What's Happening?
Crane Aerospace & Electronics, a division of Crane Co., is seeking an FP&A Intern in Los Angeles, California. This internship focuses on supporting the finance team with financial planning, reporting transformation initiatives, business analytics, and
performance management activities. A key aspect of the role involves transitioning financial reporting from a market-based view to a product line, product family, and product profitability perspective. The intern will also assist in developing analytics for channel partner product sales by market and application, and support the implementation of Value Stream and Product Line reporting within HFM. The position offers hands-on exposure to financial reporting, market and product profitability analysis, data visualization, and enterprise performance management processes within a manufacturing environment. The intern will collaborate with various departments including Finance, Accounting, Operations, Sales, Product Management, Engineering, Customer Service, and Supply Chain teams to generate analytical insights for business decision-making and continuous improvement. The hourly wage for this position ranges from $23.00 to $25.00.
Why It's Important?
This internship at Crane Aerospace & Electronics is significant for several reasons. For the company, it represents an investment in developing future financial talent and enhancing its internal reporting capabilities. The shift from market-based to product-centric financial analysis indicates a strategic move towards more granular profitability insights, which can lead to improved resource allocation and product development decisions. For the aerospace and defense industry, this focus on detailed financial analysis underscores the increasing complexity and competitiveness of the sector, where precise cost and profitability tracking are crucial. For students pursuing degrees in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business Analytics, or Data Analytics, this opportunity provides valuable real-world experience in a critical manufacturing sector. It allows them to apply theoretical knowledge to practical business challenges, develop skills in data analysis and visualization, and gain exposure to enterprise performance management systems, which are highly sought after in today's job market. The internship also highlights the ongoing demand for skilled professionals in financial planning and analysis within the U.S. manufacturing landscape.
What's Next?
The selected FP&A Intern will immediately begin supporting Crane Aerospace & Electronics' finance team in Los Angeles. Their initial tasks will involve assisting with the transition of management reporting structures, developing analytical models, and creating reports and visualizations to provide management insights. The intern will also be involved in data extraction, cleansing, validation, and reconciliation activities from ERP and reporting systems. Furthermore, they will support the implementation and testing of new reporting structures within HFM, including developing hierarchies, dimension mappings, and validation procedures. The intern will participate in user acceptance testing and report validation, and help document reporting processes and business requirements. This role is designed to provide continuous learning and development, with the intern working closely with various internal teams to support ongoing financial initiatives and contribute to the company's strategic goals. The internship is a temporary-to-hire position, suggesting a potential pathway to a full-time role upon successful completion and performance.
Beyond the Headlines
Beyond the immediate scope of the internship, this role reflects broader trends in corporate finance and the aerospace industry. The emphasis on transitioning to product-line profitability analysis signifies a move towards more sophisticated financial management, where companies seek to understand the true cost and revenue drivers of individual products rather than relying solely on broader market segments. This granular approach is crucial for optimizing product portfolios, identifying underperforming assets, and making informed decisions about future investments in research and development. Furthermore, the requirement for proficiency in tools like Microsoft Excel and Power BI highlights the increasing importance of data analytics and visualization skills in finance roles. This trend extends beyond the aerospace sector, indicating a general shift in the financial industry towards data-driven decision-making. For the U.S. aerospace and defense sector, attracting and developing talent with these specialized financial and analytical skills is vital for maintaining competitiveness and innovation in a global market.
