Operational Business Controller | FMCG | Temporary

Independent Recruiters; Utrecht; On-site; EUR 56,000 - 78,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Temporary/Flex contract

40 hours per week

Job summary

Independent Recruiters is seeking an Operational Business Controller for a hands-on role in Utrecht. You will own the full Planning & Control cycle, partner with IT, Marketing, HR, and Supply Chain, and deliver timely financial insights to budget owners.

Key tasks include month-end close, budgeting, forecasts, and performance reviews. You will influence cost control and reporting within a large, international FMCG environment.

Qualifications

• Hands-on Finance/Business Control experience in a large, international setting.
• Strong planning & control processes including budgeting, forecasting, month-end and reporting.
• Experience with central functions, overheads or cost centers is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Own the Planning & Control cycle for assigned departments.
• Manage and analyse P&L below gross profit, balance sheet and working capital.
• Coordinate month-end close and ensure timely financial reporting.
• Prepare budgets, forecasts and the Annual Operating Plan.
• Conduct monthly forecasts and performance reviews with budget owners.
• Analyze variances and identify risks and opportunities.
• Challenge budget owners on spending and performance.
• Support cost control, orders, accruals and other day-to-day topics.
• Collaborate with Financial Control and stakeholders across the organization.

Skills

Planning & Control

Budgeting

Forecasting

P&L analysis

Excel skills

Stakeholder management

Matrix organization experience

Tools

Excel

Job description

Operational Business Controller | FMCG | Temporary

Are you a hands-on Business Controller who enjoys being close to both the numbers and the business? Do you like taking ownership of the full Planning & Control cycle and working directly with budget owners?

For a leading international FMCG organization in Utrecht, we are looking for an Operational Business Controller who will take financial responsibility for several central headquarters functions.

This is a hands-on controlling position within an international environment. You will be responsible for the financial performance of your departments, challenge budget owners and make sure they have the right financial insights to make decisions.

Responsibilities

What will you do?

As Operational Business Controller, you will be part of the Global Group Control team and act as the financial sparring partner for several central functions. These can include IT, Marketing, HR, Facilities, R&D and Supply Chain.

Your responsibilities include:

• Owning the Planning & Control cycle for your assigned departments;
• Managing and analysing the P&L below Gross Profit, Balance Sheet and Operating Working Capital;
• Coordinating month-end close and ensuring timely and accurate financial and management reporting;
• Preparing budgets, forecasts and the Annual Operating Plan;
• Conducting monthly forecast and performance reviews with budget owners;
• Analysing actuals versus budget and forecast and identifying risks, opportunities and cost developments;
• Challenging budget owners on spending, forecasts and financial performance;
• Supporting cost control, purchase orders, accruals and other day-to-day financial topics;
• Managing Balance Sheet positions and Working Capital and ensuring appropriate follow-up;
• Working closely with Financial Control, other Business Controllers and stakeholders across the organization;
• Ensuring corporate Finance policies and processes are correctly applied;
• Contributing to process improvements and ad-hoc Finance projects.

IT will be one of the departmental budgets within your scope. This is therefore not an IT Project Controller or IT Transformation role; the emphasis is on solid, hands‑on Business Control and ownership of the P&C cycle.

Requirements

You are a hands‑on Business Controller who combines strong analytical skills with a practical approach. You are comfortable taking ownership of the full Planning & Control cycle and working directly with budget owners to understand performance, challenge assumptions and keep financials under control.

You bring:

• Approximately 5-8 years of relevant Finance/Business Control experience;
• Strong hands‑on experience with the Planning & Control cycle, including budgeting, forecasting, month‑end and management reporting;
• Solid experience managing and analysing P&L, Balance Sheet and Working Capital;
• Experience working directly with departmental budget owners, challenging forecasts, costs and financial performance;
• Strong financial analysis skills and the ability to explain variances, risks and opportunities clearly;
• Experience with central functions, overheads or corporate cost centres is an advantage;
• Strong Excel skills and confidence working with financial data and reporting;
• Good stakeholder management and communication skills;
• Experience within a large, international and matrix‑driven organization is preferred;
• A proactive, pragmatic and hands‑on approach: you take ownership, get into the detail and make sure things get done.

Specific IT Finance experience is not required. IT will be one of several central functions within your scope; the emphasis is on strong operational Business Control rather than IT projects or transformation.

Offer

You will join the Global Finance organization of a large international FMCG company and work in a dynamic environment with significant exposure to different central functions and stakeholders.

• Salary: €5,000-€7,000 gross per month based on 40 hours;
• Hours: 40 hours per week;
• Start: As soon as possible;
• Contract: Temporary/Flex;
• Additional secondary benefits on top.