Job Purpose:
Seeking a commercially minded and analytically strong Manager to lead the FP&A and Business Partnering agenda for Indirect Costs and IT spend across all brands and markets. This role owns the end-to-end budgeting, forecasting, reporting and cost-control cycle for indirect and IT expenditure, leads a small team of analysts, and acts as the key finance partner to the IT/Digital, corporate and support functions. The successful candidate will drive visibility, governance, automation and cost optimization in a fast-paced, multi-brand, cross-border environment.
Responsibilities:
FP&A, Planning & Reporting
- Own the budgeting, forecasting and long-range planning process for indirect costs (utilities, maintenance, operating supplies & smallware, travel, licenses, insurance) and IT spend across all brands and markets.
- Drive a zero-based budgeting (ZBB) culture across indirect spends and deliver budgeted cost-to-sales targets and absolute spend numbers.
- Prepare and review monthly and quarterly management reports, Board/BRM updates and dashboards highlighting KPIs, risks and opportunities.
- Perform variance analysis (GL scrutiny) versus budget, forecast and prior periods, driving cadence with key stakeholders.
Cost Control, Governance & Compliance
- Control IT and indirect expenses within approved budgets and monitor spend in owned cost accounts with proper periodic accruals.
- Own the contract-coverage and compliance tracker for all indirect spend; document supplier spend and drive visibility on spend.
- Review BPAs, contracts and RFPs to ensure financial and policy compliance in procurement decisions; enforce a BPM/PO-first culture and minimize delayed reporting of expenses.
- Support the IT project approval and business-case governance process, validating financials, ROI and budget alignment.
Business Partnering
- Act as the finance business partner to the IT/Digital, corporate and support functions, enabling cost-conscious decision-making.
- Partner with the IT function (Infrastructure, Applications, Cybersecurity, Digital) to understand project requirements and financial implications, and support post-implementation reviews.
- Collaborate with country and brand finance teams to ensure accurate cost allocations, accruals and consistent reporting.
- Support procurement and vendor negotiations with financial insight, ROI analysis and benchmarking.
Vendor Management & Reconciliations
- Lead IT vendor reconciliations, resolve legacy outstanding balances and reconcile vendor open items against accrual balances monthly.
- Standardize vendor invoice submission and approval processes and define SOPs for systematic IT invoice processing (CAPEX & OPEX).
- Drive accrual-versus-expense reconciliations, including utilities and maintenance accruals against vendor statements of account (SOA).
Automation, Analytics & Team Leadership
- Drive automation of recurring reporting and analysis using Power BI, Python and planning tools (e.g., dashboards for maintenance, IT, operating supplies and smallware spend).
- Lead, coach and develop a team of assistant managers, analysts and data analysts, building future finance talent.
- Maintain strong internal controls and ensure compliance with financial policies and procedures.
Qualifications & Experience
- CA / CPA / CIMA / MBA desired.
- 7+ years of progressive experience in FP&A, finance business partnering or commercial finance, including team leadership – preferably within QSR, FMCG, retail or multi-country operations.
- Strong understanding of indirect cost drivers, IT cost management and cost-control methodologies.
- Proven experience working with cross-functional teams in a matrix, multi-brand organization.
Skills & Competencies
- Advanced Excel and financial modeling; hands-on proficiency with Power BI and planning/consolidation tools (e.g., Oracle Hyperion / EPM, SAP).
- Exposure to automation tooling (Python) and a strong digital obsession / process-improvement mindset.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence senior and executive stakeholders.
- Analytical, proactive problem-solver with strong governance orientation and attention to detail.
- Effective people leadership, collaboration and stakeholder-management capabilities.
