Financial Planning and Analysis Manager - Retail, Gift & Outlet

World's Finest® Chocolate; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Win as One Bonus Target: 10%

Job summary

World’s Finest Chocolate seeks a Manager of FP&A Retail, Gift & Outlet to drive profitability analyses and budgeting for Retail, Gift & Outlet segments. You will forecast, analyze trade spend and customer profitability, and collaborate cross-functionally to guide investment decisions.

The ideal candidate brings 3–5 years in corporate finance with retail exposure, and strong Excel modeling skills in a hybrid Chicago setting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in finance or accounting required; advanced degrees or CPA preferred.
• 3-5 years’ experience in Corporate Finance, ideally supporting retail business segments, trade spend, or consumer products.
• General accounting or cost accounting experience preferred.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, primarily Excel and PowerPoint.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and financial modeling skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities with urgency in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills to convey complex financial data.

Responsibilities

• Communicate business items to appropriate parties verbally or in writing.
• Drive the forecasting process with the Retail & Gift segments and provide summaries.
• Prepare internal and external financial forecasts and annual budgets.
• Provide actionable commentary on changes in monthly and quarterly forecasts.
• Monitor and develop new performance indicators; analyze variances.
• Track expenses versus budget and identify cost savings opportunities.
• Analyze trade spend, promotional activity, and profitability to support forecasts.
• Conduct ad-hoc analyses and build financial models for strategies and investments.
• Collaborate with IT to meet reporting requirements.
• Support management and department heads with in-depth analyses.
• Manipulate and automate large data sets in Excel (Pivot, VLOOKUPs, formulas).

Skills

Analytical thinking

Financial modeling

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in finance or accounting

Master's degree or CPA preferred

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

World’s Finest Chocolate does more than make delicious chocolate. Since 1949, we’ve helped our fundraising customers raise over $4,600,000,000! These funds are used to buy playgrounds, pay for reading specialists, purchase musical instruments, fund field trips, and more. Our employees work as a team to support our company’s mission: To Deliver Extraordinary Value with Fun & Purpose.

POSITION OVERVIEW

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Manager of FP&A Retail, Gift & Outlet to join the Finance team. This individual will conduct and review quantitative analyses related to company profitability, investment return, etc., for the Retail, Gift & Outlet Store business segments. This position will also assist in corporate budgeting and the Latest Current Estimate (LCE) process. The ideal candidate brings 3 to 5 years of experience in Corporate Finance, preferably with exposure to retail finance, trade spend, customer/program profitability, along with strong analytical skills and a proven ability to manage cross - functional collaboration.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Ensure that all business - related items are successfully and professionally communicated to the appropriate parties, either verbally or in writing.
• Drive the forecasting process with the Retail & Gift segments, compile all changes, and provide summaries as required
• Prepare internal and/or external financial forecasts and annual budgets
• Provide specific, actionable, and forward - looking commentary on changes in the monthly and quarterly financial forecasts
• Monitor and develop new performance indicators, highlighting trends and analyzing causes of unexpected variances
• Track expenses versus budget, analyzing fluctuations and identifying shortfalls and cost savings opportunities
• Analyze trade spend, promotional activity, and customer/program profitability to support Retail segment forecasting, margin analysis, and decision - making
• Conduct ad - hoc analyses and build financial models to inform strategies, investment recommendations, and new business opportunities
• Collaborate with IT on identifying and implementing business systems necessary to meet reporting requirements
• Support the management team and department heads with in - depth analysis
• Manipulate and automate large amounts of data and inter - linked files in Excel for analysis and reporting. Advanced Excel pivot tables, VLOOKUPs, and formula work are part of daily work.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in finance or accounting, Master's degree or CPA preferred
• 3 - 5 years’ experience in Corporate Finance, ideally supporting retail business segments, trade spend, or consumer products (preference in food/confectionery)
• General accounting or cost accounting experience preferred
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, primarily Excel and PowerPoint
• Strong analytical, problem - solving, and financial modeling skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities with a sense of urgency and capable of thriving in a fast-paced environment marked by constant change
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate complex financial data and information

REPORTING RELATIONSHIP

Reports to the Director of FP&A, has no direct reports.

LOCATION AND SCHEDULE:

This is a hybrid role. Travel to World’s Finest Chocolate’s Chicago headquarters is required on a monthly basis for employees who live in state and on a quarterly basis for employees who live out of state. Monday–Friday, 8:30AM – 5:00PM

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• Win as One Bonus Target: 10 % based on company and/or individual performance

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

World’s Finest Chocolate is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to creating a

diverse and inclusive workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based veteran status, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

We celebrate diversity and are dedicated to providing an environment of respect and inclusivity