POSITION: Strategic Business Manager – EL Brand

REPORTS TO: Executive Director; Finance & Administration

DEPARTMENT:  Travel Retail – Finance

WORK LOCATION: Miami, FL

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Strategic Business Manager Direct and drive the annual budget and monthly estimate process for their brand cluster.

Interact with Brand Director, Finance leads and General Manager on the development of long-range plans for their brands.

Develop analytics dashboards on their brand performance. Provide brand team members with coaching, mentoring and insight on all financial matters.  

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Provide financial advice and expertise to the brands, focusing on being a value-added partner to achieve strategic business objectives. This includes advice on financial and operational issues affecting the Brand. This is especially important as our distribution is via Lachen (in Switzerland). The Strategic Business Partner is expected to be innovative and proactive in offering suggestions and advice to all levels of the Brand.

ENSURE CUSTOMER & MARKET GROWTH

• On-going review of monthly retail, net sales and profit and loss performance.  
• Highlight over or under spending areas for prompt follow-up by RDs/ ASOMs
• Track actuals against budget/ forecast
• Partner with Brand Regional Director to execute new door opening. Make sure P&L, CAPEX and budgeting are done promptly and accurately.

DATA ANALYTICS:

• Develop, monitor and report Brand metrics and KPI’s providing analysis and insights, as applicable.
• Leverage systems and tools (SAP, BI and CPM) available for the preparation of ad-hoc analysis.
• Prepare door and retailer profitability analytics by Channel and distribution “Duty Paid and Duty Free”.

MANAGES OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS

• Manage OPEX investment and independently identify issues and develop plans to correct it.
• Develop key investment plan with Regional Brand Director for promotional activations. Emphasis on ROI, Market Share Gain and Gross Margin improvement.  
• Approve Returns and Destructions (RAF and DIF).
• Conduct ad-hoc Profit & Loss and Sales analysis as requested by Brands/Finance, for example, the Beauty Advisor productivity report, penetration report, bubble charts etc.

FINANCIAL PLANNING & ANALYSIS

• Prepare and review monthly sales & P&L estimates and ensure timely and accurate reporting. 
• Work and provide input to the brands on monthly estimates and manage the annual budget/plan process submission and loading into CPM.
• Work with Brands to produce, evaluate and make recommendation on:
  • Profit & Loss for HPPs/Special Events
  • Profit & Loss for new door/account
• Work closely with brand Director developing the long range plan (LRP) including building blocks and annual budgets.
• Prepare detail revenue, COG and OPEX budget at customer level and load into the TR CPM Cube.

IMPROVES BUSINESS PROCESSES

• Provide finance induction to new field member, including knowledge of the new database systems   
• Month end process:
  • Review all Selling, Marketing, Advertising and Promotional expenditures and prepare any necessary accrual (journal entries) at month end.
  • Prepare Pro-Forma P&L’s during month end closing to compare with Plan and latest estimate (LE).
  • Liaison with the Regional Finance Director to ensure correct processing of all month-end transactions.
• Provide financial support to CAM’s and ASOM’s on the estimate process  
• Evaluate processes and provide recommendation to improve efficiencies and simplify complexities
• Adherence and enforcement of US GAAP, corporate policies and SOX compliance.
• Liaison with Genpact on R2R processes.

QUALIFICATIONS

REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree, MBA degree preferable. CPA a Plus
• 5+ years’ related financial and/or accounting experience.
• Excellent analytical, communication and interpersonal skills.
• Independent and able to work under pressure.
• Advance Excel and experience in SAP preferred.

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

• Respected and enthusiastic leader

Draws others into enthusiastic commitment to the collective effort. Has a direction, energy and passion. Inspires others to exceed expectations. Shapes the environment to foster a drive toward achievement, learning and teamwork. Models behavior.

• Displays integrity and builds trust
• Emotionally even

Can manage emotions. Maintains calm and perspective in difficult situations.

• Self-confident. Knows own strengths. Welcomes challenges. Willing to champion change even in the face of opposition.
• Innovative

Experiments with new concepts and approaches. Comes up with creative solutions to difficult problems.

• Strong communicator
  • Clearly communicates expectations. Can relate to a range of people. Knows how and when to adapt communication style to audience and objective eg. when to be directive and when to seek discussion and input.
• Works cooperatively with peers, management, subordinates and other departments
• Seeks personal improvement and adapts behaviour to feedback and experience

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required of person so classified.

JOB: Finance & Accounting

PRIMARY LOCATION: Americas-US-FL-Miami

JOB TYPE: Standard

SCHEDULE: Full-time

SHIFT: 1st (Day) Shift

JOB NUMBER: 2223627

We are an equal opportunity employer. Minorities, women, veterans, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. It is Company's policy not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions), gender identity or gender expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military service and veteran status, physical or mental disability, protected medical condition as defined by applicable state or local law, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws and ordinances. The Company will endeavor to provide a reasonable accommodation consistent with the law to otherwise qualified employees and prospective employees with a disability and to employees and prospective employees with needs related to their religious observance or practices. Should you wish to apply for this position or any other position with the Company and you believe you require assistance to complete an application or participate in an interview, please contact USApplicantAccommodations@Estee.com.

The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) is the global leader in prestige beauty. ELC is the only company focused solely on prestige makeup, skin care, fragrance and hair care with a diverse portfolio of 25+ brands sold in approximately 150 countries and territories. Infused throughout the organization is a passion for creativity and innovation — a desire to push the boundaries and invent the unexpected — as we continue the bold work of the company’s founder Estée Lauder.