FP&A Lead Analyst

Role overview

FP&A Lead Analyst at Merck

Beyond technical competence, success in this role depends on how the work gets done.

Responsibilities

• Work Your Magic with us!
• Lead the annual headcount planning, budgeting, and forecasting process.
• Prepare monthly management reports and explain key variances and cost drivers.
• Support workforce scenario modelling, cost-saving initiatives, and business cases.
• Ensure data accuracy, reporting consistency, and compliance with financial controls.
• Provide guidance and support to junior analysts and contribute to FP&A improvement initiatives.

Employment details

• Location: Bangalore [Karnataka] [India]

Benefits

• Our colleagues across the globe love innovating with science and technology to enrich people’s lives with our solutions in Healthcare, Life Science, and Electronics.
• We are curious minds that come from a broad range of backgrounds, perspectives, and life experiences.
• We celebrate all dimensions of diversity and believe that it drives excellence and innovation, strengthening our ability to lead in science and technology.
• We are committed to creating access and opportunities for all to develop and grow at your own pace.
• Join us in building a culture of inclusion and belonging that impacts millions and empowers everyone to work their magic and champion human progress!
• Apply now and become a part of our diverse team!

Additional role details

• Ready to explore, break barriers, and discover more?
• We know you’ve got big plans – so do we!
• Together, we dream big and are passionate about caring for our rich mix of people, customers, patients, and planet.
• That`s why we are always looking for curious minds that see themselves imagining the unimageable with us.
• Your Role.
• The FP&A Lead Analyst – Headcount Planning & Controlling is responsible for planning, monitoring, and analysing workforce costs and headcount.
• The role provides accurate financial insights to support workforce decisions, budget control, forecasting, and business performance management.
• Monitor actual headcount and personnel costs against budget, forecast, and prior-year results.
• Partner with HR, Finance, and business stakeholders to validate workforce plans and assumptions.
• Improve reporting processes and automate recurring analyses where possible.
• Present clear financial insights and recommendations to senior stakeholders.
• Proven experience managing senior business and finance stakeholders, including at leadership level, with confidence and credibility.
• Ability to unbox complex, ambiguous problems and structure them into clear, actionable solutions.
• Strong collaboration skills, working effectively across Finance, HR, and business functions to reach shared outcomes.
• Comfortable navigating dilemmas and competing priorities, and able to balance trade-offs with sound judgement.
• Skilled at driving transparent, open discussions, surfacing issues early and addressing them directly rather than avoiding them.
• Builds trust through consistency, honesty, and clear communication, even in difficult or sensitive conversations.
• Who you are. 8-12 Years of experience.
• Strong knowledge of FP&A, controlling, budgeting, Accounting, Business Partnering, E2E view of things.
• Advanced Excel and financial-modelling skills.
• Experience with ERP, planning, reporting, or business intelligence tools.
• Experience in a multinational organisation, shared-services environment, or large and complex business.
• Knowledge of SAP, SAC, TM1.
• Strong analytical, communication, stakeholder-management, and problem-solving skills.
• High attention to detail and the ability to manage deadlines in a complex environment.