Sr. Financial Analyst

The Financial Analyst will be embedded within the DJ BU, responsible for supporting the budgeting, forecasting and reporting cycle, contributing to monthly accruals, and reconciling actuals to forecast across the business unit. Key focus areas include coordinating production, capital and expense forecasts with the planning team for submission to FP&A, performing detailed reconciliation to budget and guidance, and leading recurring management reporting. Success in this role requires strong Excel and data visualization skills and the ability to collaborate and communicate effectively with a wide range of departments and stakeholders.

Essential Roles & Responsibilities

• Support and coordinate monthly, quarterly and annual forecasts of production, capital and expense with the planning team for submission to Corporate Planning (FP&A)
• Coordinate monthly accounting entries - including Capex, LOE/WOE, and Production/Revenue accruals with the E&P Accounting team
• Perform monthly detailed reconciliation of actuals to budget, guidance and prior month estimates
• Build and maintain a live dashboard enabling management to drill down on actuals versus forecast, identify where forecasts are missing, and provide guidance based on findings each month
• Own the accuracy of DJ BU data in the forecast model: validate incoming actuals, reconcile differences across teams, correct known issues, and work with source-system owners to fix root causes
• Lead the quarterly DJ BU review
• Work with the JIB Accounting team to ensure allocations are properly maintained
• Contribute to the Guidance presentation for Investor Relations by preparing DJ BU inputs and reviewing content for accuracy
• Respond to ad hoc requests from stakeholders regarding DJ BU financial and operational data
• Identify, recommend, and lead or assist in the implementation of process and report improvements within the DJ BU
• Support tracking and visibility into operating costs for the DJ BU
• Improve understanding and visibility into Asset Retirement Obligation (ARO)
• Other duties as assigned

Role-Specific Technical Knowledge & Skills

• Actively involved or lead projects and display a high level of accountability and initiative with responsibilities
• Strong analytical, decision making and problem-solving skills
• Applies advanced knowledge of areas of responsibilities
• Ability to build and maintain models and dashboards that translate large, detailed data sets into clear and actionable insight for management
• Ability to work efficiently independently as well as effectively within a team environment
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, able to articulate ideas clearly and effectively in a variety of settings and with diverse audiences, including presenting to leadership
• Attention to detail, consistently ensuring accuracy and precision in all tasks and deliverables
• Strong organizational and time management skills, enabling efficient planning and execution of work to meet established deadlines
• Demonstrates high integrity and consistently upholds ethical standards while maintaining a strong work ethic to ensure the highest level of trust and accountability in all responsibilities
• Utilizes critical thinking skills to analyze complex problems, assess various perspectives, and develop innovative solutions that drive informed decision-making and enhance overall organizational efficiency
• Must be a self-starter, able to identify work that needs to be done and do it without being instructed to do so

Typical Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, business, or finance or an equivalent combination of education and experience is required. MBA a plus
• 5+ years’ experience in oil and gas finance, planning or accounting required; upstream experience preferred
• Strong understanding of upstream production operations and LOE drivers, gained through production engineering, production operations, or finance roles that worked closely with field teams
• Proficient in Microsoft products (Outlook, Excel, Word) required with advanced skills in Excel in particular
• SAP and Hyperion experience preferred
• WellView experience preferred
• Comfort using AI tools (such as Claude) to speed up analysis and reporting preferred
• Experience with reserves, planning or forecasting software preferred
• Experience with Power BI preferred

SM Energy offers competitive compensation and benefits programs which include, but are not limited to, variable pay, health care coverage, retirement plan, protection coverage, time off and leave programs, training and development opportunities and a range of allowances connected to specific work situations. Details are available at Careers :: SM Energy Company (SM) (sm-energy.com).

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.