Budget Analyst Renewable Operations

Southern Company - Bainbridge, GA

Full-time - Mid Level

Bainbridge, GA

Utilities

About the position

The Budget Analyst - Renewable Operations position at Southern Company involves two distinct roles focused on financial management within the renewable energy sector. The first role supports the self-perform Wind fleet, which encompasses ten sites, while the second role is dedicated to a third-party operated fleet of 15 Solar and Wind sites, including three self-perform solar sites in Central Texas. The primary responsibility of the Budget Analyst is to develop, implement, and maintain both Operations & Maintenance (O&M) and Capital accounting, budgeting, and reporting processes for the current year and long-range budgets for these facilities. This role is crucial for ensuring financial accuracy and accountability across multiple renewable energy sites. The Budget Analyst will report directly to the Wind Fleet General Manager or a Renewable Region Manager, depending on the specific position. Key responsibilities include capital and O&M budget creation, ownership, and reporting for multiple facilities, as well as monthly and year-end reforecasting, actuals review, and variance explanations to both functional and executive management. The analyst will also prepare monthly accruals for submission to accounting and act as a liaison between various teams, including Operations, Finance, and Accounting, to ensure seamless communication and collaboration. In addition to these core responsibilities, the Budget Analyst will be involved in understanding and managing various types of contracts, such as Long Term Service Agreements and Power Purchase Agreements, and will be responsible for invoice coding and reconciliation. The role also includes supporting large-scale projects affecting the fleet, such as wind repowering and site acquisition, and participating actively in the Budget Operations Review Board representing Renewable Operations. The position requires a proactive approach to identifying and leading opportunities for continuous improvement and sharing best practices within the team.

Responsibilities

• Capital and O&M budget creation, ownership and reporting responsibility for multiple facilities
• Monthly and year-end reforecasting, actuals review, and variance explanations to functional and executive management on a routine basis
• Preparation of monthly accruals for submittal to accounting
• Liaison between Operations and SPC Finance and Accounting
• Liaison between Operations and Partnerships Team
• Liaison between Operations, Property Accounting and SPC Financial Planning for Long Term Service Agreements (LTSA's)
• Understand and work with multiple types of contracts for multiple facilities
• Invoice coding and reconciliation
• Support large-scale projects affecting the fleet, such as wind repowering and site acquisition
• Receiving materials and services, review packing slips, file paperwork
• Active membership in the Budget Operations Review Board representing Renewable Operations
• Support and back up other budget analysts and overall Renewables Financial Plan
• Timekeeping and Expenses Subject Matter Expert
• Miscellaneous administrative duties in support of site personnel and management
• Identifying and leading opportunities for continuous improvement and sharing best practices

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance strongly preferred
• Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) required
• 5 or more years of relevant experience is strongly preferred
• Experience in budgeting, accounting, and/or finance is required
• Working knowledge of Enterprise Foundation systems and tools
• Experience with Microsoft Office Suite with proven focus on Excel and PowerPoint
• Knowledge of data analytics platforms is a plus (i.e., Tableau, PowerBI, Oracle Analytics)
• Knowledge of financial principles such as net income, earnings per share, cash flow analysis
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Demonstrated accuracy and attention to detail across multiple work assignments
• Strong verbal and written communication skills to effectively communicate at all levels within the organization

Nice-to-haves

• Knowledge of Southern Company budgeting principles a plus
• Ability to review budget/actual/forecast variances and provide assessment analysis based on trends
• Ability to understand and work with multiple types of contracts for multiple sites
• Ability to review invoices for accuracy

Benefits

• Relocation assistance