Assistant Finance Manager - Central Finance Excellence Team (CFET)

JOB TITLE: Assistant Finance Manager, Central Finance Excellence Team (CFET) JOB LOCATION: Bangalore, India WORK LEVEL: 1D ROLE TYPE: Permanent RELOCATION TERMS: Local Terms FLEXIBILITY: WFH up to 40% per week, in line with company rules BUSINESS CONTEXT Procurement Finance partners the Global Procurement function in delivering the expansive cost and cash agenda for Unilever. Procurement Finance is a diverse global team with representation from 20+ nationalities, spread across multiple global hubs and market locations. JOB PURPOSE Reporting to the Procurement Finance - Central FET Manager, the candidate is responsible for driving the Forecasting FET function for select material portfolios and markets. The candidate will play a pivotal role in building the understanding of material cost forecast, the largest line item in the Unilever P&L. The main role would be to: • Drive the material cost forecast process for select material portfolios and markets • Understand the drivers of material impact for the clusters and work with Procurement and Procurement Finance teams to provide a clear signal to the business • Lead global forecasting process improvement initiatives and simplification projects The ideal candidate is required to see the big picture while being capable of drilling down to the details to drive value-focused actions as well as resolving operational issues. Strong analytical skills, good stakeholder management and clear communication are key to succeed in this role. MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES Material Forecasting • Lead forecast cycles for select BG, material portfolios and clusters • Engage and support buyers to improve quality of the forecast • Drive forecast accuracy through buyer scorecards • Run the Light Cycle Forecast • Deliver material rates for transfer price updates • Understand impacts from key material movements to guide business decision making • Monitor saving flow through into material prices to ensure business impact Process Improvement • Lead forecast improvement initiatives across global forecast process • Streamline the process through simplification, standardization, and automation Stakeholder Management • Engage with Supplier Operations and third party to get relevant output to run the forecast • Engage with FBPs to land the forecast, answer queries, and help build a narrative • Engage with Procurement to drive various elements of the forecasting cycle • Engage with Supply Chain Finance on forecast-related topics such as volume collection, material prices delivery, etc. KEY INTERFACES • Performance Management & Operations Director • Business Group (BG) and Business Unit (BU) Finance Business Partners (FBPs) • Procurement and Forecast Champions • Performance Management Lead • Supply Chain Finance Services • Country FET teams • Third party service provider RELEVANT SKILLS / EXPERIENCES REQUIRED • Qualified CA / Cost Accountant with 3-6 years’ experience • Fluent in English, both written and spoken • Ability to present complex information in a simplified manner (material insights, link to P&L) • Strong analytical skills, Excel modelling skills and attention to detail • Resilience (ability to cope with time pressure and challenges) • Ability to work collaboratively with other key stakeholders • Strong engagement and communication skills