Procurement Finance Manager, Central Finance Excellence Team (CFET) -2

Job description

JOB TITLE: Procurement Finance Manager, Central Finance Excellence Team (CFET)

JOB LOCATION: Bangalore, India

BUSINESS CONTEXT:

Procurement Finance partners the Global Procurement function in delivering the expansive cost and cash agenda for Unilever. Procurement Finance is a diverse global team with representation from 20+ nationalities, spread across 3 global hubs and multiple market locations.

JOB PURPOSE:

Reporting to the CFET Senior Manager, the candidate will own the material price forecasting process for select portfolios and clusters, for on time and in full delivery. The candidate will play a pivotal role in leading the forecasting process, building understanding of the material price forecast, and driving insights for decision making.

The role would be to mainly:

• Drive the material price forecast process for select portfolios and clusters

• Lead process improvement initiatives and simplification projects

• Support wider transformation programs in the forecasting space

• Drive analytics and insights to enable value-focused business decisions and actions

• Understand drivers of forecast impact to partner Procurement and Finance teams on the forecast

• Lead a team of 3-5 Assistant Managers and / or Senior Executives to deliver to business objectives

The ideal candidate is required to see the big picture while being capable of drilling down to the details to drive insights and resolve operational issues. They should be able to drive and improve a large, complex process, while partnering and engaging with Procurement and Finance teams. Strong analytical skills, robust process leadership, good stakeholder management, high accountability and resilience are key to succeed in this role.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES:

Material Forecasting

• Lead forecast cycles for select portfolios and clusters, driving timeliness, accuracy and prioritization

• Engage with and support buyers to improve quality of the forecast while reducing effort

• Drive analytics and insights to guide business decision making and focus

• Understand impacts from price movements in key commodities to estimate impact on forecast

• Understand drivers of forecast impact to partner Procurement and Finance teams on the forecast

• Land material prices and forecast impacts with Markets / Business Groups

Process Improvement

• Streamline the forecasting process through prioritization, simplification, standardization, and automation

• Lead continuous improvement initiatives
• Support forecasting transformation programs through process expertise and thought leadership

Stakeholder Management

• Engage with Supplier Operations and third party to get relevant output to run the forecast and give them input for process improvements

• Engage with FBPs to land the forecast, answer queries, help build a narrative and partner business on the forecast

• Engage with Procurement to drive various elements of the forecasting cycle

• Engage with Supply Chain Finance on forecast-related topics such as volume collection, material prices delivery, etc.

• Engage with various transformation programs to share expertise and lend thought leadership

Team Management

• Lead a team of 3-5 Assistant Managers / Senior Executives

• Ensure each team member has the required skills and competencies to do his / her role effectively by providing feedback, support, coaching and guidance

• Take ownership of the wellbeing and development of the team

• Create a collaborative working environment within and across teams

• Engage in performance management processes, in line with Unilever’s performance culture, to ensure each team member achieves his / her goals

• Effectively manage team changes and issues such as promotions, resignations, absence management, etc. in line with Company guidelines

KEY INTERFACES:

• Performance Management & Operations Director

• Central Finance Excellence Team (CFET)

• Finance Business Partners (FBPs)

• Performance Management Lead

• Forecast Champions and Buyers

• Supply Chain Finance Services (SCFS)

• Country FET teams

• Third Party service provider

RELEVANT SKILLS / EXPERIENCES REQUIRED:

• Qualified Chartered Accountant / Cost Accountant / MBA with 5 - 8 years’ experience

• Relevant experience in Financial Planning, Forecasting and / or Finance Operations

• Prior experience in Procurement Finance or Supply Chain Finance preferred

• 2+ years’ experience in leading teams

• Strong people management skills to engage, steer, and motivate the team for high performance

• Strong analytical skills, Excel skills and attention to detail

• High accountability and ownership

• Passion for high performance to drive and continuously improve the process

• Resilience to cope with challenges of a demanding forecasting cycle

• Ability to work collaboratively with stakeholders

• Strong communication skills