Director Finance Commercial Europe

As Director, Finance Commercial Europe, you lead the overall end-to-end Finance operations for our European Commercial business, which represents more than 650M € in net sales. This role is responsible for the overall consolidation of financials for the European region, and it also provides leadership and direction for the Finance function in the key markets and clusters of Europe. This leader will directly oversee a team made up of 9 team members – split between regional and local finance business roles. This position will report directly to the VP, Commercial Controlling.

This leader plays a critical role in not only managing the regional financial operations, but it is also a business partner to the regional General Manager and the European leadership team. As a member of the Global Finance Leadership Team, this leader is expected to operate with an enterprise mindset and work collaboratively across all support functions and regions to drive alignment, share best practices, and accelerate performance. The expectation is that this leader pushes and challenges the business to achieve its aggressive growth ambitions in line with our overall company strategy. This leader is expected to serve as an enterprise leader, looking across the business and beyond the European Commercial team to recommend better and new ways of working, new and improved processes, and different ways to solve problems. This leader will also be responsible for maintaining a best-in-class Finance team that is well equipped to deliver for now and for the future.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Business Partnership

1. Directly partner with the General Manager, Europe on overall regional strategic business direction
2. Serve as a critical member of the European Management Team (EMT), partnering with the other EMT leaders on strategic business decisions
3. Challenge the GM and leadership team on new ways of thinking about problems/challenges
4. Work collaboratively across all support functions and regions (including Sales, Marketing, Operations, HR, Supply Chain, IT, Legal, and other corporate partners) to drive business results, optimize financial performance, and ensure enterprise alignment
5. Develop strong relationships with external partners, including banks, auditors, and regulatory authorities

Financial Strategy & Planning

1. Develop and implement financial strategies to support the company's overall goals and objectives, in alignment with global Finance priorities and in partnership with cross-functional stakeholders across regions

2. Lead the annual budgeting and forecasting process for the European region, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives
3. Provide strategic guidance on investment opportunities, capital allocation, and financial risk management
4. Assist in formulating the Finance future direction and supporting strategic and tactical initiatives: investments, restructuring, etc.
5. Monitor and direct the implementation of strategic business plans
6. Present financial plans and strategic plans to ExComm leadership with both facts and insights on an ongoing and as-needed basis

Financial Reporting & Analysis

1. Oversee the preparation and analysis of financial reports, including monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements
2. Monitor key financial metrics and KPIs to assess performance and identify areas for improvement
3. Provide timely and accurate financial insights to senior management, the Global Finance Leadership Team, and key cross-functional stakeholders across regions

Operations / Financial Data 

1. Manage the controlling departments
2. Oversee the financial operations of subsidiary companies; build and monitor appropriate analytical tools (financial metrics + KPIs)
3. Oversee the issuance of financial information; ensure accuracy in liaison with the Audit teams
4. Recommend and implement operational best practices
5. Develops a more analytical process / approach

Risk Management

1. Implement and maintain robust internal controls to safeguard company assets and mitigate financial risks
2. Ensure compliance with local financial regulations and accounting standards across European jurisdictions
3. Lead the annual audit process and liaise with external auditors to ensure compliance and transparency
4. Construct and monitor reliable control systems
5. Ensure that record keeping meets the requirements of auditors and government agencies
6. Report risk issues to the audit committee of the Board of Directors

Management, Leadership, & Enterprise Leadership

1. Strong management skills with a proven ability to develop and coach his/her team
2. Serve as a key member of not only the European Management Team, but also of the Global Finance Leadership Team
3. Be a role model for the country / regional Financial directors
4. Proactively build the capabilities and capacities of the Finance teams in each country
5. Strong strategic thinker and shaper of solutions.
6. Demonstrates strong judgement & ability to make effective decisions with ambiguous / unclear data
7. Build and lead a high-performing finance team, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement. 
8. Provide mentorship, coaching, and professional development opportunities to team members, promoting growth and career advancement.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Master's degree in accounting or business administration, or equivalent business experience
• 15+ years of progressively responsible experience for a major company or division of a large corporation
• Fast Moving Consumer Goods experience preferred
• Should have experience in partnering with senior leadership and have a high proficiency of written and oral communication skills
• Enterprise leadership experience, i.e. the ability to provide leadership and guidance that drives and supports the broader business
• Proven track record of success in senior finance leadership roles, preferably within a multinational corporation or European commercial organization.
• Excellent analytical skills with the ability to translate financial data into actionable insights.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to develop and execute financial strategies that drive business results.
• Effective communicator and influencer, with the ability to build relationships and collaborate across all levels of the organization.
• Demonstrated leadership capabilities with a focus on team development and talent management.
• International experience is a strong “plus”
• Strong management skills with a will to develop and coach his/her team
• Fluent in English mandatory, a second European language will be a “plus”

BIC World is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strongly commit to hiring people with different backgrounds and experiences to help us build better products, make better decisions, and better serve our customers. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability status, or similar characteristics. All employment is decided based on qualifications, merit, and business need.

BIC World is not seeking assistance or accepting unsolicited resumes from search firms for this employment opportunity. Regardless of past practice, all resumes submitted by search firms to any team member at BIC via email, or directly to a BIC team member in any form without a valid written search agreement in place for that position will be deemed the sole property of BIC, and no fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by BIC as a result of the referral or through other means.