Associate Director

Job Title: Associate Director (Industry Analyst): EPM Solution Architect (Financial Transformation)Location : Pune (India), Work from OfficeAbout QKS GroupQKS Group is a global research and advisory firm known for its SPARK Matrix™, a globally recognized framework for vendor evaluation and competitive intelligence. We work with leading technology providers and enterprise buyers to deliver deep insights, technology research, and strategic advisory across various domains.Role OverviewWe are seeking an Analyst to join our Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) and Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) practice. The analyst will research and evaluate technology vendors, platforms, and best practices related to FP&A, EPM, financial consolidation, planning, budgeting, forecasting, and performance analytics.This role combines financial technology research, vendor evaluation, and thought leadership, providing a unique opportunity to influence enterprise finance transformation initiatives and digital decision-making globally.Key ResponsibilitiesConduct in-depth market and solution research across the FP&A, EPM, and finance transformation ecosystem, covering both enterprise platforms and emerging technologies.Evaluate vendor capabilities and solution architectures across financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, consolidation, reporting, and performance management, with a focus on how technology enables process efficiency and decision intelligence.Assess leading platforms on dimensions such as architecture design, integration depth, extensibility, AI/ML maturity, scenario modeling, automation, and analytics enablement using primary and secondary research.Analyze and position vendors using QKS’s proprietary frameworks such as SPARK Matrix and SPARK Plus to deliver objective market evaluations and competitive insights.Develop a deep understanding of enterprise finance functions (FP&A, controllership, treasury, and strategic finance) and their transformation priorities, linking functional needs to technology adoption trends.Engage with finance technology vendors, consulting partners, and transformation leaders through product briefings, demos, and technical validation discussions to gather first-hand solution insights.Collaborate with senior analysts and domain experts to track and interpret trends such as AI-driven FP&A, xP&A, digital finance transformation, decision intelligence, and predictive planning.Support client advisory and briefing sessions by providing insight into technology selection, architecture alignment, modernization roadmaps, and process optimization for finance organizations.Contribute to thought leadership, reports, and research publications that connect technology innovation with financial process excellence and business performance outcomes.Work cross-functionally with data, finance, and technology teams to articulate best practices for achieving a connected planning, forecasting, and decision-intelligence framework.Key Skills & Experience10–15 years of core experience in FP&A, Finance Transformation, EPM Solutioning, or Financial Systems Architecture / Implementation, with exposure to enterprise-scale finance technology programs.Deep understanding of financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, consolidation, reporting, and performance management processes across global enterprise environments.Hands-on experience in designing, implementing, or architecting EPM/FP&A solutions such as Anaplan, Workday Adaptive Planning, Oracle EPM Cloud, SAP SAC, IBM Planning Analytics, OneStream, or Board.Proven ability to act as a solution consultant, presales expert, or functional architect, effectively bridging finance domain knowledge, process optimization, and system design.Experience supporting or leading finance transformation initiatives — including process reengineering, technology modernization, analytics enablement, or decision intelligence initiatives.Strong knowledge of financial modeling, scenario planning, KPI frameworks, and xP&A (extended planning and analysis) concepts.Understanding of SaaS architectures, cloud ecosystems (AWS, Azure, GCP), and data integration frameworks that enable connected finance ecosystems.Excellent analytical, writing, and presentation skills, with the ability to convert technical and financial complexity into structured insights, frameworks, and recommendations.Proven experience managing multiple solution assessments, market studies, or advisory deliverables in a fast-paced, insight-driven environment.Exposure to or interest in competitive benchmarking methodologies such as SPARK Matrix, SPARK Plus, or finance maturity models will be an advantage.A mindset that combines solution architecture depth with market curiosity — eager to analyze how technology innovation drives measurable business outcomes in finance.Candidates with experience as Finance Transformation Consultant, FP&A Solution Architect, Finance Systems Solution Architect, or Financial Planning Process Consultant will be strongly preferred.What We OfferOpportunity to work on globally recognized research frameworks like SPARK Matrix™.Direct exposure to leading technology vendors (CXOs) and global markets.Fast-paced, intellectually stimulating environment with growth opportunities.Preferred SkillsFinance Transformation Consulting and Digital Finance EnablementFP&A Solution Architecture and Financial Systems ConsultingEnterprise Performance Management (EPM) and xP&A (Extended Planning & Analysis)Budgeting, Forecasting & Scenario Modeling AutomationFinancial Consolidation, Close & Reporting SolutionsFinance Systems & Data Integration ArchitectureCloud FP&A Platforms (Anaplan, Workday, Oracle, SAP, IBM, OneStream)AI, Predictive Analytics, and Decision Intelligence in FinanceFinancial Planning Process Optimization and Finance System ImplementationExperience with ERP-to-FP&A integrations (SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, Workday)