Financial Consultant at Northwest Natural Holding in Portland, OR

Job description

Financial Consultant Non-Union Position Business/Budget/Finance Staff; Portland, Oregon (US-OR) Hybrid schedule available for Oregon & Washington residents. Regular FT, Exempt Posting # 5760 About Us: At NW Natural, we offer more than rewarding career opportunities and a vibrant, inclusive work culture. We invite you to join us in providing safe and reliable utility services and renewable energy to better the lives of the communities we serve. Our vision is to be the leader in service excellence, innovation and environmental stewardship for our customers, while building on our strengths as a trusted energy provider and environmental leader for our industry. In addition to environmental stewardship, we’re also deeply committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at NW Natural. Our DEI Council started 21 years ago, and today we continue to foster a culture where all employees can experience a sense of belonging, shared purpose and possibility. NOTE: This hybrid position is based at our headquarters in downtown Portland, Oregon. Candidates must reside within commuting distance of the office or be willing to relocate to the Portland metropolitan area. Employees are required to work onsite Tuesdays through Thursdays each week, with remote work flexibility on Mondays and Fridays, subject to business needs. This schedule supports collaboration, connection, and team engagement while providing flexibility for focused remote work. Position Summary: The Financial Consultant supports companywide financial planning and analysis, with primary responsibility for O&M budgeting, forecasting, long-term planning, and financial performance analysis. The role partners with business leaders and senior management to evaluate financial results, identify risks and opportunities, and translate complex financial and operational information into actionable insights and recommendations. This position also supports regulatory filings, cost of service analysis, and investment decisions by applying an understanding of utility economics, cost allocation, revenue requirements, and customer rate impacts. The Financial Consultant contributes to continuous improvement of FP&A models, tools, reporting, and processes to strengthen the quality and efficiency of financial decision-making. Essential Duties & Responsibilities: Develops and supports annual companywide operating budgets, forecasts, and long-term financial plans, with primary responsibility for O&M expenses including payroll, non-payroll, shared services and other operating cost categories. Evaluates assumptions, coordinates inputs, and ensures financial plans are reasonable, supportable, and aligned with company objectives. Performs monthly and year-to-date O&M and FTE variance analysis, including comparisons of actual results to budget, forecast, and prior periods; identifies key drivers, investigates significant variances, and identifies financial risks and opportunities. Prepares and presents financial analysis, budget and forecast results, variance explanations, and recommendations to senior management; translates complex financial, operational, and regulatory information into clear, actionable insights to support decision-making. Develops and maintains financial models, reports, queries, and analytical tools used for budgeting, forecasting, variance analysis, cost of service analysis, and management reporting; identifies opportunities to improve data quality, standardization, automation, and reporting efficiency. Will lead and perform forecasting and modeling for regulatory filings and testimony development, primarily related to O&M expenses. Develops an understanding of revenue requirements, cost of service, rate case schedules, workpapers, and supporting documentation. Applies knowledge of utility regulation, cost allocation, regulatory accounting, and the relationship between operating expenses, rate base, and customer rates to support regulatory proceedings and other requirements. Leads and perfo