Head of Sales Finance

Description

Title: Head of Sales Finance

Reports to: Chief Financial Officer

Location: Chicago, IL

Looking for a job that can grow into a lifelong career?

At Lactalis USA, we believe in promoting from within and giving our employees meaningful opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive. Whether you're just starting out or bringing years of experience, we'll provide the tools and support you need to succeed.

Lactalis is the world leader in dairy-a family-owned company with over 85,000 pragmatic and ambitious professionals across the globe. Every day, we're proud to produce award-winning dairy products that bring people together every day.

In the US, we offer an unrivaled house of beloved brands, including Galbani Italian cheeses and ricotta, President specialty cheeses and butters, Kraft natural and grated cheeses, Breakstone's cottage cheese, Cracker Barrel, Black Diamond cheddar, and Parmalat milk. Our yogurt portfolio includes siggi's, Stonyfield Organic, Brown Cow, Oui, Yoplait, Go-Gurt, :ratio, Green Mountain Creamery, and Mountain High, along with sour cream and a growing family of ethnic favorites like Karoun, Gopi, and Arz.

At Lactalis, we live by our core values-Ambition, Engagement, and Simplicity. We're building a workplace where innovation thrives, diverse perspectives are celebrated, and everyone's unique background and ideas are valued.

Even if you don't meet every qualification, we encourage you to apply. We want to hear about your PASSION, your STORY, and how your EXPERTISE can help us make an impact.

From your PASSION to ours

The Head of Sales Finance is responsible for leading all Sales Finance Planning activities and routines, providing analytical support to Sales leadership, optimizing customer strategies and plans, and ultimately delivering Net Sales and Profit growth for LHD. The Head of Sales Finance leverages and fosters a data driven analytical approach and, together with their team, cooperates with the sales leaders to drive the execution of the recommended strategies and plans. The role is also responsible for ensuring that trade spending is accurately forecasted, consistent with strategy guidelines, and within budget.

From your EXPERTISE to ours

• Lead the Sales Finance team (4 individuals - 1 Manager/3 Sr Analysts) to provide effective analytical support to the Sales organization aimed at identifying opportunities and strategies to ultimately deliver sales and profitability growth
• Partner & collaborate cross-functionally with Sales, Sales Ops & Planning team, Category Leadership team, and Shopper Marketing team
• ROI analysis, pricing / promotion optimization
• Preparation of joint business plan investment proposals or strategic investments and subsequent customer negotiations
• Customer & SKU level P&Ls to ensure ongoing profitability of SKUs within customers
• Customer specific analysis to identify areas of improvement
• Monthly P&L forecasting and reporting
• Evaluate financial viability/profitability & ramifications of incremental funding requests and new product launches
• Perform post event analyses to evaluate effectiveness of executed plan and recommend modifications based on results
• Participation in the annual planning process through validation of YoY drivers of demand, trade budgeting, and assist the development of initiatives to achieve targets?
• Provide sales reporting to the field sales teams
• Create/maintain tools, reports, and playbooks/customer reference guides to support the business and enable faster decision making
• Develop and maintain financial controls to ensure visibility to and accuracy of the monthly trade spend forecast in relation to budget targets and the actual spend
• Review sales finance and trade management processes and implement adjustments to LHD organization

Managerial Responsibilities:

• The Head of Sales Finance is responsible for evaluation of staff in Sales Finance. Responsibilities will also include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning and directing work; appraising performance.

Requirements

From your STORY to ours

• 7+ years consumer package goods industry experience or similar experience within a multinational business, ideally in dairy
• Prior sales finance experience with EDLP customers, Hi/Lo customers, and Wholesalers is preferred
• MBA or Masters degree is preferred
• Strong finance, sales, category planning and/or analytical background
• Excellent communication and leadership skills
• Experience leading and developing high-performing teams of more than 1 direct report
• Proficiency in all Microsoft Office products with advanced skills in Excel
• Knowledge of the main business intelligence tools and trade management systems (ex. Business Warehouse [BW], Circana/IRI, Power BI, SAP, Vistex)
• Ability to effectively summarize complex information and influence sales leadership to drive appropriate action
• Proven ability to meet deadlines in a dynamic environment
• Independent, self-motivated, self-managing, proactive and responsive with a bias for action and results
• Adaptable to business changes and M&A activity

Location

• This role is based in our downtown Chicago office with a 3 day in office hybrid schedule, typically Mon / Tues / Thurs in office

At Lactalis, we offer a comprehensive Total Rewards Program with a variety of affordable benefits and coverage options. We support insurance costs significantly, contribute generously to retirement plans, and offer Paid Time Off from day one. We are committed to your professional growth, providing training and development opportunities, including Education Reimbursement. Join us and grow your career.

Lactalis Heritage Dairy is an equal employment opportunity employer. We will not discriminate against applicants with regard to any legally-recognized basis including, but not limited to: veteran status, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, and physical or mental disabilities.