AI Ecosystem Strategic Planning & Budgeting Manager

The Strategic Planning & Budgeting Manager plays a critical role in driving financial discipline and operational excellence across the organization. This role is responsible for leading financial planning, forecasting, and strategic alignment efforts in close partnership with Finance and cross-functional teams. The successful candidate will ensure the organization's financial health and readiness through structured planning processes, annual financial planning process (STAMP) coordination, and proactive budget management.

Responsibilities:

• Budget Management: Lead the end-to-end budgeting process, including stakeholder input collection, data consolidation, and tracking of actuals Vs plan. Provide timely updates and visibility to leadership, offering insights and recommendations to rationalize the plan.
• Forecasting: Develop and maintain rolling forecasts in collaboration with Finance and business leads. Deliver variance analysis and actionable insights to support decision-making.
• Financial Planning Process: Drive annual financial planning process (STAMP) process by coordinating inputs, aligning with strategic priorities, and ensuring timely submissions and reviews.
• Finance Interface: Act as the primary liaison with Finance, ensuring alignment on financial targets, reporting requirements, and compliance. Facilitate regular syncs and reporting to maintain transparency and accountability.
• Operational Cadence & Reporting: Establish and manage a regular business management cadence (e.g., monthly reviews, QBRs) to monitor progress against financial and operational goals.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Strategy, Product, and Delivery teams to ensure financial and operational plans are aligned with business objectives. Support scenario planning and ad hoc analysis as needed
• The ideal candidate will have a strong background in financial planning, business operations, and cross-functional collaboration. They should be comfortable working in a fast-paced, matrixed environment and possess excellent analytical and communication skills. Experience with enterprise planning tools, financial modeling, and stakeholder management is essential. The candidate should also be comfortable presenting at the executive level, effectively communicating complex insights and recommendations.

Success in this role depends on the ability to synthesize complex data into actionable insights, influence without authority, and drive alignment across diverse teams. The candidate should be proactive, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple priorities with a strategic mindset.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business Administration, Economics, or a related field
• 8+ years of experience in financial planning, budgeting, or business operations within a complex, matrixed organization

• Strong understanding of financial principles, forecasting methodologies, and strategic planning frameworks
• Proven ability to lead large-scale planning processes and collaborate cross-functionally
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and financial modeling; experience with enterprise planning tools (e.g., Anaplan, SAP, Oracle) is a plus
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels
• Strong business acumen, analytical thinking, and attention to detail
• Experience working with global teams and navigating diverse business environments
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with shifting priorities