Fast Facts

Ascend Learning is seeking an FP&A Sr Manager to lead financial reporting and analysis for its IT Services and Instructional Learning and Assessment Solutions, contributing to capital planning and spend efficiency within a collaborative, purpose-driven culture.

Responsibilities: Responsibilities include owning financial reporting, managing headcount and spend forecasting, supporting capital investment tracking, and streamlining reporting processes to enhance decision-making and financial management.

Skills: Required skills include a bachelor's degree in Finance or Accounting, 7+ years of FP&A experience, advanced Excel proficiency, and familiarity with financial systems and data visualization tools.

Qualifications: Preferred qualifications include experience in technology-related financial roles and strong analytical skills to manage multiple deliverables under tight deadlines.

Location: This is a hybrid position based in Leawood, Kansas, USA.

Compensation: Not provided by employer. Typical compensation ranges for this position are between $100,000 - $150,000.

We Impact Lives Through Purpose-Driven Work in A People First Culture

Ascend Learning is the connection between a powerful portfolio of brands serving students, educators, and employers with outcomes-based, data driven solutions across the lifecycle of learning.

Our values-driven culture unifies our teams and inspires a mindset of action, innovation, and collaboration, with a relentless focus on customers.

We're always looking for talented, passionate professionals to join us in our mission to help change lives. If this sounds like an environment where you'd thrive, read on to learn more.

Ascend Learning leads the way in innovation and solution creation to improve outcomes and deliver results for students, educators, and healthcare workers in the ever-changing field of healthcare. We offer advanced resources that drive nursing success, empower front-line certified allied health workers, help physicians pass boards and stay current, and provide education management tools for medical education programs.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

Ascend Learning is hiring a hands-on finance professional with strong technical and operational reporting skills to lead financial reporting, analysis, and planning for Ascend Learning’s Information Technology Services (ITS) and Instructional Learning and Assessment Solutions (ILAS) organizations. This role ensures accurate, consistent, and timely reporting of headcount, spend, and capital activity supporting effective forecasting, disciplined financial management, and transparency across teams.  

 The ideal candidate is detail-oriented while also seeing the big picture and takes pride in delivering precise financial outputs that drive accountability and execution.  

This position provides the financial backbone for Ascend’s technology and content development functions. The work directly supports capital planning, headcount management, and spend efficiency. The right candidate will ensure financial reporting serves as a reliable operational system of record that supports better decision-making and disciplined execution.  

WHERE YOU’LL WORK

• This position will work a hybrid schedule from our Leawood, KS office

HOW YOU’LL SPEND YOUR TIME

Financial Reporting & Analysis 

• Own all financial reporting for ITS and ILAS, including monthly close support, forecasting, and variance analysis. 
• Prepare accurate, reconciled reporting packages showing actuals vs. Plan and drivers of variance. 
• Partner with ITS and ILAS leaders to maintain alignment on controllable P&L, headcount, and spend tracking. 
• Maintain detailed documentation and ensure reporting consistency across accounting and FP&A teams. 
• Analyze drivers and trends to inform decision making by the Chief Technology Officer and technology leadership team 

Capital Planning & Investment Tracking 

• Track all technology and content capital investments in accordance with capitalization policy. 
• Maintain dashboards to monitor capitalization rates, project spend, and early warning indicators. 
• Support ROI and cost-efficiency analyses to inform resource allocation and project prioritization. 

Headcount & Spend Forecasting 

• Manage headcount and contractor forecasting in partnership with HR. 
• Validate labor allocations and forecast models to ensure accurate view of total spend and productivity. 
• Support reporting of spend by function, vendor, and cost type to identify efficiency opportunities. 

Reporting Process & Automation 

• Maintain and continuously improve financial models and reporting templates. 
• Streamline recurring reporting processes; identify automation opportunities to improve accuracy and timeliness. 

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or related field required. 
• 7+ years of progressive FP&A or financial reporting experience, preferably supporting technology or product orgs. 
• Advanced Excel skills; familiarity with large-scale financial systems and data visualization tools (eg, PowerBI). 
• Strong attention to detail, ability to manage multiple deliverables under tight timelines, and comfort with ambiguity.  

BENEFITS

• Flexible and generous paid time off
• Competitive medical, dental, vision and life insurance
• 401(k) employer matching program
• Parental leave
• Wellness resources
• Charitable matching program
• Hybrid work
• On-site workout facilities (Leawood, Gilbert, Burlington)
• Community outreach groups
• Tuition reimbursement

Fostering A Sense of Belonging

We seek out and celebrate all people and perspectives and cultivate an inclusive culture where everyone can thrive, feel valued and be their authentic selves. Our culture is firmly rooted in the belief that by embracing our differences and drawing on diverse perspectives, we are a stronger, more innovative, and more successful organization where employees experience a sense of belonging.

About Ascend Learning

As a tech-enabled services company, Ascend Learning is a national leader in developing and delivering data-driven online educational content, software, assessments, analytics, and simulations serving institutions, students and employers across healthcare, fitness and wellness, public and workplace safety, skilled trades, insurance, financial services, cybersecurity, and higher education. We're committed to accelerating the learning pathways that can move people into careers where they have the knowledge and skills to have an impact and help change lives in the communities they serve. Headquartered in Burlington, MA with additional office locations and hybrid and remote workers in cities across the U.S., Ascend Learning was recognized by Newsweek and Plant-A Insights Group as one of America's 2023 Greatest Workplaces for Diversity.

Ascend Learning, LLC is proud to be an equal opportunity employer (M/F/Vets/Disabled). No agency or search firm submissions will be accepted. Applications for U.S. based positions with Ascend Learning, LLC must be legally authorized to work in the United States and verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

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