Modeling & Data Analysis: Analyze large datasets, identify financial trends, and summarize complex information into clear recommendations and key takeaways.
- Process Improvement & Automation: Review existing financial processes and implement standardization and automation initiatives to reduce manual work and improve efficiency.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with R&D;, Corporate Finance, Talent Acquisition, and other stakeholders to support financial planning, reporting, and operational objectives.
- Strategic Support: Provide financial insights that support R&D; investment decisions, resource allocation, operational efficiency, and business priorities.

Required Qualifications

- 4+ years of relevant experience in FP&A;,



investment banking, consulting, private equity, business operations, or accounting.
- Strong financial analysis, modeling, budgeting, and forecasting skills.
- Experience with budget versus actual analysis, variance analysis, financial reporting, and trend analysis.
- Strong analytical skills and the ability to work with large datasets and convert complex information into actionable insights.
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets.
- Proficiency in Microsoft PowerPoint or Google Slides for financial presentations and reporting.
- Experience working with financial systems such as Workday, Adaptive, NetSuite, or similar platforms.
- Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and intellectual curiosity.
- Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional stakeholders in a fast-paced setting.
- Willingness to work from 2:00 PM to 11:00 PM IST.

Preferred Candidate Profile

- Direct, in-house FP&A; experience supporting an internal business function.
- Experience managing R&D; or technology organization budgets and financial reporting.
- Hands-on ownership of headcount planning, headcount forecasting, headcount pacing, and headcount reconciliation.
- Experience partnering with Talent Acquisition and business leaders on workforce planning.
- Experience analyzing personnel costs, resource allocation, vendor spending, and budget variances.
- Experience improving financial processes through automation and standardization.

📌 Associate Strategic Finance (FP&A) (Chennai)
🏢 Toast
📍 Chennai