Commercial Finance Manager at Guinness

Job Description

UBL operates within a complex and challenging environment with increasing levels of competition both in alcohol and from substitute consumer goods categories, as well as tightening legislation.

Leadership Responsibilities:
This position will be responsible for providing financial business partnering leadership and direction to the commercial functions. This position also works within the senior management team within Uganda Demand.
• This role has direct reports including Credit Control Manager, Decision support leads and Distributor Finance Managers.
• Energize and mobilize the commercial functions and create momentum behind the business financial agenda.
• Deliver consistent and excellent performance and create conditions for the team to succeed through coaching and development of the commercial finance team.
• Guide the development and support the implementation of distributor financing schemes to enhance delivery and achievement of business targets.
• Develop and nurture relationships with key business stakeholders to further achievement of business goals.
• Regularly receive financial reports and compare sales and income targets and projections against the reported figures and suggest improvements to projection methods and analyse any failings.
• Maximize value creation and efficiency of sales & marketing Programmes through effective decision support with Sales & Marketing teams.

Purpose of Role
The Commercial Finance Manager’s role is to partner the business streams in ensuring that sales & commercial contribution are optimized and effectively managed. The postholder will provide strong commercial & financial advice on margin management, investment and other operational issues as well as ensuring that the commercial teams are appropriately communicated with on actual & forecast performance.

Role Responsibilities
• Contribute to the formulation of the Commercial Strategy by developing short to medium term operational forecasts and leading the commercial annual budgeting process.
• Drive understanding and focus on performance within the Commercial teams, facilitating a single-minded focus on what needs to be done to meet and go beyond delivery of annual targets.
• Lead the commercial risks & opportunities process for premium core and meet regularly with those who have profit accountability to ensure they have a clear understanding of what their P&L position, variances to plan, and what can be done to get back to / further outperform plan.
• Have a holistic view of business financials to ensure the right decision support can be given to drive core business agenda areas. Emphasis will be placed on Cost of Goods & Pricing optimization, understanding and control.
• Maximize return on investment by holding the business to account to deploy our financial resources in the most effective way and supporting commercial teams through Decision Support activity to do this.
• Build financial capabilities of the commercial teams to help them formulate and deliver sound commercial plans.
• Provide leadership on compliance and act as a champion of compliance and ethics within the commercial teams. Own the integrity and control of customer profitability, ensuring business information provided is accurate and fair.
• Continuous process improvement and simplification will be a key enabler for the realisation of the business’ growth ambitions. The CFM is expected to challenge established ways of working and constantly improve commercial processes (e.g. R&O, BPM, Working Capital Forecasting, etc.)
• Foster strong relationships with the commercial functions by establishing a customer service culture within the Commercial Finance Team
• Challenge existing modus operandi, questioning processes and structures which are currently embedded in the Company culture.

Qualifications and Experience Required
Qualifications
• 1st Degree in a business-related field.
• Qualified Accountant (CPA (K), ACCA, ACA, ACMA)

Experience
• 5+ years financial, commercial & market experience in accounting/analytical roles within the FMCG industry and experience of managing teams.
• Business Performance evaluation
• Budgeting & Forecasting for multiple business functions
• Good internal/external communicator being able to build strong relationships, influencing and presenting at a senior level.
• Knowledge of local market environment & trends, government policy and regulatory requirements