How to apply for FP&A Analyst

About Nautilus Solar Energy

Nautilus Solar Energy develops and manages community solar farms. The company focuses on equitable, affordable clean energy for local communities. This role sits at the intersection of project finance and renewable energy operations.

About the role

The FP&A Analyst will forecast and report capital expenditure for solar projects in service and under development. The role involves monthly liquidity reporting, weekly cash forecasting for construction, and acting as a liaison between Construction, Structuring, M&A, Capital Markets, Accounting, Community Solar, Legal, and FP&A. This position directly supports strategic decisions and process improvements, including automation with AI/LLM tools.

A typical day

A typical day might involve updating weekly cash forecasts for construction projects, meeting with Construction or Accounting to reconcile inputs, and preparing variance analysis for management. You may also spend time automating a manual report using AI tools or drafting slides for an upcoming liquidity meeting.

Who Nautilus Solar Energy is looking for

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance.
• Experience with capex forecasting, budget vs. actual variance analysis, and cash forecasting.
• Advanced Excel skills; familiarity with AI/LLM tools for automating manual FP&A processes.
• Ability to collaborate across multiple teams (Construction, Structuring, M&A, Capital Markets, Accounting, Community Solar, Legal) and consolidate inputs accurately.
• Comfortable working remotely and preparing presentation materials for monthly liquidity meetings and yearly budgets.

Tips for this application

• Highlight any experience with capital expenditure forecasting or project finance, especially in renewable energy or construction.
• Mention specific examples of automating FP&A processes using AI or LLM tools, as this is listed as a responsibility.
• Show familiarity with cross-functional collaboration by describing past work with teams like Construction, Legal, or Capital Markets.
• Include details about preparing monthly liquidity reports or weekly cash forecasts in your resume or cover letter.
• Reference community solar or distributed energy projects if you have any relevant exposure.

What to cover in your cover letter

Emphasize your ability to consolidate inputs from multiple departments for accurate forecasting. Describe your experience with capex budget vs. actual analysis and commentary for management. Mention any work automating manual processes with AI/LLM tools. Explain why you want to support community solar projects specifically.

Research before applying

• Learn how community solar farms are structured and financed, including key capital expenditure phases.
• Review Nautilus Solar Energy's project portfolio and recent announcements to understand their market focus.
• Understand the basics of solar project development timelines and construction cash flow patterns.
• Check if Nautilus uses specific FP&A software or ERP systems, and be ready to discuss similar tools you have used.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How do you approach building a 12-month liquidity view and weekly cash forecasting for construction activities?
• Describe a time you identified key drivers behind a budget vs. actual variance and communicated findings to management.
• What AI or LLM tools have you used to automate FP&A tasks? Provide a specific example.
• How would you act as a liaison between Construction, Structuring, M&A, Capital Markets, Accounting, Community Solar, Legal, and FP&A to ensure forecast accuracy?
• Walk through how you would prepare materials for a monthly liquidity meeting and yearly budget presentation.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Submitting a generic finance resume without mentioning capex, liquidity reporting, or cash forecasting.
• Ignoring the AI/LLM automation aspect of the role; not addressing it at all.
• Failing to show how you have worked across departments like Construction, Legal, or Capital Markets.