Business Controller: Marketing at Danone

Key Areas of Responsibility

Strategic Management

• Support the Marketing Director and Senior team in developing the Marketing strategy and assessing Commercial viability of these strategies locally and for exports
• Lead the financial evaluation of new product launches
• Provide insightful recommendation-based Profitability, brand, product and S&I insights
• Develop creative solutions to enhance marketing proposals
• Analyze and make recommendations on business optimization and investment opportunities in consultation with other functions to maximize profitability
• Ensure that all Marketing spend is aligned to the company and Group strategy
• Provide guidance, support and recommendations to ensure that that KPI's are met

Financial Analysis

• Providing management within depth analysis of business results versus targets and recommendations for appropriate actions where necessary
• Profitability calculation on all innovations and renovations and it impact on the Brand and Company
• Monitor the progress of innovation KPI's post launch and highlight risk and opportunities to the Financial Director and Marketing Director
• Business Planning owner of CO by brand and pack size Working closely with Commercial Controller and COGS Business Planners to maintain brand and pack size CO profitability
• Implement mechanisms and tools to facilitate the measurement of CO by brand by Month
• Provide support and clarity on the Marketing spend by analysis
• Investment recommendation to the current business in order to maximize profitability

Financial Planning and Management

CODEV (Product development, Innovation)

• Work closely with the Marketing team and R&I team on the management of various projects
• Intermediate between SSD, R&D, Marketing and Commercial teams to ensure consistency and clarity of presentations to the CODEV
• Prepare business profitability analysis and scenario analysis and recommendation
• Monitor and manage write-offs costs
• Work closely with Marketing Director and Project leads to prioritize projects and keep all teams focused

Forecasting

• Consolidate all inputs into a Marketing Forecast that is accurate and aligned
• Build Forecasts and Estimates for Marketing spend by Brand and spend type
• Quantify and highlight all risks and opportunities
• Ensuring that the forecasted spend is in line with company strategy

Management of Spend

• Manage and maintain the company financials to ensure that targets are met
• Custodian of the PO approval process for Marketing
• Month end closing and variance analysis Actual vs. PY/ Forecast/ Latest Estimate
• Discuss all variances with Marketing Managers

Reporting

• Preparing of Forecast and other presentations to be communicated to Directors, Zone, and Head
• On time Monthly Magnitude reporting Marketing and brand related
• Complete all reports for zone reporting
• Assisting Head of Finance to manage the full company equation by assisting to prepare mid-month Zone forecasts and prepare Zone call packs for month end flash calls.

Other

• Responsible for all Financial local and Group initiated projects for marketing.
• Support the Commercial, Marketing and R&L team on Brand projects
   

Academic And Trade Qualifications

• Bcom (Finance/Accounting) or CIMA or Other relevant qualification. 5 years’ experience
• Bcom Honours, CA(SA), Innovation/Renovation experience and Business planning experience would be advantageous.
   

Work Experience And Skills

• In-depth professional knowledge and experience of Marketing and Innovation in FMCG
• Should ideally have worked for a multinational company
• Strategic planning
• Budget building and controlling experience
• Project Management
• Commercial savvy
• Advanced Excel skills
• Build costing models
   

Personal Characteristics and Behavioural Traits

• Strategic vision
• Innovative thinking / Out of the box Creative in setting up proper/best cross-functional procedures
• Deadline driven, prioritization
• Autonomous & energetic
• Pro-active
• Strong interpersonal skills - ability to challenge at all levels.
• Strong analytical, numerical and problem-solving skills.
• Problem solving and solution orientated
• Clear communicator verbal & written
• Pragmatic, technical and concrete. Take actions and achieve results.
• Drive and ambition
• Analytical thinking
• Strong Influencing skills
• Enthusiastic with a can-do attitud