Berry Finance Manager

About the Opportunity

The Berry Finance Manager is a core member of the Enterprise Finance team. They combine business acumen and deep analytical and financial expertise to drive optimum operational and strategic decision making for Driscoll's and the enterprise. The Berry Finance Manager defines and independently leads financial analysis to quantify how our market, supply and financial business strategies impact Enterprise profitability of the berry. The role provides “field to fork” analysis, creating recommendation to improve the financial health of each berry business including customer/channel performance, supply applications, business model mechanics, and new product development.
The role will support or lead key projects that requires the ability to work and negotiate requirements across functions, including Driscoll’s Product Leadership, Supply Solution, Growing, Nurseries, Supply Chain, Finance, Market Group. The Manager will lead the interpretation of fruit margin results; generating insights and implications from variances to Plan and prior years.

 Responsibilities

***Job Location Note: This role is targeted for Guadalajara, Mexico, but highly qualified applicants will be considered for a Watsonville, California, USA based position. Remote work is not authorized for either location.***

• Identifies and interprets internal and industry challenges and recommends best practices to improve enterprise profitability

• Identifies and leads research around innovations in technology and best practices in planning methodology

• Leads projects to analyze and internally coordinate implementation of business model changes. Supports the growing team with the communications to growers, creating innovative ways to communicate difficult concepts. Quantifies impact to Grower and Driscoll’s, making formal recommendations

• Leads and coordinates the Supply Group, Regional Production, Applied Research and other Driscoll’s team when analyzing new supply technologies

• Independently leads the comprehensive evaluation of berry business performance, from end to end, including performance results related to supply and market strategies, grower economics, supply chain and nursery costs, and Driscoll’s financials overall. Identifies opportunities for Enterprise profit gain and/or category growth

• Uses market, financial, customer, grower and consumer data to find meaningful insights into building a profitably and sustainable berry business, serving as a key partner to the Product Leadership Director

• Provides detailed analysis and assessment of new business applications and their potential pro-forma impact on Enterprise P&L

• Assists with integrated planning models to project supply, price, and enterprise profitability

• Assists in quantifying risks and opportunities associated with berry investments, measures return on capital, provides key associated financial metrics

• Manages the Berry Business Plan pro-forma financial models including the associated processes around data collection and assumptions, presentation and sensitivity analysis. Manages towards opportunities to continually improve our processes and planning platforms

• Organizes and provides other stakeholder groups with plan information, ensure good hand-offs, communication and collaboration

• Tracks plan/execution performance to budget and plan, generating insights and implications

• Challenges the status quo: working tactfully, both internally and cross-functionally, to identify opportunities for improvement

• Act as a coach and mentor to the broader analyst team, providing on-boarding for new team members

• Assures consistency between the analyses and projections across the four berries, and leads cross-berry strategic projects

• Identifies and champions opportunities for business improvements

• Follows Company policies and practices while representing Driscoll’s in an ethical and business-like manner in all interactions with employees, governmental agencies, growers, customers, etc.

• Ensures the security of Driscoll’s confidential and proprietary information and materials

• Other duties as assigned

    Candidate Profile

•    BS degree in Business, Finance, Agriculture or equivalent with +2 years of experience required, an MBA/Masters is preferred
•     Extensive experience with MS Office products, especially Excel, as well as databases, business intelligence and business modeling tools
•    Excellent mathematical, statistical, analytical and problem-solving skills are required
•    Excellent English verbal, written and communication skills
•    Ability to thrive in a challenging and rapidly changing environment
•    Team player. Must possess the ability and experience to successfully build strong relationships and earn the trust/respect of others
•    Bilingual; English required / Spanish highly preferred
•    Process improvement experience is a plus
•    Occasional evening and weekend work may be required
•    Ability to travel domestically and internationally required (Estimated up to 10%)
•    Driver’s license and the ability to be covered under company-sponsored vehicle insurance program are also required
•    A valid passport and the ability to travel internationally without restrictions is required
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