Mgr Customer Finance

Position Title: Customer Finance Manager
Position Location: Hershey, PA
Summary:
Position will provide financial guidance around: customer account planning, monthly reporting on progress toward annual objectives, variance analysis, and resolution of financial challenges with insights into profit and revenue drivers.
Services provided will include proactively assisting assigned customer teams in managing their P&Ls, analyzing promotional spending opportunities, compliance with internal controls and facilitating discussions of customer financial issues. Where applicable, manage the distributor relationships that affect assigned customers and their retailers.
This individual will interact with senior level individuals (VPs, Senior Directors and Directors) in Finance, Sales, Sales Enablement, Marketing, and Operations, and will work closely with Customer Sales Executives, Category Strategy and Insights, Supply Chain and Global Shared Services personnel.
Provides leadership in delivering data and insights to the Selling organization to enhance decision support.
This position requires personal leadership, a "can do attitude" toward achieving sales plans and targets, initiative, extensive cross-functional teamwork, and a sophisticated level of business knowledge.
Major Duties/Responsibilities:
Summary of major duties:
Financial Analysis and Customer P&Ls :

• Provides analysis, commentaries, and supporting schedules that detail and summarize the financial performance of customers supported;
• Provides portfolio financial support and in-depth guidance around variances;
• Consults customer teams on actions that they may take to improve their financial results (i.e., Net Sales, Sales Activity Margin, etc);
• Provides financial leadership in managing budgets associated Trade, RD&As, DMEs, and Selling Expenses. Financial leadership includes but is not limited to: solutions to minimize customer waste and tactical action plans for increasing the efficiency of Trade and DME investments; and
• Provides timely and accurate analytics to support actionable business decisions.

System and Data Analysis Expert :

• Leads initiatives to develop and advance CSE's skill set as it relates to PlanEx Customer Sales and Trade Planning;
• PlanEx system expert, both technical and process expert;
• Maintains a detailed understanding of significant customer related spends, including trade promotions, waste, and customer specific direct marketing expenses;
• leads analyses on trade spending, profitability, consumer takeaway and sales trends; leverages data to improve customer profitability, grow market share, and improve customer trade strategy;
• Utilizes available data from PlanEx, IRI, and SAP to provide meaningful insights to Customer Sales Teams; and
• Expertly leverages productivity tools to compile data into actionable formats that influence smart decisions.

Sales & Trade Planning :

• Influences sales partners' on-going estimate processes and ensures their understanding and consideration of key factors that may impact their estimates;
• Assist customer teams to build their annual and strategic plan;
• Mentors Sales Finance teammates on the annual planning process;
• Participate in customer strategy meetings such as, Joint Business Planning, Strategy Sprints, Global Customer Insights Center (GCIC) and assists in the preparation of related presentations;
• Collaborates with Sales Finance leadership and Sales leadership to highlight customer investment opportunities and efficiencies; and
• Works with customer teams to help them improve the accuracy of their periodic sales and trade estimates through insightful questions and analysis.

Special Projects, Coaching, Mentoring and Training :

• Leads initiatives to develop and advance CSE's skill set as it relates to sales and trade planning;
• S upports PlanEx technical training as necessary. Provides large group training and 1:1 guidance to Sales;
• Actively participates in the development of strategies and negotiation tactics to respond to significant customer funding requests;
• Mentors and coaches new hires & interns on the processes & systems necessary to perform their roles; and
• Participates on special projects as assigned by Department leadership.

Accounting Close Process :

• Manages monthly, quarterly and year-end accounting close process focusing on accuracy of trade accruals;
• Facilitates discussions with Sales teams to ensure appropriate focus and follow-up on topics such as waste and deductions;
• Ensures accounting data is valid and that all periodic reporting requirements are met; and
• Ensures customer teams understand their responsibilities around accounting policies and internal controls.

Minimum knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform major duties/responsibilities:

• 5+ years of solid business experience, including accounting, finance, FP&A and sales, interacting with sales & marketing.
• Advanced knowledge and experience with financial concepts and reporting.
• Advanced understanding of consumer products businesses and Sales Planning trade strategies and channel issues.
• Extensive experience in analyzing and integrating multiple data sources into a useful decision format, interprets data, identifies issues/opportunities, and provides solution finding leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to work across disciplines and customer teams to generate new processes and/or resolve issues.
• Excellent leadership/team building skills; excellent interpersonal skills; strong facilitation and conflict resolution skills.
• Very comfortable making judgment calls and decisions in an atmosphere of uncertainty and imperfect information.
• Advanced written and oral communication skills.
• Knowledge and experience of creative problem solving methods and ability to facilitate small group ideation sessions.
• Expertise in prioritizing and managing multiple projects/areas of responsibility simultaneously.
• Technical experience with SAP, IRI and Excel.
• Ability to successfully represent Hershey with external partners and customers.
• Ability to travel ~5%

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements:
Education: BA/BS in Accounting, Finance, Business Aministration, Marketing or Equivalent.
Experience: Minimum 5 Years experience in Sales Finance, Financial Planning and Analysis, and/or Marketing Finance.
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Nearest Major Market: Harrisburg