The Leap From Analyst To Manager

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Now onto this week’s post.

Leap from FP&A Analyst to FP&A Manager?

Show off your FP&A Manager skills early and often.

🔥TIP: Here’s a guide on getting to each FP&A job level.

You never know when that promotion opportunity will come.

For us, it came in the form of a boss leaving.

We were ready and got promoted once we took over.

Tune in to learn how we did it.

Listen on

• Apple

• Spotify

• Substack

FP&A Analyst to Manager is a Big Step

Analysts (for the most part) are individual contributors.

You manage your own time, projects, and are told what’s coming next.

Managers (for the most part) are responsible for other people.

Want to show off FP&A Manager skills as an FP&A Analyst?

It’s about WE, not ME.

Start flexing those people management skills.

Here’s a high-level view of each FP&A job level and the skills required to get there.

Bonus points if you can find the Ted Lasso reference 🥸

Show Notes

• 00:41 - Show off mad FP&A Manager skills as an FP&A Analyst

• 01:29 - Key skill to get to FP&A Manager—show ability to manage people

• 03:32 - Getting thrown into an FP&A Manager role requires communication

• 05:30 - Have empathy—earn your team’s respect

• 06:13 - Show up early, leave late—lead your team by helping 🆘

• 07:10 - Know when to put your guard UP and DOWN—be a filter

• 08:28 - Leadership isn’t always great at communicating—that’s your job🫵

• 10:08 - Help your team learn from each other—create a learning culture

• 11:45 - Athletes make great salespeople—learn what motivates your team

• 12:40 - Manage someone the way you want to be managed

• 13:10 - Practice controllable failure—safe failure = learning

• 15:01 - Practice, practice, practice—it goes a long way

• 16:20 - Talk to people that manage people—learn from others

Some Get Thrown Into Manager Roles

One way to show off FP&A Manager skills is to perform your boss’s job.

Sometimes they take vacation.

Sometimes they leave unexpectedly (like ours did).

Or sometimes they’re injured by a giant linebacker (slide QBs, slide).

Either way, use that window of opportunity to step up.

Lead your team through this difficult time.

While working with your boss’s boss to ensure they get continuity.

You Don’t Need a Team to Practice

Practice makes perfect (sorry Allen Iverson).

How do you practice people management without a team to manage?

Try looking for these opportunities right now:

• Find an intern or new hire and offer to coach them

• Take the lead in a process to practice people and project management

• Offer to lead a weekly team meeting

These things may sound simple.

But trust us, this practice will go a long way in teaching you the skills needed to crush your first FP&A Manager role.

Lead By Example

Showing you care goes a long way.

To do that you can do a few things:

• Before logging off ask your team if they need help

• Do the day-to-day work that FP&A Analysts do to understand what it takes

• Manage people how you want to be managed

Sounds obvious, but your team are people just like you.

Help them achieve their goals by actively participating and supporting their day-to-day work.

Conclusion: Crush Your Manager Opportunity

When the time comes, if you’ve practiced and prepared enough, you’ll be more than ready for that leap from FP&A Analyst to FP&A Manager.

Remember, it takes time to learn any new role or job.

So keep learning, stay humble, and listen to your future team for feedback.

You got this FP&A career thing.

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What helped you get promoted in FP&A?

Share your experiences by replying to this. We read and reply to every email.

Now go have fun making an impact on your business and your career!

See you next week 👊

Cheers,
Drew & Yarty
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Disclaimer: This content is not investment advice or financial advice. The views expressed and stories told are our own. We may be investors in the companies discussed. Do your due diligence when considering applying what you learn.