“As an FP&A practitioner and educator, I see a lot of financial professionals struggle in their careers. They start out with a good education, find an organization with the culture and values that align with theirs, but over time, things break down. Unsure of how to align themselves with where the direction of the profession is going, they become siloed in their current role. They face endless pressures that include intense workloads, limited time to upskill, unclear processes and standards, constant time pressures and other challenges on a daily basis. It’s a source of constant frustration and I see it everywhere. If it’s too chronic, people get stressed or burned out and leave to find something else.

“They want to be better at their jobs, have greater confidence and more control over their impact and the direction of their careers.

“I see similar challenges with FP&A Directors and financial leadership—even CFOs. They want uniformity in approaches and consistent processes that their entire financial team engages in and promotes. They want to increase the value that their financial team provides the entire organization—to become better business partners. FP&A should no longer be seen as a cost center support function.