Manager, Strategic Finance & Operations

Overview

We are seeking a sharp, analytically rigorous, and strategically oriented Manager of Strategic Finance & Operations to join Big 5 Sporting Good’s growing team. This high-visibility role reports to the EVP, Strategic Finance & Operations and will operate at the intersection of strategy, corporate finance, and data analytics.

As a key thought partner to leadership, you will turn data into action by building complex financial models, structuring ambiguous problems, and mapping current team roles and workflows to design a scalable, future-ready organization. This role is ideal for a strategy-minded operator who excels at translating complex financial datasets into clear operational strategy.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Financial Modeling & Data Analysis: Build, maintain, and continuously improve robust multi-scenario financial models and business cases. Own P&L forecasting for the organization under the supervision of the EVP of Strategic Finance & Operations and the CFO. Synthesize datasets into clear, actionable metrics to evaluate merchandise, marketing, and store operations performance.
• Retail Strategy & Performance Optimization: Partner with Merchandising, E-Commerce, and Marketing teams to align mid-to-long-term retail strategies with overall long-term financial planning and KPIs. Evaluate store-level performance, marketing promotions, customer loyalty programs, merchandise assortment, labor wages and incentives, and real estate to maximize growth.
• Transformation & Organizational Design: Conduct deep-dive analyses into current operational workflows and finance team structures. Map out roles, processes, and responsibilities to identify operational bottlenecks and design a more effective, scalable team structure to support organizational growth.
• Finance Team Leadership & Influence: Act as a key cross-functional leader for the Finance team across the wider business. Serve as a confident, articulate voice presenting financial narratives and strategic recommendations directly to executive leadership.
• Reporting & Process Automation: Identify opportunities to reduce manual effort across reporting workflows using modern analytics and business intelligence or AI tools.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements:

• Experience: 3–6 years of progressive experience in strategy, finance, or business analytics, management consulting, investment banking, or strategic FP&A.
• Core Skills: Exceptional financial modeling foundation with proven ability to structure ambiguous problems and formulate pragmatic solutions.
• Technical Proficiency: Advanced Excel capabilities along with familiarity with Business Intelligence tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, Looker) or AI (e.g., Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini).
• Communication: Polished executive communication and presentation skills; able to distill complex numbers into simple, compelling strategic narratives for senior stakeholders.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Economics, Business Administration, or a heavily analytical field.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience in a retail, e-commerce, or high-volume omni-channel consumer goods environment.
• Familiarity with retail-specific metrics (e.g., contribution margin, inventory turns, P&L monitoring across multi-location operations).
• A “dig in and fix it” mindset, with exposure to leveraging generative AI tools, Python, or VBA to accelerate data transformations and automating reporting workflows.
• MBA or similar advanced degree welcome

Compensation & Total Rewards

• Expected Salary Range: The expected annual base salary range for this position is from $140,000 - $160,000 plus discretionary bonus. Compensation will be dependent on factors including the scope and complexity of the role, candidate’s related work experience, and subject matter expertise.
• Benefits: Comprehensive rewards package including discretionary performance bonuses, health/wellness perks, competitive PTO, and 401(k) matching.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Big 5 Sporting Goods is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. Employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, and business needs, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic as defined by applicable law.

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