Provide proactive financial support and leadership to Retail Sales function, including Business Partnering Key Accounts Sales Managers (Homebase, Tesco, Asda and others). This involves the helping the business to maximise financial outcomes, e.g. through the financial evaluation of annual Customer Trading Terms and promotional evaluations. To provide decision support and financial analysis to the Dulux Marketing Team.

CONTENT OF POSITION:

• Build great relationships with the Retail Sales Team, acting as the key Finance Business Partner to the Retail Sales Managers through the provision of high quality challenge and finance support.
• Provide financial modelling for Trading Terms discussions, including modelling scenarios for Customer Rebates and Allowances, and providing recommendations to improve Customer / Channel Profitability for AkzoNobel. Ensure that trading terms are robustly evaluated and pre-approved before being presented to the customers.
• Provide guidance/coaching and support to the Retail Finance Sales - Analyst
• Provide financial modelling (Pre- and Post-) of promotions
• Ensure sales related opportunities (e.g. new distribution) are funnelled through the forecasting (Integrated Business Planning - IBP) process. Provide financial evaluation of major opportunities and vulnerabilities within the Retail Demand stream through effective business partnering of the Retail Sales team.
• Provide financial insight about any significant fixed costs / investments (including publicity) within the Retail Sales arena.
• Ensure controls processes are in place to keep a record of all commitments with the customer and that backup is maintained should a dispute arise
• Maintain R&A reconciliations (actual and forecast) for customer teams so the business is aware of the financial position and that the R&A model reflects the latest view
• Follow up on payment disputes and assist in resolution alongside customer teams and credit control
• Evaluate customer supplier audit queries

Experience & Educational Requirements:

• Qualified accountant (ACA/CIMA)
• Experience in a commercial environment
• Able to communicate effectively with both senior and junior finance and non-finance colleagues
• Proven ability to understand and interrogate data and challenge assumptions

Skills:

• Knowledge and experience of the key systems used in the commercial side of the business (Cognos, SAP)
• Excellent excel analytical skills
• Excellent powerpoint and communication skills

Capabilities:

• Tenaciously follows through on opportunities - drive
• Maintains a flexible approach to constantly changing demands to be able to respond and adapt in a controlled manner
• A clear performance advisor
• Able to influence non finance mgrs and knows when and how to say no - influence
• Delivers credible analysis & supports decision making, ensures aligned to strategy - judgement
• Frequently completes tasks ahead of target, exhibits a high level of urgency/quality - drive
• Understands customer needs, culture and how to get things done
• A confident presenter
• Able to delegate / prioritise effectively to manage conflicting requirements
• Has overcome resistance in individuals /groups to a change process - influence
• Integrates observations about business issues into clearly usable ideas - drive
• Embeds new processes so they are sustainable to deliver ongoing benefit
• Able to provide insightful reporting and to communicate complex issues clearly to finance and non-finance people
• Demonstrates a strategic capability in thinking - ie considers best long-run outcome for AkzoNobel.