Application Guide

How to Apply for Director, FP&A

at Avantus

🏢 About Avantus

Avantus is a renewable energy leader focused exclusively on utility-scale solar and storage solutions, making them unique in their specialized approach to decarbonizing the grid. Their mission to deliver affordable, zero-emission energy through innovation offers the chance to work at the intersection of finance and climate impact. This combination of technical focus and environmental purpose makes them particularly compelling for finance professionals seeking meaningful work.

About This Role

As Director of FP&A at Avantus, you'll lead the financial planning and analysis function for a rapidly growing renewable energy company, directly supporting the CFO and VP of FP&A. This role is impactful because you'll shape financial strategy for large-scale solar and storage projects while establishing scalable FP&A processes during a critical growth phase. Your analysis will directly influence decisions about capital allocation, project economics, and operational efficiency in a capital-intensive industry.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might involve reviewing financial models for upcoming solar project bids, meeting with engineering leaders to understand operational assumptions for the quarterly forecast, and preparing executive materials for the monthly business review with the CFO. You'd spend significant time refining long-range planning scenarios based on market trends and mentoring your team on FP&A best practices for a rapidly scaling organization.

🚀 Application Tools

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who Avantus Is Looking For

  • Has 10+ years with deep FP&A experience in capital-intensive industries (energy, infrastructure, manufacturing) and can demonstrate building scalable financial models for growth-stage companies
  • Proven track record of influencing C-suite decisions through scenario analysis and financial storytelling, not just reporting numbers
  • Experience leading FP&A through rapid scaling, with specific examples of implementing planning cadences, standards, and tools that improved accuracy and efficiency
  • Combines strong technical finance skills with the ability to translate complex solar/storage project economics into actionable insights for non-finance leaders

📝 Tips for Applying to Avantus

1

Quantify your FP&A impact in capital-intensive contexts—specifically mention metrics like forecast accuracy improvements, planning cycle time reductions, or capital allocation recommendations that drove ROI

2

Highlight any renewable energy, utility, or infrastructure experience prominently—even if tangential, connect it to understanding project finance, regulatory environments, or long-term contracting

3

Tailor your resume to show progression in both technical FP&A modeling AND executive influence—use bullet points that start with actions like 'Advised CEO on...' or 'Influenced $50M capital decision by...'

4

Research Avantus's recent project announcements and incorporate specific terminology from their website (e.g., 'integrated storage solutions,' 'utility-scale solar') to show genuine interest

5

Prepare examples of how you've improved FP&A processes during company growth phases, as scalability is explicitly mentioned in the job description

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Demonstrate understanding of FP&A challenges in capital-intensive, project-based businesses like renewable energy', 'Provide specific examples of partnering with operational leaders to drive financial decisions, not just reporting results', 'Highlight experience establishing or improving FP&A cadences and standards during periods of organizational growth', "Connect your motivation to Avantus's mission of affordable zero-emission energy, showing how your finance skills can advance their impact"]

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Avantus's project portfolio and recent announcements (check their website and news section for specific solar/storage projects)
  • → The economics of utility-scale solar and storage, including key drivers like power purchase agreements (PPAs), tax credits, and grid integration
  • → Competitive landscape in renewable energy development, particularly other companies focused on utility-scale projects
  • → Recent trends in renewable energy financing and how FP&A functions support growth in this sector

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Walk me through how you would model the financials for a utility-scale solar-plus-storage project, including key assumptions and sensitivity analyses
2 Describe a time you influenced a major strategic decision through financial scenario analysis—what was the situation and outcome?
3 How have you established or improved FP&A processes (planning cadence, standards, tools) in a growing organization?
4 What experience do you have partnering with non-finance executives (like operations or engineering leaders) to provide decision support?
5 How would you approach long-range planning for a company like Avantus that's scaling rapidly in a capital-intensive industry?
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Presenting as purely a financial reporter rather than a strategic partner who influences decisions
  • Having only corporate FP&A experience without exposure to capital-intensive or project-based businesses
  • Focusing only on technical skills without demonstrating executive communication and influence examples

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Avantus!

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