Finance Business Partner (Chicago)

Location: New Chicago
Reporting to: Head of Commercial Finance
Company: Smartly

About Smartly

Smartly is a global leader in digital advertising automation, helping brands and agencies scale their paid social and digital campaigns with efficiency, creativity, and measurable results. We partner with some of the world’s largest advertisers, driving impact across multiple platforms and channels.

The Role

We are seeking an experienced Finance Business Partner to join our growing Commercial Finance / FP&A team in Chicago. This role is a critical link between Finance and the business, supporting C-Suite stakeholders with financial insight, analysis, and decision support to drive growth and profitability.

The ideal candidate will have 4-8 years of experience in Commercial Finance/FP&A/Consulting or Private Equity/VC. SaaS or Agency experience is highly desirable, though not essential.

As a Finance Business Partner at Smartly, you will...

• Act as a strategic business partner to Leadership and department heads, delivering financial and data-driven analyses with impactful insights and recommendations.
• Track, analyse, and forecast key business and financial KPIs to identify trends, risks, and opportunities.
• Lead quarterly forecasting and budget planning processes in close partnership with Leadership and department leaders.
• Support commercial decisions, including pricing, deal reviews, and investment cases, through robust financial modelling.
• Drive process improvements across forecasting, reporting, and business partnering activities.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Commercial, Ops and Product teams.

We are looking for you, if you...

• Have 5+ years of experience in strategic finance, FP&A, private equity, venture capital, investment banking, management consulting, public markets investing, or equity research.
• Are commercially minded, with a strong understanding of how finance enables strategic growth.
• Have exceptional analytical and modelling skills, with the ability to turn numbers into narrative.
• Possess advanced Excel user, comfortable working with SQL, large data models, and performance frameworks.
• Are confident in managing P&Ls, forecasts, and headcount plans.
• Are a strong communicator with the ability to engage and influence senior stakeholders, including executive leadership.
• Are collaborative mindset with a track record of building relationships across teams, regions, and functions.
• Are a self-starter: curious, adaptable, and motivated by impact — always looking for ways to improve how things work.
• Bonus: SaaS or Agency experience is highly desirable, though not essential.
  
  

What Success Looks Like in 12 Months

• Built trusted relationships with Commercial leaders, becoming a go-to partner for financial insight.
• Forecasting and planning processes are accurate, efficient, and widely adopted across the business.
• Delivered meaningful analysis that shaped commercial strategy and influenced key decisions.
• Pricing, deal reviews, and investment cases consistently benefit from your financial modelling and recommendations.
• Reporting and performance frameworks are streamlined, giving clear visibility of results and drivers.
• Identified and implemented process improvements that make finance a stronger enabler of growth.
• Recognised as a high-impact member of the Commercial Finance/FP&A team, with clear potential to take on broader responsibilities. A genuine bar raiser.
  
  

Why Join Smartly?

• Work at the forefront of AdTech with a fast-growing global SaaS company.
• Exposure to senior stakeholders and strategic decision-making.
• Collaborative, international culture with offices worldwide.
  
  

What We Offer You...

• Five weeks paid time off (PTO), 11 company paid holidays, unlimited sick days
• Generous healthcare packages & mental health benefits
• 401K plus matching & equity grants for all new Smartlies
• Wellness benefit & learning reimbursement opportunities
• Volunteer time off days & company donation matching opportunities
• And so much more…

Smartly is committed to being the best place to work for growth-minded individuals to thrive - explore more in our Culture Handbook!

The base pay range for this position is as mentioned below per year, plus an annual performance bonus. We take into consideration an individual’s background, expertise, and experience in determining final salary. In addition to annual salary, Smartly’s total rewards provide employees with stock options, medical/dental/vision insurances, retirement savings benefits, parental leave, 5 weeks vacation, unlimited sick days, life insurance, and disability benefits. This information is provided in accordance with applicable law. Base pay information is based on market location.

Salary Range (USD): $140,000 to $160,000

 

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About Smartly

Smartly is the AI-powered advertising technology company transforming ad experiences for brands and their consumers. Our comprehensive advertising platform seamlessly integrates the capabilities of media, creative, and intelligence to power more than 800 billion impressions and generate more than 300 billion creatives annually, delivering tangible business outcomes for brands and advertisers.

Smartly is the only company in the industry recognized as a Leader in The Forrester Wave: Creative Advertising Technologies with PwC validating the results it delivers for brands. We manage creative and media for 700+ brands worldwide and $6B in ad spend across the largest media platforms, including Facebook, Google, Instagram, Pinterest, Snap, and TikTok. Our end-to-end technology, unmatched access to media platforms and exceptional customer service help Fortune 500 brands to reach and engage consumers and learn what performs best.Smartly is a multinational and diverse team of 750+ Smartlies from 60+ nationalities, working in 13 countries. Together, we want to create and maintain an inclusive environment where everyone feels respected and heard. Our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion approach is at the heart of it.

Visit Smartly to learn more.


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