Head of Finance Switzerland & Austria (d/f/m)

JOB PURPOSE

The Head of Finance Austria & Switzerland (d/f/m) is the end-to-end finance leader for the cluster, accountable for the full Management P&L and driving both short‑term performance and long‑term value creation. As a key member of the Austria & Switzerland Leadership Teams, the role partners closely with the Country General Managers to steer the business agenda, ensure rigorous financial management, and unlock sustainable, profitable growth.

This position leads strategic financial direction, performance management, and risk stewardship while shaping a future‑fit business model that is cost‑effective, agile, and growth‑oriented. It coordinates all finance activities across local teams and expert functions (tax, treasury, controls, European FET) and plays a pivotal role in advancing the transformation agenda. As a people and thought leader, the role develops finance capability, sharpens investment choices, and champions modern, agile ways of working to maximise value creation and protect the business for the future.

Because here, we don’t just hire for jobs. We invite you to be part of something bigger.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Steer delivery of annual financial targets through dynamic resource allocation and strong P&L ownership.

• Ensure cash and working‑capital delivery with strong focus on debtor management and cash discipline.

• Safeguard financial compliance and risk management in partnership with Controlling.

• Drive gross‑margin improvement via pricing excellence and Trade Marketing Investment optimisation to fuel growth.

• Shape the long‑term financial framework and act as a strategic partner to Marketing, Customer Development and the wider go‑to‑market organisation to steer category and customer performance.

• Lead forecasting, performance management, and key financial processes while advancing transformation and simplification agenda.

• Develop finance talent and co‑lead overhead governance (together with HR) to build a future‑fit organisation.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• University degree in economics, business administration, or an equivalent qualification

• Extensive experience in finance business partnering and proven end‑to‑end P&L ownership at category, BU or regional level.

• Strong expertise in financial controls, risk management, balance‑sheet understanding, and performance‑focused planning & forecasting.

• Demonstrated leadership of decentralised and culturally diverse teams with strong communication skills in senior‑stakeholder environments.

• Track record in driving business transformation and enabling agile, insight‑driven decision‑making.

• Fluent English is essential; German language skills are a strong advantage.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience across both local and regional/global finance roles with strong influencing and negotiation capabilities.

• Proven ability to drive data‑driven decision support and embed end‑to‑end operational consistency.

• Demonstrated ability to prioritise effectively and deliver results with a high standard of quality.

WE OFFER YOU:

• 40-hour week and attractive salary

• A dynamic and international environment

• Flexible working hours

• Independent work, project ownership, and room for ideas

• 35 days of vacation

• Attractive pension plan

• Childcare subsidies

• Interesting training programs and 24/7 access to our learning platform

• Company laptop and option to work from home

• Employee discounts with our partners

Unilever is an organisation committed to equity, inclusion and diversity to drive our business results and create a better future, every day, for our diverse employees, global consumers, partners, and communities. We believe a diverse workforce allows us to match our growth ambitions and drive inclusion across the business. At Unilever we are interested in every individual bringing their ‘Whole Self’ to work and this includes you! Thus if you require any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of your application so that we can support you through your recruitment journey.