Assistant Vice President - Financial Planning & Analysis - Retail

What would you do?

The primary responsibility of the role is to proactively manage the delivery of Group Management and Statutory Reporting information in line with the agreed service level agreements by acting as a P&L owner. Group Management information will include financial information and scenarios required for S&OP meetings, H1 and FY targets. This will include challenging assumptions and coordination data inputs in all internal reporting systems, running the forecasting process activities, preparation and generation of financial information accurately and performing quality review with key finance senior stakeholders prior to releasing to the customer for approval. Drive independent analysis and provide insightful recommendations to the senior stakeholders.

The objective of this role is to enable the Area Finance team to meet their business objectives by consolidating area financials, tracking actuals delivery vs budgets, providing key insights for Finance leadership team, as well as managing monthly dashboards and providing executive summary for Finance leadership team along with insights on key drivers.

This role will partner senior stakeholders across various functional teams (Marketing Directors, Commercial Directors, Heads of Finance, Supply Chain Directors, etc) to provide strategic financial guidance on key financial performance in the market. Specific responsibilities include, but not limited to, overseeing financial forecasts, industry value projections, regulatory impacts to the category, price war analysis, etc.

The ideal candidate will proactively and collaboratively work across the organization to develop a competitor framework that can effectively be used as a platform to provide insights revenue and resource allocation and drive recommendations on potential course of action. This position requires an excellent knowledge of financials, strategic thinking, analytical expertise, and leadership skills.

Total Experience: 12 - 30 years

What are we looking for?

- Qualifications: CAs & CFAs

- 8 - 12 years of progressive finance experience

- Proven track record in budgeting, forecasting, and strategic financial analysis.

- Experience in global FMCG / CPG / Tobacco industries or similar dynamic environments is an advantage.

- Demonstrated ability to manage teams, influence senior stakeholders, and drive process improvements.

- Advanced Excel (macros, pivot tables, etc.), ERP systems (SAP), FP&A tools, BI dashboards, Alteryx, Agentic AI, Lean Six Sigma, Tableau

- Knowledge of FP&A tools (SAP BPC, Hyperion, Anaplan)

- In-depth knowledge of P&L, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow management.

- Strong ability to convey financial information clearly to senior leadership.

- Excellent analytical skills and ability to handle large volumes of data accurately.

- Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills; able to work across all levels and functions.

- Ability to work under pressure, meet tight deadlines, and adapt to rapidly changing conditions.

- Ability to proactively identify risk, perform sensitivity analysis and drive risk mitigation

- Detail-oriented, proactive, and capable of rational decision-making and problem-solving

- Any Graduation

Roles and Responsibilities:

- Own / Lead the preparation of annual budgets and periodic forecasts, ensuring accuracy and alignment with business objectives.

- Conduct variance analysis on actual vs. budget/forecast, identify key drivers to the variances, analyze trends, risks, and opportunities, and provide actionable recommendations.

- Develop financial models for scenario planning, sensitivity analysis, and long-range forecasting to support strategic initiatives.

- Deliver timely and accurate financial reports and dashboards, translating complex data into clear, actionable insights for senior leadership.

- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to influence decision-making, optimize costs, and ensure resource allocation aligns with strategic priorities.

- Drive efficiency through automation and implement best practices for FP&A processes, reporting, and data accuracy.

- Ensure adherence to financial policies, internal controls, and regulatory requirements across all FP&A activities.

- Manage and mentor FP&A analysts, fostering a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, and high performance.

- Act as a vital member of the Consumer Leadership team in GBS, focusing on the Commercial Finance experience

- Support the Consumer Delivery Lead in creating value across product categories

- Present forecasts, performance, and potential risks/opportunities across all product lines including new categories and prepare strategies for senior stakeholders, considering competitor actions

- Perform financial modelling, sensitivity, and scenario analysis to accurately reflect the impact of proposed changes on the operating results of the business and to support informed business decisions.

- Evaluate the financial impact of regulatory change

- Lead and coordinate efforts for process improvement and efficiency within the commercial finance team, providing timely insights

- Undertake ad-hoc projects as needed

- Contribute to developing integrated business strategies for portfolio, pricing, excise, and trade, considering all elements of the mix

- Conduct competitor reviews and share key insights with Top Management, incorporating them into pricing and excise discussions

- Establish governance and risk guidelines for pricing and excise activities to ensure strong controls and SOx compliance (where applicable)

- Please note that this role may require you to work in rotational shifts