Accounting Expense Analyst II - FP&A at Protective

This role is ideal for a mid-level finance or accounting professional with at least two years of experience who enjoys the "detective work" behind the numbers.

Work type: hybrid

Location: Birmingham, AL

Salary: $63,500 – $80,000/yr

Type: Full-time

Summary

This role is ideal for a mid-level finance or accounting professional with at least two years of experience who enjoys the "detective work" behind the numbers. You should have a strong grasp of general ledger systems and a high level of comfort managing complex data sets. If you are someone who likes the structure of monthly and quarterly cycles but also wants to improve how processes work, this position offers a direct path into corporate FP&A. This is a hybrid position based in Birmingham, AL, offering a salary range of $63,500 – $80,000. It provides a great balance of technical accounting (journal entries and reconciliations) and strategic analysis (budgeting and forecasting). You’ll get hands-on experience with institutional-grade tools like SAP and Anaplan, making it a strong career move for those looking to deepen their corporate finance expertise. **You might be a good fit if you:** * Are an Excel power user who loves pivot tables and complex formulas. * Have experience with expense allocations and variance analysis. * Enjoy translating dense financial data into clear stories for business leaders. * Live in or are willing to commute to Birmingham for a hybrid schedule.

Job Description

The work we do has an impact on millions of lives, and you can be a part of it.
We help protect our customers against life’s uncertainties. Regardless of where you work within the company, you’ll be helping provide protection and peace of mind when our customers need it most.

At Protective, the Accounting Expense Analyst II on our Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) team plays a key role in driving clear, accurate, and actionable financial insights across the organization. This position focuses on expense management, reporting, and analysis that support multiple business divisions, including Protection, Retirement, and Acquisitions. This role is a hybrid/in-person role reporting to our Birmingham, AL office.

In this role, you will work with complex data sets and translate financial activity into meaningful, easy-to-understand analysis for leaders. The ideal candidate is a detail-oriented accounting or finance professional who thrives in a deadline-driven environment and enjoys recurring monthly and quarterly cycles, while continuously improving processes and reporting along the way.

You will partner closely with FP&A, Accounting, and business leaders to ensure expenses are accurately captured, allocated, and explained—supporting better operational and strategic decision-making at Protective.

## Key Responsibilities

• Maintain, calculate, and execute monthly expense allocations.

• Conduct expense reviews to identify unusual variances and determine root causes.

• Prepare and present expense variance reports with clear analysis and commentary.

• Complete calculations of deferred acquisition costs (DAC).

• Produce unit cost reporting and provide insights that support operational decisions.

• Prepare journal entries with complete and accurate supporting documentation.

• Complete account reconciliations and ensure compliance with internal controls.

• Partner with FP&A, Accounting, and business leaders to resolve discrepancies and enhance reporting accuracy.

• Support annual budgeting and recurring forecasting cycles using Systems Applications and Products in Data Processing (SAP), Microsoft Excel, and Anaplan.

• Contribute to additional FP&A analyses, reporting enhancements, and process improvement initiatives.

• Advanced Microsoft Excel proficiency, including complex formulas, pivot tables and data analysis.

• Strong analytical and critical‑thinking skills with the ability to work with large and complex data sets.

• Knowledge of accounting principles, financial statements, expense classifications, and internal control practices.

• Ability to identify root causes behind financial variances and clearly explain trends.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in recurring monthly and quarterly cycles.

• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with cross‑functional teams.

• Strong communication skills with the ability to translate financial information for non‑financial audiences.

• Continuous improvement mindset with an interest in enhancing processes, spreadsheets, and reporting tools.

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.

• 2 years of relevant accounting, finance, or FP&A experience.

• Advanced Excel proficiency.

• Experience with general ledger/ERP systems.

• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.

• Effective interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to work across teams.

• Experience with SAP or Anaplan

• Understanding of expense allocation methodologies and cost analysis.

In this role, you will work with complex data sets and translate financial activity into meaningful, easy-to-understand analysis for leaders. The ideal candidate is a detail-oriented accounting or finance professional who thrives in a deadline-driven environment and enjoys recurring monthly and quarterly cycles, while continuously improving processes and reporting along the way.

You will partner closely with FP&A, Accounting, and business leaders to ensure expenses are accurately captured, allocated, and explained—supporting better operational and strategic decision-making at Protective.

View this job on nocollar jobs