• SKILL LEVEL:
  • Proficient

Financial planning & analysis (FP&A) professional

Specialism: Financial management

What is a financial planning & analysis (FP&A) professional and what do they do?

Financial planning and analysis (FP&A) provides senior management with a forecast of the organisation's cash flow, profit and loss (income statement) and operating performance for the upcoming quarter and year. These forecasts inform management on the progress and effectiveness of the company’s strategic plans and investments. They also enable management to communicate with external stakeholders.

The role includes budgeting and forecasting, decision support and special projects such as mergers and acquisitions and capital allocations.

Capabilities

While the accountancy profession offers diverse career options and paths, the core capabilities required to perform at the highest standards remain the same - irrespective of skill level or job role.

Collaboration Digital Drive Ethics Expertise Insight Sustainability
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Continuing professional development at ACCA

A commitment to life-long learning is a vital part of your ACCA membership; it unlocks the full potential of your career choices - and drives forward the profession.

We deliver a wide range of CPD resources tailored to different areas of expertise - and an ever-changing profession. Our, and your, commitment to quality CPD ensures you will have the most up-to-date skills to perform at the highest standard. 

So, get started (or restarted) and take a look at our curated list of the most relevant CPD resources to secure and succeed in this role.

units 11

Online course

Performance management and financial modelling 10 course pack

This ten course pack from BPP will provide you with the skills needed to ensure you can comprehensively inform your organisation when decision making for the future, based on facts and data. Learn about metrics, using data to inform strategy and decision-making, analysing your success, and how to create high-quality financial models so you can confidently communicate this information back to your business. 

By completing this pack, you will gain a better understanding of:

  • how data can inform an organisation’s strategy
  • how to use data to turn the strategic vision into a reality, and the role you can play
  • the balanced scorecard
  • how to use Excel for financial modelling and the rules to follow for success.
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units 4

Online course

Certificate in data analytics (CertDA)

It’s essential for today’s businesses to use data to make informed decisions, improve efficiencies, reduce costs and lower risk. Data analytics create great value and assist in solving complex business issues, playing a vital role in business success.

ACCA’s Certificate in Data Analytics demystifies analytics and empowers you with the knowledge to make data-driven decisions.

The certificate is aimed at professionals who wish to enhance their careers by developing an understanding of data capabilities and the techniques available for data analytics.

This cost-effective online certificate aims to improve commercial decisions and uses real business examples to allow practical application of the content. Learners will also understand the need to be both sceptical and ethical, while working on data analysis, encouraging them to be critical thinkers.

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units 36

Online course

ACCA certificate in business analytics (CertBA)

With the increasing availability of broad and deep sources of information, so-called 'Big Data', business analytics is becoming an even more critical capability for enterprises of all types and all sizes. Applied in a wide range of functions - from operations and marketing to finance and strategic planning - organisations who successfully leverage business analytics use the data available to them to gain strategic insights and make better business decisions. ​

In this twelve-week course, build - or rebuild - your foundational insights in business analytics so you can identify, evaluate, and capture opportunities fast, make better predictions and estimates, and create value for your business.​​

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Find more CPD resources on ACCA Learning

How does the ACCA qualification prepare you for this job role?

From a combination of exams, ethics and experience, the ACCA Qualification will boost your employability and performance at every stage of your career journey.

Here we have listed some elements of the ACCA Qualification that will help you perform at the highest standard in this job role.

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Case study for this role

From AB magazine interview

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The view from Gomathi Subramanian ACCA

Financial reporting manager, World Health Organization, Malaysia
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