Global Finance Director (Digital Technologies)

Across all industries, there has essentially been a decade’s worth of digital transformation in a very short window of time. When we think about the world of tomorrow, we know there will be a constant stream of new technologies, with automation and AI transforming the way companies operate, reach consumers, and enable Associates. Digital Technologies is leading this transformation for Mars Incorporated and has become more integral to our business today than ever before.

The primary purpose of this role is to provide strategic financial guidance and finance leadership for the MGS Enterprise CTO and MGS CISO and VP Global Digital Operations. This includes, but is not limited to, i) FP&A and longer-term planning, ii) stakeholder, risk and investment management, and iii) acquisition integration.  The Digital Technologies service line is around $860M in investment and plays a critical role in enabling the strategic architects of each business segment as well as Mars Corporate.

This role is a member of the Digital Technologies MGS/Corporate Leadership Team and the MGS Finance Global Leadership Team.

The role requires sound communication skills employed to modify the beliefs & opinions of immediate teams and other peers in the business unit. Establishing effective collaborative relations across segments and functions within Mars and with external organizations is a critical part of the job.

• The role contributes and achieves results primarily through other people. The role requires a high degree of influencing without authority, driving global changes to our ways of working and building an effective team to deliver the result.

• It also requires high levels of strategic leadership, creating a compelling vision and purpose for a new organization and building engagement and alignment across a large and dispersed global and multicultural organization. 

• The job holder requires a strong grasp of Finance and IT best practices. While the skills needed are the ‘big picture’ understanding of a global business leader rather than in-depth technical expertise, robust knowledge in strategic areas (e.g. Governance, Global Service Agreements, Cost Sharing Methodologies) is critical. 

It also requires a good understanding of what running a service business is all about, for example, the shared service enablers used across the business.

Strategic leadership

• Act as trusted business partner to MGS Digital Leadership teams by providing strategic and functional leadership through support, advice and guidance including recommending and defining of the current and future operation model and deployment roadmaps.

• Lead Finance strategic thinking to support the service business transformational programs, to define investment philosophy and to provide strategic Finance custodianship to ensure proper compliance with Transformational guidelines in addition to investment and execution risks and mitigation management.

• Segments’ ambassador to MGS, capitalizing on close connection with Segments’ CIOs to integrate their needs, expectations and challenges in MGS’ operating and support model.

• Strategic change agent supporting MGS DT transformation through deployment of the global S&F Transformation program.

Finance Leadership

• Lead the value creation agenda for MGS DT, including IVCP, strategic initiatives, and NCFO improvement opportunities.

• Provide finance leadership in managing the MGS DT service line and support function spends with their actuals and plan.

• A key player in the service business, leading in defining investment philosophy, developing business cases, establishing governance processes, and benefits tracking.

• Develop the principle, agenda and approach of service business OP/Replan cycles, including planning calendar, processes, management presentations and alignment with internal (MGS) and external (Corp and Segments) stakeholders.

• Develop robust tracking and reporting mechanism in helping service business owners understand performance, opportunities and challenges.

• Drive insightful analysis on service business performance, helping the service business with performance and efficiency improvement.

• Coordinate MGS DT transformational cost and benefit reporting.

• Build, socialize and implement a transparent, mutual cost-sharing methodology & process with all segments.

• Lead processes and efficiency improvements by continuously challenging existing practices, defining new and more efficient ones, and coaching associates through the change process.

• Supervise Financials’ integrity, processes and governance to ensure MGS DT financials are timely and accurately reported.

People Management

• Developing Associates through empowerment, inclusion and engagement.

• MBA in Finance CPA/ACA/CIMA/ACCA or relevant finance experience

• +10 years of experience working in a finance/planning environment

• Experience working in a global function/organization (working across different time-zones/regions).

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Strong organizational and communication skills (both verbal and written).

• Knowledge of SAP & MS Office (Strong Excel skills desired, e.g., pivot tables, macros, etc.)

• Fluency in English is essential.

• Experience as a business partner to Information Technology/Digital Technology is highly desirable.