Manager - Financial Planning & Analysis - Chocolate Category

Chocolate FP&A Manager, India

Location - Mumbai HO

About the Role:

We are looking for a seasoned finance professional to serve as the Finance Business Partner for our Chocolate Category. This is not a traditional financial reporting role - it is a strategic, end-to-end business ownership position where you will act as the financial conscience and co-pilot for the Chocolate business. You will be deeply embedded in the category team, influencing decisions across the value chain - from sourcing and manufacturing to marketing, sales, and P&L delivery.

Main Responsibilities:

Strategic Business Partnership:

- Own the end-to-end P&L for the Chocolate category, driving top-line growth and bottom-line profitability

- Act as a trusted advisor to the Category Head and cross-functional leadership on all financial and commercial decisions

- Co-create the Annual Contract (AC) and Long-Range Strategic Plan (LRP) for the Chocolate portfolio

- Lead scenario planning, business modeling, and what-if analyses to evaluate new opportunities, product launches, and market expansion strategies

Revenue & Commercial Finance:

- Partner with Sales and Trade Marketing to design and evaluate trade spend, pricing strategies, and promotional effectiveness

- Analyze channel and customer profitability to optimize the route-to-market strategy

- Drive Revenue Growth Management (RGM) initiatives including price-pack architecture, mix optimization, and elasticity modeling

Cost & Supply Chain Finance:

- Collaborate with Procurement and Supply Chain teams to manage input cost volatility (cocoa, sugar, dairy, packaging) and drive cost-saving programs

- Own the standard costing process, manufacturing variances, and conversion cost optimization

- Evaluate make vs. buy decisions, co-packing arrangements, and capacity investment proposals

Innovation & Portfolio Management:

- Provide financial leadership on New Product Development (NPD) - from business case creation to post-launch evaluation

- Assess portfolio health through SKU rationalization, margin analysis, and contribution mapping

- Build robust financial models for brand extensions, premiumization strategies, and adjacency plays

Marketing & Brand Investment:

- Partner with Marketing to evaluate A&P (Advertising & Promotion) spend effectiveness and ROI

- Ensure optimal allocation of brand investment across sub-brands, campaigns, and media channels

- Track and report on brand P&L performance with actionable insights

Financial Planning, Reporting & Controls:

- Lead the Monthly Business Review (MBR) process with variance analysis, risk/opportunity identification, and rolling forecasts

- Ensure robust internal controls, compliance, and governance across all financial processes

- Drive continuous improvement in reporting quality, automation, and data-driven decision-making

Cross-Functional Leadership:

- Influence and challenge business decisions with a Finance with a Point of View mindset

- Represent Finance in S&OP / IBP (Integrated Business Planning) meetings

- Mentor and develop junior finance team members embedded in the category

Career Experience & Qualifications:

Education: CA/MBA (Finance)

Experience: 6 - 10 years of progressive finance experience, preferably in FMCG / CPG / Food & Beverage industry

Strong experience in Category Finance is highly preferred. We are also open to candidates with diversified Business Finance experience, demonstrated through multiple stints across areas such as Commercial Finance, Supply Chain Finance, FP&A, Marketing Finance or other business partnering roles, bringing a well-rounded understanding of the end-to-end P&L and value chain.

Proven track record of business partnering at a category or BU level - not limited to reporting or controllership

Deep understanding of end-to-end value chain economics - from raw material to shelf

Experience in Chocolate, Confectionery, or Snacking categories is strongly preferred