Cash & Working Capital Finance Analyst (m/f/d)

Job summary

Location: Bochum

At bp, we have only one thing in mind: the energy of tomorrow. We want to rethink energy so that we are climate-neutral by 2050 at the latest. We are rethinking energy and relying on the expertise and passion of our approximately 70,000 employees worldwide, 4,600 of them in Germany. With the products and services of our bp, Aral and Castrol brands, they ensure energy and mobility for millions of people every day – today and in the future.

The Cash & WC Finance Analyst is responsible for driving Working Capital (WC) analysis and forecast of core performance data for European Fuels Supply & Midstream businesses to drive sustainable WC reduction and continuous improvements on forecasting accuracy. The role supports the European businesses and C&P by providing insights that inform decisions and ensure any financial implications are integrated into the forward view of operational in-year performance.

The Cash & WC Forecasting Analyst is also responsible for the performance management of WC Price effect analysis, the Crude, Feedstock, Product, and Intermediate Stocks, with a special emphasis on coordination of the sustainable WC improvement process incl. the identification and implementation of initiatives and optimization options to meet agreed targets and is responsible for the forecasting accuracy of the indirect taxes across the countries.

The Cash & WC Finance Analyst may be required to support project activities within the business, ensuring project financial data is reasonable and supports appropriate decision-making.

Your Tasks:

Planning

• Support and consolidate the annual planning process for the two-year planning horizon, ensuring plans are appropriately challenged and provides assurance to the Reporting & Cash Managers and Functional Lead.
• Conduct detailed rolling forecasts covering Working Capital environment, market and portfolio, communicating analysis, drawing insights, and highlighting areas where performance targets are not being met vs. strategic objectives and financial framework.
• Develop and continuously improve Forecasting model for the indirect taxes

• Partner with business stakeholders to analyse financial performance and articulate the underlying delivery vs. monthly forecast.
• Co-ordinate the capture, analysis and reporting of financial outcomes or plans including risks and variances in accordance with financial and control policies.
• Analyse price and stock impacts on WC and W/C changes and apply Rule of Thumb (RoT) for Europe and SA businesses
• Analyse indirect tax impact on WC and W/C changes split by price and volume impact
• Support business management on W/C decisions focused on short term cash optimization and delivering cash targets, W/C Trade off decisions and sustainable W/C reduction

• Engage with key stakeholders and assist in the preparation of financial reports, including month-end and quarter-end close for the business activities, as well as forecast and analysis to provide insights for the business providing relevant challenge and verification.
• Bridge the gap between financial reporting and business understanding by measuring and providing commentary on forecast variances to facilitate decision-making and ensure forecasts remain accurate and robust.

• Develop relationships with the wider Finance team and Business Leads to identify and enable simplification opportunities within the extended business.
• Coordinate interface with business controllers with technical WC questions, validate system data and reconciliation.

• Cover other Finance Analysts in case of unplanned absence or in peak workload periods.

• University degree in Finance/Accounting or more than 3 years of experience in Finance
• Knowledge of financial accounting according to IFRS
• Understanding of system controls, financial controls and risk assessment
• Fluent in English (Level C1) and German (verbal and written)
• Understanding of hydrocarbon downstream businesses (Refining, Supply, B2B, M&C)

• bp stands for agile working in a digitalised, team-oriented and international working environment
• Flexible and mobile working as well as 30 days of annual leave
• Attractive compensation package (company pension scheme, bonus and share programme, Aral fuel card, group accident insurance, various special benefits)
• International career and development opportunities as well as extensive internal and external training opportunities
• Structured onboarding programme and buddy support
• Subsidised canteen as well as hot drinks and water for free
• Commitment to society: bp doubles the donations made privately by employees to charitable organisations and rewards voluntary time commitment
• Employees can offset their personal carbon footprint; bp doubles this amount
• Programmes to improve the work-life balance