Principal Financial Analyst

Principal Financial Analyst – Capital One

In this role you will serve as the work lead for Retail Marketing & Product Strategy (MAPS) and Retail Bank Product (RBP) OPEX, playing a critical role in supporting Retail’s growth strategy. This high‑visibility position is responsible for the overall financial management, analysis, and reporting of MAPS and RBP expenses. You will partner with business stakeholders, drive adherence to financial goals, and provide leadership within the finance team for this critical area. The ideal candidate possesses strong analytical skills, sound judgment, and a proactive ownership mindset.

Key Responsibilities

• Analyze and report on MAPS & RBP expenses, including monthly actuals performance versus forecast.
• Manage budget risks and opportunities, providing insights and recommendations to business partners and Retail Finance.
• Lead and manage the monthly outlook process, including loading updates into XSTREAM.
• Execute in‑depth, project‑based work: analyze costs and their underlying drivers (e.g., tech/product gearing, BillPay, Cashload, letter automation initiatives).
• Understand and track the financial impact of Retail volume changes (e.g., new checking accounts, transactions) on money movement‑related expenses (e.g., Zelle, BillPay).
• Develop an intuition for generating true 50/50 expense forecasts based on analysis of hiring/attrition trends, vendor performance, and overall business growth.

Leadership & Team Direction

• Serve as the primary finance partner for MAPS & RBP business teams, acting as the subject‑matter expert and finance lead for this portfolio.
• Work closely with other analysts, taking the lead in managing the work within the MAPS/RBP space and providing coaching to ensure consistent quality and strategic alignment.
• Prepare and lead the monthly financial reviews (MFRs) with business partners (LT and team).
• Tailor written and verbal communication for different audiences, simplifying financial terms for the business and providing high‑level narratives for the finance team (VP+ level communication required).
• Maintain constant communication with MAPS/RBP business partners to understand headcount needs, volume growth, and business strategy.
• Attend business meetings to integrate strategy and tactical knowledge into financial planning and budget decisions.
• Collaborate closely with Tech Finance to understand product gearing needs.
• Act as a team player, leveraging internal team members to understand total business expense impacts.

Required Skills & Competencies

• Analytical & Results Focus – Ability to analyze complex data, prioritize asks, and deliver error‑free outputs/data.
• Communication – Strong verbal and written communication skills; ability to tailor the message to various audiences.
• Partnership & Teamwork – Proven ability to collaborate effectively with cross‑functional teams (Finance, Business, Tech) and build solid relationships.
• Judgment & Ownership – High degree of independence, ownership of tasks (e.g., outlooks), and the ability to incorporate business knowledge to provide an independent point of view on budget decisions and work direction.
• Job Specific Skills – Aptitude for learning Retail Marketing and Product goals, and proficiency or willingness to learn platforms such as Snowflake, XSTREAM, Finsight, Coupa, Beeline, and Tableau.

Why Join Us

This role offers an excellent foundation for career progression by allowing you to step into a work leadership capacity and gain experience that is highly transferable to other FP&A roles. While focusing on OPEX, you will gain exposure to the whole P&L dynamics through team meetings and develop a deep understanding of Retail’s growth strategy and key products.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree or military experience.
• At least 4 years of experience in financial analysis.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) or Master’s Degree in Finance.
• Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) license or Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license.
• 5+ years experience in financial analysis.
• 4+ years experience with financial modeling.
• Proficiency in Google Suite.

Location & Compensation

We are currently hiring for the Principal Financial Analyst role in the following locations with the associated salary ranges:

• McLean, VA: $117,300 – $133,900
• Richmond, VA: $106,700 – $121,700

Additional details regarding salary, performance incentives and benefits can be found on the Capital One Careers website. This role is eligible for performance‑based incentive compensation, including cash bonuses and/or long‑term incentives.

Equal Opportunity Employer

No agencies please. Capital One is an equal opportunity employer (EOE, including disability/vet) committed to non‑discrimination in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Capital One promotes a drug‑free workplace. Capital One will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable laws regarding criminal background inquiries.

If you require accommodations to apply or need assistance during the recruiting process, please contact Capital One Recruiting at 1‑800‑304‑9102 or via email at For technical support or questions about the recruiting process, email

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Seniorities

Mid‑Senior level – Full‑time – Finance and Sales