The Financial Analyst will support strategic and operational decision-making by providing accurate financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and performance insights. The role focuses on cost optimisation, margin improvement, and financial controls within a food manufacturing environment, including raw material costing, production efficiency, and supply chain analysis.
Key Responsibilities
Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)
- Prepare annual budgets, rolling forecasts, and long-term financial plans.
- Conduct variance analysis between actuals, budgets, and forecasts, highlighting key drivers.
- Develop financial models to support pricing decisions, capex proposals, and new product launches.
- Monitor plant-wise and product-wise profitability.
Costing & Margin Analysis
- Analyse raw material costs, yield losses, wastage, and production efficiencies.
- Support standard costing, BOM analysis, and cost variance reporting.
- Work closely with production and procurement teams to improve gross margins.
- Evaluate make-versus-buy decisions and vendor cost structures.
MIS & Reporting
- Prepare and present monthly MIS reports for management review.
- Track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as cost per unit, contribution margins, inventory turnover, and working capital.
- Provide actionable insights to senior management for performance improvement.
Inventory & Working Capital Management
- Analyse inventory levels, ageing, slow-moving and obsolete stock.
- Monitor working capital components including receivables, payables, and cash flow.
- Support demand planning and inventory optimisation initiatives.
Compliance & Controls
- Ensure adherence to internal financial controls and company policies.
- Support statutory audits, internal audits, and cost audits.
- Assist in compliance with GST, excise (where applicable), and other regulatory requirements relevant to food manufacturing.
Business Support & Strategy
- Partner with cross-functional teams (Operations, Supply Chain, Sales) to support business initiatives.
- Conduct scenario analysis and sensitivity analysis for business risks and opportunities.
- Support expansion projects, capacity planning, and franchise or distribution models where applicable.
Qualifications & Experience
- Education: Chartered Accountant (CA) / CMA / MBA (Finance) / Master's in Finance.
- Experience: 36 years of relevant experience in food manufacturing, FMCG, or consumer goods.
- Exposure to plant finance, costing, and operations finance preferred.
- Experience in startup or high-growth manufacturing environments is an advantage.
Technical Skills
- Strong knowledge of financial modeling, budgeting, and forecasting.
- Hands-on experience with ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, Tally, or similar).
- Advanced proficiency in MS Excel; working knowledge of Power BI/Tableau is a plus.
- Understanding of GST and manufacturing-related financial compliance.
Behavioral Competencies
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
- Business-oriented mindset with attention to detail.
- Effective communication and stakeholder management skills.
- High integrity and ownership mindset.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Accuracy and timeliness of financial reports.
- Improvement in gross margins and cost efficiencies.
- Inventory turnover and working capital optimisation.
- Quality of financial insights supporting management decisions.
