Cost Analyst I or II at Dairyland Power Cooperative in La Crosse, WI

Summary: Dairyland Power Cooperative is dedicated to a People First culture that emphasizes appreciation and collaboration. The Cost Analyst I or II will support the collection and analysis of project-related financial data, assisting project management with budget tracking and performance reporting. Responsibilities: - Collects and organizes project data to support the development of project status and performance reports - Assists with preparing routine project performance, budget and status reports using established tools and templates - Supports project management by helping review report data, identify variances and escalate questions or issues to senior team members - Assists with monitoring contract, procurement and project documentation to help track obligations, deliverables and compliance touchpoints for contracted service providers - Interacts with members of the Finance, Supply Chain and other departments as necessary to troubleshoot and solve issues related to project costs and vendor contract compliance - Supports the development and maintenance of resource demand plans, cost projections and cash flow forecasts - Assists project management with collecting and organizing documentation related to budget changes, impacts and change orders to support tracking against baseline budget and schedule - Helps monitor changes to project budgets and schedules and supports analysis of cost and performance trends - Develops working knowledge of technology and software platforms used for project financial transactions, scheduling, resource planning, risk assessment and project performance analysis - Supports project teams with maintaining budget information, forecasts and in-service milestone tracking through project completion - Participates in training and professional development to build project controls, reporting and utility project knowledge - Follows governance, process descriptions, guidelines and procedures and shares improvement suggestions with leadership - Other duties as assigned Required Qualifications: - Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business Management, Accounting, Project Management or a related field required - Basic understanding of cost tracking, budgeting and reporting principles - Strong analytical skills with the ability to collect, organize and review data accurately - Strong verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills with the ability to work effectively with project teams, finance and support departments - Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to manage multiple assignments and deadlines - Ability to learn project controls processes, reporting methods and utility construction workflows - Proficient computer skills in Microsoft Office, especially Excel, and ability to learn how to work in a D365 environment, Power BI and related software systems - Basic problem-solving skills and attention to detail - Ability to work independently on routine assignments while seeking guidance on more complex issues - Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business Management, Accounting, Project Management or a related field, plus five (5) or more years of experience - Experience providing cost control and schedule support for large and complex projects - Experience at providing effective analysis of project performance and status to ensure predictable project delivery - Strong organizational, time, project and change management skills with ability to multi-task - Ability to compile and manipulate data to provide basis for project performance analysis - Proficient computer skills in Microsoft Office, Power BI and working knowledge of D365 environment - Excellent analytical thinking, investigative and problem-solving skills with the agility and flexibility to deal effectively with ambiguity and change - Strong business acumen potential - Self-starter with the ability to work independently yet take coaching and assistance constructively Preferred Qualifications: - Experience in project controls, finance, accounting, project management support or utility/industrial construction support preferred - General understanding of accounting principles preferred - Exposure to project management, construction or utility operations concepts preferred - Conversant with PMI Process and Knowledge areas and American Association of Cost Estimator standards and practices - General understanding of the means and methods employed for construction of electric utility related projects Required Skills: Cost tracking, Budgeting, Project financial data analysis, Project performance reporting, Microsoft Excel, Power BI, D365 environment, Accounting principles, Schedule support, PMI Process and Knowledge areas, American Association of Cost Estimator standards, Change management, Data compilation and manipulation, Utility construction project knowledge, Project management Benefits: Health & disability benefits (medical, dental, vision, short & long-term disability), Life insurance, Generous 401(k) and Pension Plans, Paid Time Off, Robust Wellness Program, New Flexible Work Program, Tuition Reimbursement