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Financial Planning and Analysis Intern (F&II)

Ingredion · Westchester, IL · $20.00–$23.00 an hour · Full time

Posted Sep 15, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a time you found a faster or cleaner way to do a repetitive task, at school or at work.

What they are checking: Whether the process-improvement initiative the posting asks for shows up in real past behavior or only in their cover letter.

Tell me about a time you had to present numbers to someone who was not a finance person.

What they are checking: Whether they can turn analysis into a clear story, since FP&A work only matters if business partners understand it.

Tell me about a project where the instructions changed partway through. How did you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they can stay calm and productive in the dynamic environment the posting describes, where priorities shift around close.

What would you do

You are pulling together a report and notice a number that does not tie to last month's version. The deadline is in two hours. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they flag discrepancies honestly and early rather than quietly sending something they know may be wrong.

This role is hybrid, three days in the office. How do you stay on top of work and stay visible when part of your week is remote?

What they are checking: Whether they will ask questions and build relationships without someone checking on them, which an intern needs to learn fast.

About the work

This internship supports monthly and quarterly reporting for our Food and Industrial Ingredients team in the US and Canada. What do you think a month-end reporting cycle looks like from the FP&A side?

What they are checking: Whether they understand that FP&A explains the numbers after close rather than just recording them, which shapes every task they will get.

Walk me through how you would explain a gross margin that came in two points lower than forecast for the month.

What they are checking: Whether they can break a variance into price, volume, mix and cost instead of stopping at the headline number.

How comfortable are you in Excel? Tell me about the most complicated spreadsheet you have built and what it did.

What they are checking: How quickly they can be useful on day one, since most FP&A intern work lives in spreadsheets and lookups.

Our ingredients go into chocolate, pet food, paper and snacks. What do you think drives cost for a company that turns corn and other crops into ingredients?

What they are checking: Whether they have thought about the business behind the numbers, which makes their analysis more useful to the people reading it.

What is the difference between a budget, a forecast and actuals, and why would a company care about all three?

What they are checking: Whether they have the basic vocabulary that every FP&A conversation in the department will assume they already know.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Ingredion from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

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The full job description

As published by Ingredion.

About Ingredion: Join Ingredion, where innovation impacts lives worldwide! Without even realizing it, you’ve experienced our work in your favorite chocolate, your pet’s food, the paper you write on, and your everyday snacks. As a global powerhouse across more than 60 industries, we harness the potential of natural ingredients to transform lives. Whether you’re just starting your career or bringing years of experience, there's a place for you here to make a real difference. Be part of our team that values a wide range of perspectives and is committed to shaping a better world with every product we create. Location: Westchester, IL Workplace type: Hybrid (3 days in office/2 days remote) We have an exciting opportunity for an ambitious student to join our Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) Food & Industrial Ingredients USCAN Finance team for summer 2027! As the FP&A Finance Intern, you will assist in our monthly and quarterly financial reporting process and development of our financial reporting. You will be an important resource in the FP&A Finance department, and we believe that this internship will give you the opportunity to apply academic experience with a tailored learning path and corporate experience to drive your career development. We are looking for someone who has a strong initiative for process improvements to incorporate change in a dynamic work environment. What you will do: • Contribute to the development of financial, planning, and analysis for net sales bridges and sensitivity analysis between customer pricing and corn cost correlation. • Monitor monthly OPEX and SG&A spending against budget, forecast, and prior year results. • Prepare variance analyses to identify key drivers of spending performance. • Assist with annual budget development and monthly forecasting activities. • Provide timely assistance on FP&A finance related to Monthly/Quarterly reports, Strategic Plan, ad hoc analysis and reporting requests. • Support scenario analyses and financial modeling related to capital & growth initiatives. What you will bring: • Progress towards a Bachelor's degree in Finance with a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0, preferred • Be in or going into your junior or senior year of college • Ability to work on site 3 days a week during the summer internship term • Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills • Working knowledge of basic computer software applications such as MS Office (Excel, PowerPoint and Word) • Reliable transportation required to get to and from facility each work day Who you are: • Proven ability to deliver under agreed upon deadlines • Ability to work collaboratively with peers and others • Solid teamwork skills and creative problem solving • Desire to see and create results To be eligible for consideration, candidates must: • Currently possess unrestricted authorization to work in the United States. Ingredion does not intend to sponsor work visas with respect to this position or to provide this position as OPT or CPT. • Be a currently enrolled student in a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree program. If currently enrolled in an undergrad status, must have completed at least two years of coursework with status as a junior or non-graduating senior. • If you have completed your degree, please consider other opportunities with Ingredion, posted at ww.ingredion.com/careers. Why Join Ingredion? Discover why Ingredion is the ideal place to advance your career with our exception rewards and benefits package designed to help you thrive. Create the future with us and enjoy: • Total Rewards Package – competitive hourly salary based on your degree program. Housing stipends offered to students relocating 51+ miles from the Ingredion work location • Internship Program Events & Activities – programming catered toward career exploration, networking, and professional development - including the annual Capstone Summit at Ingredion HQ in Westchester, IL • Intern Mentor Program – pairing with a mentor to guide development and integration in Ingredion’s culture • Involvement in Ingredion’s Business Resource Groups – the conscience of the organization and an integral part to Ingredion’s Inclusion & Belonging strategy • Employee Recognition Program – a culture of real-time appreciation, with personalized recognition rewards globally • Employee Discount Program – provides exclusive discounts on everyday products, services, and travel Pay Range: $20-23 USD/hr #wayup We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. Ingredion seeks to provide a work environment that is free from harassment and discrimination. We will not tolerate any form of discrimination based on race, color, religion, age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, handicap or disability—mental or physical—marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability resulting from military service, or any other classification protected by law (“protected classifications”). We are committed to establishing and maintaining a work environment where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. Ingredion provides accommodations to job applicants with disabilities throughout the hiring process. If a job applicant requires an accommodation during the application process or through the selection process, we will work with the applicant to meet the job applicant's accommodation needs. Ingredion uses AI-enabled tools to support parts of the recruitment process, including resume screening and interview scheduling. These tools help match candidate skills to job requirements and streamline communication. All AI-assisted decisions are reviewed by our Talent Acquisition team to ensure fairness and compliance with applicable laws. By applying, you acknowledge that AI may be used to support your application journey. Relocation Available: No This pay rate is not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Final base salary will be determined based on several factors which may include but are not limited to responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data and applicable bargaining agreement (if any). Benefits: Full-time roles are eligible for our comprehensive benefits package which includes medical, dental and vision coverage as well as a 401(k) plan with a competitive company match .

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