Torchora
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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Finance Intern

💰 $20 - $35 / hour

FinanceInternshipAccountingEntry-LevelCorporate Finance

🎯 Role Definition

Are you a numbers-savvy, detail-oriented student or recent graduate eager to launch your career in finance? This role requires a motivated and proactive Finance Intern to join our world-class finance department. This is not your typical coffee-and-copies internship. You will be an integral part of our team, contributing to critical financial processes and strategic projects that directly impact the business. You'll gain invaluable hands-on experience in financial planning and analysis (FP&A), accounting, and corporate finance, working alongside seasoned professionals who are invested in your growth and development. This role is perfect for a candidate who is passionate about translating data into actionable insights and is ready to tackle complex challenges in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Undergraduate students pursuing a degree in Finance, Accounting, or a related business field.
  • Recent graduates with a Bachelor's or Master's degree.
  • Students with strong analytical skills from quantitative fields like Economics or Statistics.

Advancement To:

  • Financial Analyst / Junior Financial Analyst
  • Staff Accountant
  • Full-time position in a Financial Leadership Development Program (FLDP)

Lateral Moves:

  • Business Intelligence Analyst
  • Data Analyst
  • Rotational program participant in other business units like Operations or Strategy.

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Assist in the preparation of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting packages, including variance analysis of actual results versus budget, forecast, and prior year.
  • Support the annual budgeting and rolling forecast processes by gathering and consolidating data from various business units and updating financial models.
  • Develop and maintain complex financial models in Excel to support valuation, forecasting, and ad-hoc strategic initiatives.
  • Conduct in-depth analysis of financial statements (P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow) to identify trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
  • Participate in the month-end closing process, including the preparation of journal entries, account reconciliations, and accruals.
  • Analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) and operational metrics to understand business drivers and performance trends.
  • Prepare compelling presentations and dashboards for senior management and executive leadership to communicate financial results and strategic recommendations.
  • Perform industry research and competitor analysis to benchmark performance and identify market trends impacting the business.
  • Assist in evaluating the financial viability of capital expenditure projects by conducting ROI and NPV analysis.
  • Support the corporate development team by assisting with financial due diligence for potential mergers and acquisitions (M&A).
  • Collaborate with the Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable teams to understand working capital dynamics and improve cash flow forecasting.
  • Help streamline and automate financial reporting processes to enhance efficiency and accuracy using advanced Excel functions and other software tools.
  • Partner with cross-functional teams, including Sales, Marketing, and Operations, to provide financial insights that support their strategic objectives.
  • Update and maintain the integrity of financial data within our ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, NetSuite) and planning software.
  • Assist with internal and external audit requests by providing necessary documentation and explanations for financial transactions.
  • Monitor and analyze operating expenses, identifying areas for cost savings and operational efficiencies.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis to answer pressing business questions from leadership.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy by helping to identify and validate new data sources for financial analysis.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate their data and reporting needs into clear requirements for the finance and BI teams.
  • Participate in sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and other agile ceremonies as part of project-based work.
  • Document financial processes, models, and workflows to create a knowledge base for the finance team.
  • Contribute to special projects aimed at process improvement and systems implementation within the finance department.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Advanced Microsoft Excel Proficiency: Mastery of VLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH, Pivot Tables, SUMIFS, and experience building three-statement financial models from scratch.
  • Financial Acumen: Strong understanding of core accounting principles (GAAP) and financial statement analysis (Income Statement, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow).
  • Financial Modeling & Valuation: Foundational knowledge of valuation methodologies (DCF, Comps) and forecasting techniques.
  • Data Analysis: Ability to work with large datasets to extract meaningful insights and identify trends.
  • Presentation Skills: Proficiency in Microsoft PowerPoint or Google Slides to create clear, concise, and compelling presentations for management.
  • ERP System Familiarity: Exposure to enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems like SAP, Oracle, or NetSuite is a significant plus.
  • BI & Visualization Tools (Preferred): Experience with or a strong desire to learn data visualization tools such as Tableau or Power BI.

Soft Skills

  • Analytical & Critical Thinking: Exceptional ability to dissect complex problems, analyze data critically, and formulate logical, data-driven conclusions.
  • Attention to Detail: Meticulous approach to work, ensuring accuracy and precision in financial models, reports, and analyses.
  • Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex financial concepts to non-financial stakeholders.
  • Proactive & Eager to Learn: A self-starter attitude with a strong intellectual curiosity and a genuine desire to learn about our business and industry.
  • Time Management & Organization: Proven ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines effectively in a fast-paced environment.
  • Teamwork & Collaboration: A collaborative spirit with the ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a high-performing team.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Currently enrolled and actively pursuing a Bachelor's degree from an accredited university. Must have completed sophomore or junior year.

Preferred Education:

  • Currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Finance (MSF), MBA, or a Master's in Accounting.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Finance
  • Accounting
  • Economics
  • Business Administration

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 0-2 years

Preferred:

  • Previous internship experience in a corporate finance, investment banking, public accounting, or a related analytical role.
  • Relevant project work, case competition experience, or leadership roles in student finance/investment clubs.
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