Asahi UK (AUK), part of Asahi Europe & International Ltd, aims to enrich consumer experiences through innovation, high-quality service and an exceptional portfolio of premium beer, ale and cider brands including, Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Asahi Super Dry, Meantime, Fuller's London Pride and Cornish Orchards. Our aim is to be the leading super premium beer business in the UK, through a brand mix that creates a compelling proposition. At AUK we operate as an end to end business unit responsible for sales, marketing, customer operations, production, supply chain and wholesale operations in the UK & Ireland.
Finance Business Partner - Commercial
Key Purpose
To partner with the Off Trade Convenience and Cash & Carry Sales Team in order to deliver the sales objectives for Asahi UK. The role will also be pivotal in generating detailed and insightful analysis, commentary and challenge to underpin commercial decision making, whilst driving rigour into the sales spend (discounts and trade investment). This will involve partnering the Sales team account managers to evaluate new business proposals, preparing the monthly accounts, offering analysis and insight into business performance, and supporting the monthly forecast and annual budget exercises. Furthermore, the role will provide key support in customer negotiations, with both recommendations and challenge.
Key Accountabilities
The role requires the aptitude to support planning, budgeting and forecasting as well as the ability to work in the detail of financial reporting, whilst influencing, supporting and constructively challenging the Sales function. The key accountabilities of the role can be summarised as:
* Support negotiations with the strategic customers, making recommendations and setting parameters.
* Work alongside the sales teams to identify revenue and margin enhancing opportunities.
* Drive the planning, budget and forecasting process to deliver business goals.
* Drive deeper understanding of the business to support key decision making through insightful financial analysis.
The Finance Business Partner is responsible for the following key outputs and accountabilities:
Planning, Budgeting and Forecasting
* Support & influence Sales in producing robust customer plans, covering volume, price, investment & margins, ensuring that any decisions taken are not detrimental to the wider business strategy.
* Work with Sales, Finance and Demand Planning to prepare annual budgets and re-forecasts, providing strong financial support throughout.
* Actively attend channel business reviews and team meetings (offsite if needed), making relevant challenges where appropriate. In particular, leading the financial aspects of the review.
* Evaluate investment choices from a financial perspective to provide a long-term perspective of the impact on portfolio profitability.
* Challenge and support the development of the financial assumptions that underpin the sales plans.
* Ensure the budget owners understand and adopt the right methodology, tools and templates (includes training). Develop specific planning tools and templates if required.
* Ensure the forecasting software is used efficiently and effectively through development of the system, training and that relevant process notes exist.
Business Performance Management & Decision Support
* Prepare monthly volume, NPR and customer/channel P&L analysis, providing deep insightful commentary on key variances and volume/price/mix analysis that can be used to influence forward planning to ensure full year budgets and forecasts are delivered.
* Cascade Asahi UK financial performance to the Sales function with insight and commentary.
* Assess financial aspects of customer joint business plans and contracts using established financial evaluation tools and using specialist support where appropriate (e.g. audit requirements, investment spend in other areas) providing relevant challenge and recommendations.
* In conjunction with Sales teams, monitor, maintain & develop pricing architecture for customer pricing, delivering strategies to address outliers.
* Continually strive to improve processes and systems to ensure further reporting efficiencies and more insightful analysis.
* Work with revenue management team to support efficient price increase implementation, when applicable.
Other Responsibilities
* Facilitate communication of Finance policies and procedures to the Sales function.
* Support Trade Investment finance contact with channel spend, making sure that spend adheres to finance policies, such as accruals and prepayments.
* Support trade marketing contact with channel spend that when combined with trade investment has combined ROI. Analyse outcomes and influence sales on where best to direct future spend.
* Support the business with projects to help improve the performance of the Sales teams and the Finance function. Ensure compliance with financial policies, procedures and forecast cycles.
* Support timely and accurate payments to customers and vendors and ensure accruals are in place for these.
* Regular training of sales in the use of Adaptive Planning tool and Commercial Finance processes.
Experience required
* Qualified Accountant with some experience in a business partner Commercial role (Drinks Industry or FMCG experience is an advantage).
* Strong Microsoft Office knowledge essential (particularly Excel).
* Power BI knowledge an advantage.
* SAP knowledge an advantage.
* Strong track record of influencing non-financial decision makers & driving improvements in processes.
Key attributes of the successful person
* Must be a self-starter with a solution driven approach.
* Highly numerate with strong analytical skills and close attention to detail.
* Desire to understand the business, drive it forward and make a wider impact.
* Positive and proactive work ethic with a "Can Do" attitude, willing to get involved in the detail and be curious when necessary.
* Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, prioritising tasks to meet key deadlines.
* Ability to thrive and deliver under pressure.
What We Offer
* Annual bonus
* Private medical and dental care
* Private pension
* Life assurance
* Product allowance
We are committed to nurturing a workplace where we celebrate and respect difference, and support everyone to be true to who they are! At Asahi Europe and International we believe you can SHINE AS YOU ARE - no matter your age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disabilities, religion, or beliefs. We want to support you to be courageous in your individuality and to know that whoever you are and whatever your circumstances, you can belong with us without having to conform.
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