What Is A Financial Analyst?
A financial analyst evaluates financial data, builds models, and supports strategic planning. That means tracking performance against budget, forecasting revenue and expenses, preparing reports for leadership, and turning the numbers into recommendations the business can act on.
- Also called
- Finance Analyst, Business Finance Analyst
- Reports to
- Finance Manager / Controller / CFO
- Works on
- Forecasting, budgets, financial models
- Measured on
- Forecast accuracy, report timeliness
What A Financial Analyst Actually Does
- 01 · Financial ModelingBuilds and maintains financial models that project revenue, costs, and cash
- 02 · ForecastingPrepares forecasts and tracks actual results against budget and plan
- 03 · ReportingProduces recurring reports and dashboards for finance and leadership
- 04 · Variance AnalysisInvestigates variances and trends to explain what moved and why
- 05 · RecommendationsTurns the numbers into clear recommendations for planning decisions
Financial Analyst Vs. Similar Roles
| Role | Main focus | Primary metric |
|---|---|---|
| Financial Analyst | Evaluating financial data, modeling, and supporting planning | Forecast accuracy, report timeliness |
| Financial Controller | Overseeing accounting, the close, and financial reporting | Close timeliness, reporting accuracy |
| Staff Accountant | Recording transactions and reconciling accounts | Ledger accuracy, close timeliness |
| Data Analyst | Analyzing business data to answer operational questions | Report accuracy, turnaround time |
At smaller companies, one finance hire often covers analysis, reporting, and bookkeeping. Add a dedicated controller and staff accountant as transaction volume and reporting needs grow.
Skills To Screen For
Interview Questions Worth Asking
Hiring A Financial Analyst In Latin America
How Much Of The Workday You’d Share
Bogota, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, and Buenos Aires don’t change their clocks, so the overlap shifts when yours does. Times shown are in your team’s time zone. National English-proficiency averages vary by market too: Argentina ranks in EF’s "High" band globally, while Colombia, Mexico, and Brazil sit in the "Low" band. Screen every candidate’s spoken English directly rather than assuming by country.
What It Costs
| Country | Entry level (1-3 yrs) | Senior (6+ yrs) |
|---|---|---|
| Colombia | $16K/yr | $45K/yr |
| Mexico | $20K/yr | $41K/yr |
| Brazil | $29K/yr | $52K/yr |
| Argentina | $20K/yr | $47K/yr |
The US and LatAm averages above are LatamCent’s own hire-page figures. The LatAm average sits above typical mid-level pay in these markets ($26K-$37K) and below the top of the senior ranges.
Typical time from kickoff to signed offer. LatamCent delivers 3 to 5 candidate profiles in the first 10 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
A financial analyst evaluates financial data, builds models, and supports planning, and is measured on forecast accuracy and report timeliness. A financial controller oversees accounting, the close, and financial reporting, and is measured on close timeliness and reporting accuracy. At smaller companies, one hire often covers both.
A staff accountant records transactions and reconciles accounts, and is measured on ledger accuracy and close timeliness. A financial analyst takes that data and explains what it means, through models, forecasts, and variance analysis. The two roles work closely together, but they are different skills.
US financial analysts average around $97,500 a year. Financial analysts in Latin America average around $39,000 a year, about 60% less, saving roughly $58,500 a year per hire.
Most searches run 21 days from kickoff to a signed offer, with 3 to 5 candidate profiles delivered in the first 10 days.
At a SaaS company, a financial analyst typically works on forecasting, SaaS metrics analysis, budget planning, performance reporting, and financial modeling, so leadership can see how the business is tracking against plan.
Need A Financial Analyst On Your Team?
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