Lead Spend Analyst

JOB DESCRIPTION
The Lead Spend Analyst is the hands-on engine behind data quality, automation, and insight generation for Sourcing & Real Estate. This role is responsible for assembling and maintaining the datasets that fuel budgeting, variance analysis, and accrual accuracy, while simultaneously leading the development of scalable analytics and automation solutions. You will act as a key partner to leadership, translating complex business needs into repeatable analytical frameworks that provide reliable, timely, and actionable visibility into spend and category performance.
This is a full-time, hybrid (3 days on-site) position located at our Northbrook, IL or Chicago, IL office.
RESPONSIBILITIES
What You'll Do
Budget & Variance Management

• Prepare bottom-up budget inputs, including run rates, pipeline items, commitments, contract terms, and space metrics.
• Manage templates, versions, and reconciliations while maintaining ongoing forecast updates.
• Produce monthly actuals vs. budget and forecast vs. actuals packages, investigating drivers and flagging anomalies early.

Data Assembly & Master Data Quality

• Pull and reconcile data from ERP, PO, contract, GL, and space systems.
• Ensure coding, definitions, and standards remain consistent, auditable, and business-relevant.
• Maintain location counts and space/spend KPIs, keeping linkages between space data and financial/sourcing datasets current.

Analytics & Spend Visibility

• Support the development and day-to-day maintenance of dashboards for spend visibility, category performance, supplier metrics, and value tracking.
• Translate business needs into scalable analytical and reporting solutions that support category strategy and commercial decision-making.
• Develop repeatable analytical frameworks and data products to ensure consistent methodology across the organization.
• Summarize complex results into clear, plain-language insights for stakeholders at all levels.

Automation & Process Improvement

• Identify and implement automation opportunities for recurring reports, manual data preparation, and repetitive analyses.
• Drive the adoption of modern tools (e.g., Power BI, Power Query, Power Automate, and SQL) to streamline data workflows.
• Standardize processes to improve cycle times for analytics requests and reduce manual reporting volume.

Strategic Support

• Support AI and advanced analytics pilots, specifically focusing on classification and anomaly detection.
• Tie POs, invoices, contracts, and accruals together to maintain visibility and ensure audit-ready evidence for all reconciliations.
• Build and maintain comprehensive process documents, desktop procedures, and metric definitions.

What You'll Bring

• Experience: 3-6 years in spend/procurement analytics, business intelligence, FP&A, or accounting.
• Technical Skills: Strong Power BI and data modeling expertise. Proficiency in Excel and data manipulation (SQL, Power Query, or Power Automate preferred).
• Domain Knowledge: Working knowledge of PO, supplier, contract, and space/real estate datasets. Experience supporting procurement is required.
• Mindset: A \"business owner\" mindset with a focus on root-cause analysis and high attention to detail.
• Communication: Ability to partner effectively with Finance, Sourcing, Real Estate, and IT to explain data-driven insights clearly.

Success Looks Like

• Operational Excellence: Accurate, timely, and complete budget inputs and high-trust master space data.
• Efficiency: A measurable reduction in manual reporting volume through the implementation of automated workflows.
• Insight Adoption: High utilization of dashboards and analytical frameworks by procurement and business leadership.
• Proactive Detection: Early identification of anomalies, miscoding, and data issues before they impact financial reporting.
• Standardization: A library of up-to-date process documentation and repeatable data products.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field, or an equivalent professional qualification (e.g., CPA, CMA, or CA), plus approximately eight years of directly related experience in a global, matrixed organization.
• Superior quantitative and analytical capabilities, with advanced proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint.
• Strong financial systems experience (e.g., HFM, CMR, SAP, or similar platforms).
• Ability to combine quantitative and qualitative analysis; think critically; listen reflectively; consider multiple perspectives; recognize connections across disparate actions; and guide leadership decision-making.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to tailor messaging based on audience and situation.
• Excellent negotiation and interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to interact effectively with all levels of management, clients, and suppliers.
• Ability to communicate effectively within a global team, with experience in a dynamic international environment and strong proficiency in English.
• Strong technical skills in finance and accounting, including budgeting, cost control, variance analysis, and service/product line profitability.
• Experience working within complex matrix organizations preferred.
• Extensive knowledge of accounting, financial planning, reporting, and analysis, developed through progressively complex roles.
• Advanced financial modeling skills, with a solid understanding of technical accounting and financial reporting principles.
• Demonstrated ability to adapt to changing circumstances, embrace new ideas and initiatives, and effectively manage ambiguity.
• Comfortable leading large business projects and supporting system-related initiatives.
• Experience with mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and integrations is a plus.
• Knowledge of software business models is a plus.

Total Rewards: We understand compensation is an important factor as you consider the next step in your career. The estimated salary range for this position is $97,700 to $130,000 and is based on multiple factors, including job-related knowledge/skills, experience, geographical location, as well as other factors. This position is eligible for annual bonus compensation with a target payout of 20% of the base salary. This position also provides health benefits such as medical, dental and vision; wellness benefits such as mental and financial health; and retirement savings (401K) commensurate with the standard rewards offered in each individual location or country. We also provide full-time employees with paid time off including vacation (15 days), Holidays (9 days), Personal days (3 days) and sick time off (72 hours).
#LI-SM3
#LI-Hybrid
ABOUT US
A global leader in applied safety science, UL Solutions (NYSE: ULS) transforms safety, security and sustainability challenges into opportunities for customers in more than 110 countries. UL Solutions delivers testing, inspection and certification services, together with software products and advisory offerings, that support our customers' product innovation and business growth. The UL Mark serves as a recognized symbol of trust in our customers' products and reflects an unwavering commitment to advancing our safety mission. We help our customers innovate, launch new products and services, navigate global markets and complex supply chains, and grow sustainably and responsibly into the future. Our science is your advantage.
ABOUT THE TEAM
At the core of our expanding organization is our Finance team. We're a growing group of professionals, based around the world, who share ideas, work together and innovate to drive strategic growth and ensure financial integrity. Whether you're an expert in taxes, treasury, accounting, financial planning and analysis or corporate strategy and development, we're always looking for ambitious finance professionals who want to make an impact at a publicly traded company that's leading the way in safety science. Join our team, be part of our global community and drive the success of our mission-driven organization.