Head of Commercial Finance Spirits at Diageo

About The Role

APM is a Diageo Africa market operating through partner-led businesses under a distribution model. The market covers approximately 20 countries across West, East, Central and North Africa through several strategic partners, including Nigeria, Cameroon, Ethiopia and Kenya It is a highly fragmented business, with varying levels of market maturity and partner capability across the region.

While undergoing business transformation, the market has delivered strong growth and improved cash management, inventory optimisation and partner health while continuing to invest behind future growth.

The current focus has shifted from driving shipments to improving the health of the value chain, strengthening partner profitability and enabling sustainable growth.

To achieve its growth and profitability ambitions, APM needs to transform the way it develops, plans and executes with partners. Commercial Finance plays a critical role in leading the performance agenda, driving sustainable quality growth, strengthening controls and standardising processes.

The Head of Commercial Finance Spirits (HoCF Spirits) reports directly to the APM Finance Director and has a dotted reporting line to the Commercial Director. The CF team is supported by

Director and has a dotted reporting line to the Commercial Director. The CF team is supported by other finance specialists including the Africa Head of Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) and

Controls Manager. This role maintains relationships with a range of stakeholders – including Commercial, Marketing, FP&A, Internal Audit, Supply and Strategic Partners.

Responsibilities

The role will lead the performance agenda for APM Spirits and promote Diageo’s best interests across all its markets and strategic partners. The role is a key business partner to the APM

Commercial Leadership Team and Strategic Partners and is responsible for translating commercial strategy into strong financial performance, robust governance and sustainable value creation.

Responsibilities Include

Experience / Skills required:

Drive performance management embedding a strong performance culture, tracking performance against the financial plan (NSV, Operating Profit, Cash) and other critical metrics including market share, partner health and supply chain effectiveness. This entails:

Owning the end-to-end financial performance narrative for APM Spirits, ensuring risks, opportunities and interventions are clearly understood and acted upon by senior stakeholders

Managing the performance review, outlook and AOP cycles and improving visibility in the partner-led model

Proactively driving commercial partners to understand external influences and trends and their impact on current/future performance

Building capability and driving possibility thinking in commercial discussions, and managing the development of new customer, brand and segment opportunities

Leading interventions on working capital, overdue debt and creditor management

Lead commercial finance partnering across APM Spirits to:

Drive the commercial performance agenda, including planning, pricing governance, partner/customer negotiation strategy and value-chain optimisation that will secure sustainable, value-creating growth

Drive effective measurement and evaluation of trade investment and A&P to influence investment prioritosation

Build stronger partner capability and governance across strategic partners, recognising that partner capability varies considerably across the region

Key Functional capabilities

Commercial Competence and Decision Making

Ability to drive value through commercial knowledge/insight and understanding of the impact of decisions on the business

Ability to influence partners and commercial stakeholders in a complex, partner-led operating model where Finance is embedded in commercial decision making

Strategic Analysis and Financial Modelling

Ability to develop, review and present financial analysis/models to address ongoing investment opportunities

Ability to create insightful analysis, develop/use pricing and margin tools and be a master in how to use these to create and protect value

Ability to assess value-chain health, partner profitability, cash generation, OWC, inventory and replenishment dynamics

Business Performance Management

Ability to transition effectively between both operational detail and strategic goals in reviewing ongoing performance

Ability to identify and track key underlying performance trends – and assess the potential impact of these on performance commitments

Ability to lead performance, cash, shipment, depletion and partner governance rhythms across weekly and monthly business cycles

Partner Governance, Reporting and Transformation

Ability to strengthen partner governance, standardise offline processes and improve reporting quality in a non-SAP environment

Ability to lead Finance simplification and automation, enabling in-market Finance to focus on business partnering and decision support business partnering and decision support.

Qualifications And Experience

Experience in commercial finance (5+ years)

Qualified Accountant strongly preferred

Track record of defining and delivering commercially oriented strategies and plans

Strong financial competence and commercial experience

Ability to influence critical commercial decisions and collaborate effectively with a cross- functional team

Able to manage multiple assignments and priorities simultaneously

Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills.