Finance Analyst (Credit Control)

PZ Cussons; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A consumer goods company located in Manchester is seeking a Finance Analyst to oversee the OTC process for the UK, Ireland, and USA. In this role, you will be responsible for ensuring financial governance and optimizing cash flow performance. You will manage operational aspects, resolve customer disputes, and support cash collection. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in shared services, strong SAP knowledge, and excellent communication skills. This position supports a flexible and inclusive work environment.

Benefits

Flexible working hours

Opportunity for career development

Inclusive work culture

Qualifications

• Experience within an FMCG transactional shared services environment.
• Strong track record of delivering measurable business outcomes.
• Good knowledge of accounting principles and procedures.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily OTC operations for the UK and USA markets.
• Ensure timely cash collection and manage aged debt.
• Act as the primary contact for the Group Treasury.

Skills

Strong influencing skills

Attention to detail

Ability to work in a matrix environment

Excellent communication skills

Proven ability to operate independently

Experience with SAP

Tools

Excel (intermediate level)

SAP

Job description

Finance Analyst (Credit Control)

Location: Manchester

Contract type: Permanent

WHO ARE WE

PZ Cussons is an international consumer goods business, headquartered in Manchester, UK. We employ just under 2500 people across our operations in Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific and Africa. Since our founding in 1884, we have been creating products to delight, care for and nourish consumers. Across our core categories of Hygiene, Baby and Beauty, our trusted and well‑loved brands include Carex, Childs Farm, Cussons Baby, Imperial Leather, Morning Fresh, Original Source, Premier, Sanctuary Spa and St. Tropez.

Sustainability and the wellbeing of our employees and communities everywhere are at the heart of our business model and strategy and captured by our purpose : For Everyone, For Life, For Good.

If you want to join a business in transformation with exciting growth plans and the opportunity to work flexibly and finish at 1pm every Friday, apply to work for us today.

Job Purpose

This role holds end‑to‑end accountability for the Order to Cash (OTC) process across the UK, Ireland and USA markets, ensuring strong financial governance, control, and insight to optimise working capital performance. Acting as the senior regional OTC specialist, the role provides leadership and expertise across a complex, multi‑market landscape, directly influencing business performance and cash flow outcomes.

Function / Business Unit Overview

The Financial Control team for Europe is part of the Group Finance function based in Manchester supporting the PZ Cussons Leadership team as well as coordinating financial reporting, planning and control across the group.

There are three main areas under the Group Financial Control Director namely :

Group Finance Control & Compliance.

Financial Control by region

Group Finance Operations (including our Finance Shared Service Centres).

Globally there are three Financial Controllers, one Head of Financial Control & Compliance and one Head of Finance shared Service reporting directly to the Group Financial Control Director. This role is part of the Financial Control team for Europe and USA.

Reporting Relationships

The role will report directly to the Europe Head of Financial Control with an indirect reporting line to the OTC Tower Lead based in Indonesia. The OTC Tower is part of a broader Finance Shared Services team.

Although the role has no formal direct reports, it provides functional leadership and direction to the UK‑based OTC colleague and supports capability development across the global OTC network. You will play an active part in supporting, mentoring and coaching the local OTC colleague.

Job context & scope

• As an OTC Analyst, you play a pivotal role as a business partner. You will be a conduit between the OTC transactional team (based in Indonesia) with the non‑transactional part of the OTC function by working with various internal stakeholders. In addition, you will also work with external stakeholders such as Customers, Auditors and other 3rd parties.
• You will be a local point of contact, due to your specialised and localised expertise and insight.
• You will have the OTC and commercial knowledge to support and advise stakeholders in the UK&I and USA entities, whilst recognising the need to represent, communicate and align with the wider Finance Shared Services team who are remote and work in a different time zone.
• You will be a Subject Matter Expert (SME) for OTC UK&I and USA. Your skills and experience will be required to cover any activities impacted by the time zone difference with Indonesia, but also market‑specific responsibilities as outlined in the job description.
• You will instigate continuous improvement initiatives working with the Group CI team to drive efficiency and reduce complexity, ensuring process consistency and adherence to policy is not impacted.
• You will identify risks, challenges and issues, deciding where and how these are best escalated in a timely manner complete with proposals for resolution.
• You must be a team player but also be able to work with autonomy, independence and resilience.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Transaction processing

Oversee daily OTC UK&I and USA operations on behalf of the Head of Financial Control for the region and the OTC Tower Lead in Indonesia. Own and govern OTC operations for UK&I and USA, ensuring adherence to control standards.

Accountable for ensuring timely cash collection and minimising aged debt exposure across both markets, directly supporting Net Working Capital and cash flow performance.

Manage the control and approval of credit release(s) on daily basis, maintaining and documenting SAP extracts for all released orders. Adherence to the process regarding escalation and order release must be maintained. All orders released immediately following Finance Director approval with clear communication regarding status of the customer orders to the relevant stakeholders.

You will follow up all issues identified and requiring resolution with local stakeholders with particular focus on customer disputes (can be worth between £2m to £3m a year), cash collection and allocation issues with customers, make proposals to the Finance Director for any debt write off and / or other market‑specific challenges.

Manage the cash collection measures locally to resolve disputes as and when required, e.g. phone calls with customers, coordinating legal actions, sending physical dunning letters to customers (if applicable and required).

Be the primary point of contact for the Group Treasury team for all OTC UK & Ireland and USA customer receipts and or / other treasury‑related insights in OTC which may impact the group’s cash flow forecasting. Ensuring regular engagement with Group Treasury to ensure alignment and updates on issue resolution.

Support OTC in Indonesia with Cash allocation to all customer ledgers if required, with a focus on ensuring timely cash allocation for Europe / USA ledgers.

Resolve legacy account receivable transactions in customer ledgers by proactively contacting customer(s) for non‑payment and dispute resolution alongside working with our National Account Managers (NAMs) for support. Drive actions plan, measure and report progress with the Head of Financial Control and the Finance Director. You will focus on all 30 days overdue debt.

Train, coach, mentor and support other OTC team members less experienced in the execution of the above tasks to ensure best practice in line with policy and procedures resulting in positive and timely outcomes.

Business Partnering

As an OTC Analyst you will represent the global function with an expertise in UK & Ireland and USA customer base.

Represent the OTC function at senior commercial and operational forums, providing analysis and recommendations that support shape business decisions.

Be the point of contact and representative of the wider Finance Shared Services global function, through endorsing and delivering consistent and standard financial and accounting transactions and controls in line with group policies, whilst also identify and resolving any local abnormalities and deviations.

Proactively nurture cross functional relationships and be a trusted and credible business partner to both the Commercial and Supply Chain teams. Provide value through translating financial insights into actions that contribute to profitable growth and operational efficiency.

Proactively manage stakeholder relationships within UK & Ireland and US whilst acting as a conduit with the Global FSS function, ensuring appropriate representation and ownership for localised activities, actions and objective.

Demonstrate proactive ownership of local OTC issues and / or processes. Manage these OTC issues and challenges to a successful conclusion for all urgent queries, or risks identified also identified by local stakeholders.

Support wider business strategic projects and change initiatives, by providing operational process knowledge, policy and / or insights as required.

Depending on the nature, either manage or oversee any internal / external audit queries for UK & Ilreand and USA. Proactively engage with local stakeholders and and oversee requests for information / data ensuring PWC received all requests per the deadlines.

Key Role requirements

Experience within an FMCG transactional shared services environment.

Strong track record of driving cross‑functional alignment and delivering measurable business outcomes in a shared services model.

A good knowledge and understanding of standard accounting principles and working with accounting procedures and controls environments.

You have an excellent OTC knowledge of SAP, a good understanding of customers portals, customer pricing, and a sound knowledge and awareness of mainland Europe commercial processes.

Proven ability to operate independently within a complex, matrix environment, exercising sound judgement in balancing commercial priorities with financial control.

Strong influencing, facilitation and communication skills characterised by a diplomatic and consultative approach is a must.

Have great attention to detail, accuracy, and ability to work to tight deadlines.

Ability to partner and work with colleagues from your peers to the Senior Leadership team.

Able to handle change in a forever changing commercial world and be to support colleagues as well as yourself through periods of change and uncertainty.

Ability to interpret, analyse and report financial data and willing to challenge ways of working, to optimise team performance and improve processes.

See yourself a “completer / finisher” with the genuine drive, enthusiasm, and commitment to build improvement to ways of working but also self‑develop self to enhance your career.

Demonstrate the right behaviours consistent with the Winning Team Principles and BEST (Bold, Energetic, Striving, Together) values.

Can lead and direct local initiatives (e.g. small projects) to enhance ways of working or to deliver a tangible improvement.

Working knowledge of Excel (intermediate level).

Equal Opportunities

At PZ Cussons, we value diversity and make sure everyone feels included. We want our team to reflect society and our global customers. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and your unique perspective helps us develop brands and create new products for our consumers.

If you need extra support during this process, please inform us so that we can accommodate your needs appropriately. It is important to us that all candidates feel recognised and have a good experience with PZ Cussons as part of our commitment to inclusivity.

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