Commercial Finance Manager - Brand

pladis Global; Chiswick; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual Incentive Plan

Private medical Insurance

Health Cash Plan

25 days + bank holidays

Cycle to work scheme

Disount and Cashback Scheme

Job summary

pladis is seeking a Commercial Finance Manager - Brand in our UK&I hub at Chiswick Park, London. The role partners with Brand Directors to drive our Healthier, Indulgent, Confectionery and Seasonal portfolios, delivering value through rigorous financial analysis and strategic planning.

You will model opportunities, challenge plans with data-driven insights, and support investment decisions to achieve long-term growth.

Qualifications

• Experience in Commercial Finance roles with leadership and collaboration.
• Strong communication skills and ability to partner with Brand Directors.
• Qualified accountant (ACCA/ ACA/ CMA) or equivalent.
• Knowledge of manufacturing and Snacking categories.
• Proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint; SAP experience is essential.

Responsibilities

• Educate and define winning Brand strategies in collaboration with Brand teams during Brand Planning.
• Support the commercial strategy and investment opportunities behind our brands with Marketing Brand Managers.
• Model Innovation opportunities and assess costings to deliver margin accretive opportunities.
• Provide strategic challenge and insights from data to support Plans and decision making.
• Build investment cases for Innovation and Brand opportunities across capital and marketing activation.

Skills

Brand planning

Financial analysis

Business partnering

Strategic thinking

Advanced Excel

SAP knowledge

Education

ACCA/ACA/CIMA

Tools

SAP

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Family and ideas have always been our ingredients. Our founding families believed biscuits and chocolates could bring moments of happiness to the world. Their ideas have stood the test of time. Their spirit continues to inspire our future. It’s in the care and the craft we bake into biscuits and chocolates that have been loved for generations. And it’s in the fresh ideas, the new twists, flavours and textures we add to old and new favourites.

Our 16,000 colleagues across our global network of bakers, distribution sites and offices each with their own unique, diverse experience. To bring happiness with every bite.

If you’re a part of the pladis team, you know what it means to bring it. Whether it’s or resilience, team spirit or go-getting attitude. Our courage and compassion. Our ownership. Our whole selves. We Bring it. Day in, day out.

Inspired by you

Our founders didn’t follow rules and recipes, they created them. We’re looking for fresh thinkers to help us create the next chapter for pladis.

pladis succeeds because of people like you. People who wake up in the morning excited to get to work. Who believe in themselves and their potential. Who want to grow as part of a global community of like-minded colleagues! Because growth is our oxygen and our fuel. And it’s our deep and abiding belief that growth comes from working together, helping each other out, always passionate about our purpose to bring happiness with every bite.

Our Purpose

Bring happiness with every bite!

It’s a purpose that every one of our colleagues, all around the world believes in. And while we’re all unique, we also share the same values.

Each of our values is important on its own. In combination they’re incredibly powerful.

Our values have deep personal meaning to us. They’re part of who we are and what we stand for as an employer.

Living our pladis values is a key part of success, look out for questions in your interview that link to these key pladis values.

Role Title: Commercial Finance Manager - Brand

Site Introduction

In 2021, pladis proudly opened the doors to our vibrant global hub, the MIU Campus. Located in the heart of Chiswick Park, West London. Just a short 5-minute walk from Gunnersbury Station, our campus is nested within 33 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens, offering a welcoming and inspiring environment for all. Chiswick Park is home to both our UK and Global Corporate teams, bringing together diverse teams across the business.

What will this role achieve?

The UK&I region has results-oriented plans and the Commercial Finance team play a vital role in ensuring delivery of long-term balanced growth whilst fully understanding current performance.

This role will deliver the Commercial Finance thinking for our Indulgent, Healthier, Confectionery and Seasonal brands

• The Commercial Finance Manager role will partner with our Brand Directors to build and deliver our Health & Wellbeing strategy whilst optimally managing the drive of performance and growth in Confectionary and Seasonal.
• A focus on understanding brand performance, driving profitable winning innovation and ensure marketing investments deliver strong value are central to success.
• The role requires an ability to deliver constructive challenge whilst building positive relationships across the teams, supporting plans and communicating commercials with clarity.
• The role holder will report to the UK&I Senior Commercial Finance Manager, whilst working very closely with relevant partners in the Marketing and Innovation teams.

What will be your key deliverables?

• Educate and define winning Brand strategies in collaboration with the Brand teams, through the Brand Planning process
• Support the creation of the commercial strategy and investment opportunities behind our brands, in partnership with Marketing Brand Managers, to drive long term balanced growth
• Partner the Brand and Innovation team to model Innovation opportunities, influencing the Commercial proposition and understanding costings to deliver margin accretive innovation opportunities aligned to hurdle rates
• Provide strategic challenge and valuable insight based on Internal & external data and commercial experience, working collaboratively with business partners to deliver the PlanMaintain clarity over business performance, understanding drivers of performance (including trends, brand/customer/channel profitability and external competitor influences) which enable annual and strategic planning, supporting course correction and achieving opportunities
• Build detailed business/investment cases where appropriate to deliver Innovation and Brand opportunities across capital and marketing activation, managing within both financial and consumer return on investment benchmarks
• Supply to Net Revenue Management function on opportunities surrounding promotions, pricing and pack architecture to improve value for pladis and retailers, understanding system margin concepts
• Remain curious at all times, displaying a desire for ongoing continual improvement by delivering commercial and process insight in an engaging way
• Apply and develop toolkits and techniques for effective analysis, diagnosis and decision making within business governance cycles, as well as ad hoc analysis.
• Support Commercial upskilling of Commercial partners to enable commercially aware, agile decision making

Bring your experience.

• A passion for Commercial Finance, able to understand and communicate internal and external performance trends is essential
• Proven delivery in Commercial Finance Roles, with strong leadership, collaboration and communication skills.
• Good business partnering ability, able to build and develop long positive relationships
• Strong financial and commercial acuity is essential
• Advanced MS Excel, PPT. Strong SAP knowledge
• A qualified accountant (ACCA/ACA/CIMA)
• Knowledge of manufacturing and experience of Snacking categories
• Strategic planning ability

What will the interview process be?

• Initial Telephone call with Talent Acquisition
• 1st stage interview – 45 minutes competency-based interview based on our company values and your experiences.
• 2nd stage interview – 90 minutes – a technical interview to understand your skill set/case study or presentation interview.

What does pladis offer you?

• Annual Incentive Plan (AIP) – this is the business’s annual bonus scheme.
• Opportunity to self-enrol into Health Cash Plan
• Private medical Insurance (if eligible by grade)
• Enhanced parental leave and a supportive phased return-to-work program to help colleagues balance family and career.
• Life Assurance Cover ~ upon enrolment to Stakeholder Pension Scheme
• 25 days + bank holidays
• 1 Volunteering Day per year
• Cycle to work scheme
• Discounted gym membership – Carlisle and Chiswick only
• Discount and Cashback Scheme – make your everyday spending work hard for you on major high street brands, supermarkets and services
• Access to Employee Assistance Programme
• Financial Wellbeing Support
• Access to great training and development opportunities

Our Values

Purpose led – We’re energised and guided by our purpose to bring happiness with every bite

Agile – We’re ever evolving, we never stand still, always improving for our customers and our consumers.

Positive – We’re highly motivated optimistic, courageous, and we inspire each other to be better

Resilient - We’re persistent in the face of setbacks, quick to adapt, learn and move forward

Collaborative – We gain strength from operating as one pladis, winning and succeeding together

pladis is an equal opportunities employer, like every great recipe we’re a thoughtful mix. A happy and inclusive place to work that’s as diverse as our consumers and the communities we support, live and work in, all around the world. Where every voice is heard, and difference is celebrated. Where fresh perspectives and new ideas help us grow and thrive.

Accessibility at Chiswick:

Our Chiswick site has step-free access, accessible entrances and lifts between floors to support with individuals with mobility needs. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, and where possible to perform key job functions.