Funding Analyst

Prodigy Finance - who are we?

Prodigy Finance is a platform that delivers socially responsible financial services, making it possible for students from more than 150 countries to fulfil their dream of studying at the world’s top universities and schools by financing their international postgraduate studies whilst delivering competitive financial and social returns to alumni, institutional and private investors.

This borderless and innovative model enables education loan financing to students from across the globe whilst using predicted post-degree affordability rather than present-day salary. Since 2007, Prodigy Finance has extended over US$2.5 billion through the platform to fund over 66,000 students.

Prodigy Finance is fuelled by impact investors and other privately qualified entities who invest in tomorrow's leaders whilst earning a financial and social return. Prodigy Finance’s borderless lending model enables students to apply for a loan based on their future earning potential and not just their current circumstances and credit history. 

What will you do in the role?

• Strategic Finance is responsible for enabling and improving the strategic and financial decision-making for Prodigy. Our responsibilities combine more traditional elements of financial planning and analysis (FP&A) such as financial forecasting and trend analysis, with commercial and strategic tasks including value creation frameworks, capital allocation decisions and broader financial problem solving.
• You will also support the rest of the Strategic Finance team in input into ExCo and Board analysis and presentations, as well as partnering with the various business areas on specific analyses required to support them in their areas.
• This is a growth role, where you will begin in a funding analyst capacity and expand into strategic financial modelling as you build depth and context within the business.
• Your role will focus on leading the financial planning and analysis elements within the team:
  • Providing accurate and insightful analysis on how the business is performing and importantly, providing insights as to why. This will include identifying key business levers and drivers, using leading indicators to help us detect any potential issues early and tracking performance relative to KPIs, Budget and Outlook.  
  • Compilation and ongoing tracking of Annual Budget, particularly on cost allocation development and review as well as looking at value creation opportunities, including process improvement and automation.  
  • Partner with the various business areas to support them in delivering on their Budget and importantly balancing finite resources to achieve (and improve) their financial performance.
  • Drive regular meetings with Budget Owners to discuss material variances when comparing actual results to the budget and support them in finding ways to realign with Budget expectations. 
  • Continuously educate budget owners on good fiscal management and challenge /support them to ensure most efficient use of capital.
  • Ensure deviations from the budget are timely and accurately captured in the business forecasts.

What are some of the responsibilities of this role?

• Key in shaping and guiding the Planning and Budgeting function, including setting budget, tracking performance and variances against this
• Building and maintaining dynamic financial and operating forecasts and models
• Responsible for building and providing accurate and useful financial and commercial reports, analysis and insights, as well as communicating identified risk factors
• Scenario analysis with insightful parameters to guide and support executive team in their data-driven decision-making 
• Problem solving with the business
• Bringing intelligent and insightful opinions to the table
• Interface with Finance team on cross-over elements
• Good presentation and communication skills
• Supporting the treasury management function focused on liquidity and FX management 
• Translating numbers/analysis into useful insights and tools to guide and support executive team and broader business in their decision-making
  
  

What would the ideal candidate be great at?

• Strong quantitative & modelling skills
• Solid accounting technical skill-set
• Well-developed problem-solving abilities
• Self motivated and enjoys complex tasks
• Attention to detail and ability to deliver high degree of accuracy when working across large data sets
• Ability to provide data / analysis in a user friendly and visual  format to non-finance managers
• Strong sense of integrity for handling sensitive topics and data
• Balance conflicting demands and interests
• Excitement for cross-area partnership and collaboration
  
  

Qualifications and experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics  or other relevant field
• 5+ years of relevant experience in a technical financial modeling role (e.g. accounting firm, investment banking) 
• Excellent proficiency in Excel/Google sheets
• Consistent track record of success and career progression.
  
  

Experience that would be nice to have  (but we’ll trade off if everything else fits)

• Experience in modelling complex businesses / funding structures
• Experience within fintech or start-ups a plus
• CA/CFA or other financial professional qualification
• Experience with Netsuite and Tableau is an advantage
• Strong verbal and written communication and presentation skills.
  
  

Prodigy Finance Benefits

• Competitive remuneration package
• Company contribution to healthcare/medical aid scheme
• Remote Work
• Generous leave policy (24 days annual leave + 1 day for every year worked to a max of 29 days, birthday leave, 6 months' primary caregiver / 2 months' secondary caregiver parental leave, 4 weeks sabbatical leave after 5 years of continuous service)