Overview:
The OPEX Manager will be responsible for leading and managing functional costs, including Travel & Events, Discretionary spend, Consultants, OBS, Contractors, Leasing & Rentals, and other operating expenses.
This individual will work closely with the Corporate C&B team and functional leads within ICC to ensure effective cost management and financial governance. The role will be responsible for supporting key financial processes, including Month-End Close, Forecasting, Reporting, and Pre-MEC activities.
The OPEX Manager will also partner closely with the ICC Manager in discussions with senior stakeholders, providing meaningful financial insights, challenging potential overspend, identifying and recommending cost-saving opportunities, and presenting financial results and key drivers in a clear and actionable manner.
Overall, the role requires strong financial acumen, stakeholder management, analytical skills, business partnering, and the ability to proactively identify opportunities to improve cost efficiency.
Responsibilities:
- Adhere to monthly timelines for Month-End Close, Forecasting, Reporting, and Pre-MEC activities, ensuring accurate and timely deliverables.
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Partner closely with budget owners and functional leaders to review, challenge, and optimize spending against plan and forecast.
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Ensure timely and accurate accrual booking for services delivered but not yet invoiced, in line with accounting policies and requirements.
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Present financial performance, key drivers, risks, and opportunities to senior leadership in large forums, providing clear and actionable insights.
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Provide recommendations on functional budgets and resource allocation, ensuring alignment with business priorities and financial objectives.
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Support standardization and process optimization initiatives in partnership with the OPEX Manager to improve efficiency and consistency across functions.
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Identify opportunities to improve ways of working, simplify processes, and drive greater efficiency across the team.
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Partner closely with US-based FP&A teams to ensure accurate P&L reporting, consistent financial processes, and adherence to established timelines and controls.
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Develop a strong understanding of the financial objectives and priorities of different global functions to effectively operate as a strategic business partner.
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Build and maintain strong relationships with budget owners, function heads, and the ICC C&B team, establishing credibility and fostering effective business partnerships.
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Promote and adhere to ICC ways of working, culture, and values, contributing to a collaborative and high-performing team environment.
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Support the transformation agenda by identifying and implementing enhancements across planning, forecasting, reporting, and cost-management processes.
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Provide periodic financial updates to budget owners, highlighting significant variances to plan/forecast, investigating key drivers, and recommending appropriate actions.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or a related discipline; a Master’s degree or relevant professional qualification is highly preferred.
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Minimum 8 years of relevant finance experience, preferably with strong exposure to FP&A and OPEX management.
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Strong FP&A expertise, including experience with forecasting, budgeting, planning cycles, variance analysis, and financial reporting.
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Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, with strong financial modeling and analytical skills, and PowerPoint for effective presentation of financial insights.
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Ability to quickly learn and adapt to various in-house financial systems and applications.
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Experience with IBM Planning Analytics (TM1) is highly preferred.
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Strong cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder management skills, with experience working effectively in a multicultural and global environment.
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Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to translate financial data into meaningful business insights.
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Demonstrated ability to challenge constructively, influence stakeholders, and drive accountability around financial performance.
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Strong team player who is collaborative, adaptable, proactive, and willing to support broader team objective
