Current Roles

Commercial Finance Director EMEA
Salary: Exceptional

Director Commercial Finance EMEA

Our client is a well-known and respected multinational consumer brand. This company successfully operates in nearly 100 countries worldwide and has tens of thousands of individually owned and licenced/franchised operations.

The business is famous for elevating employees, customers, suppliers and communities to create positive change and impact. Our client leads in sustainability and for creating opportunities for many sectors of society.

This is an exciting executive opportunity to join a fast growth, ambitious international market-leading consumer business with a strong reputation and exciting future. The successful candidate will be a key member of the EMEA executive financial leadership team.

This is a particularly exciting time for our client as it continues to build on its success and further develops its EMEA market expansion. The successful candidate will enjoy a stimulating, rewarding and high-profile career within a genuinely exciting business, surrounded by a motivated and highly professional team. There is genuine potential for career progression, based on ability.

The Role

Reporting directly to the CFO EMEA, this job contributes to the success by leading strategic planning, annual budgeting and quarterly forecasting efforts and directing analysis on key areas of performance for equity-owned and licensee businesses. The role is responsible for assimilating financial and non-financial information to influence short, medium and long-range decision making.  Leads ad hoc analysis and cross functional business unit projects and prioritization to improve operational efficiencies and optimize profitability.

Overseeing the commercial finance function for the EMEA region, the role will partner and support the Leadership team across the EMEA region.  The role will possess strong influencing skills, is comfortable in a dynamic/matrix environment and is a Leader of Others.  Key areas of business partnership and support will at least initially include:

• License (franchise) business covering stores owned by Geo, Channel and Local License partners.
• General & Administrative Expenses (G&A)
• Product, Brand & Marketing Initiatives
• Supply Chain
• Store Development
• Technology
• Capital Investments
• Strategic project management
• Investment prioritization and resourcing

The partner will be a true business partner and thought leader across the business, but will also lead or be heavily engaged in other projects relating to strategy across EMEA, including:

• Store financial model improvements
• Regional financial model improvements

The role will involve minor travel.  Control and careful spend of the EMEA Finance department budget is a part of the role.

The role demands a high degree of accountability and responsibility, with a clear focus on driving excellence in reporting, planning and analysis. The EMEA region is undergoing, and will continue to undergo, a significant degree of change as the region continues to evolve towards a License (Franchise) operating model. The role requires a high degree of transformation & change management and people leadership.

Candidates’ Experience.

• Have experience of managing and developing financial operations in a retail or consumer packaged goods (CPG) segment in which scalable, replicable programs and initiatives have been created and implemented successfully.
• Have experience of managing business planning and performance in major subsidiaries of global companies, with emphasis in retail product and distribution businesses.
• Experience of working with licensees/franchisees would be advantageous.
• Be a visible, inclusive and a highly engaged cross-functional enterprise leader.
• Can apply knowledge of multidisciplinary business principles and practices to achieve successful outcomes in cross-functional projects and activities.
• Be able to manage partners remotely and across country/cultural boundaries.
• Have knowledge of a broad range of accounting and financial planning tools Manage and execute strategic cross-functional project management experience.
• Be able to build effective, respectful working relationships. Be able to operate and contribute effectively at senior leadership/board level.
• Have qualified with a recognised professional accounting body or other finance certification.
• Have experience of operating effectively and successfully at Senior Manager or Director level in Planning or Accounting and have a general understanding of US GAAP or IFRS.

Subjective Skills Person Specification

Candidates will be natural leaders with drive and motivation to achieve success.

Subjective skills:

• High energy levels and ambition.
• Commercially astute and thrives on a challenge.
• Solution orientated management style.
• Results focussed, strong willed and resilient.
• Customer focussed. Exceptional communication skills, charismatic and outgoing.

• Board Director/Partner Finance/Risk
• Consumer Products and FMCG
• London (Greater) (GB)