We are seeking a Financial Analyst that will have an immediate focus on sales and marketing analysis.  This position offers the right person a unique opportunity to provide daily financial oversight to marketing and sales teams and help facilitate key decisions related to sales and marketing/merchandising budgets and spending plans, with a focus on ensuring profitable growth and return on investment for all spending decisions. 

Financial oversight includes detailed pro-forma planning and modeling of activities, promotional spend tracking and review, forecasting, reporting, and ad-hoc analysis.  

This role's emphasis will be on maintaining sound financial controls around spending. The successful individual will have a strong quantitative background, solid academic achievement, excellent financial modeling and data manipulation skills, strong communication and people skills, ability to learn quickly.  PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES: Marketing Analysis

• Work proactively with Marketing leadership team, company Financial Controller and Sales team during budget/forecast season and throughout the year to ensure that spending activities are aligned with company and customer financial plans and meet ROI thresholds.  Perform ROI analysis of marketing and promotional initiatives.
• Create and update project financial analyses and post mortem reporting.  Manage approval process for spending requests through Marketing and Sales teams and company senior leadership.
• Create dashboards and reports as required to monitor spending and results.
• Review plan adjustments as needed throughout the year with appropriate management.

Monthly Business Reviews

• Active participant in monthly Business Review process, including analytical review of monthly spending forecasts versus actual marketing and promotion performance.
• Meet with Sales and Marketing leadership to understand variances to goals, on both revenues and spending. Communicate results and work with sales team to develop solutions for driving sales or for adjusting trade activities to ensure goals are met.

Ad-hoc Analysis

• Review sales and spending results (via weekly Reports) to analyze and provide variance explanations, including understanding implications on customer profitability.
• Perform financial modeling and scenario planning to analyze cross-functional business results and surface cost savings or revenue opportunities where possible.
• Provide insight to improve forecasting accuracy.
• Project work, as needed.

Business Processes and Reporting

• Manage weekly and monthly wholesale and retail sales (Flash) reporting and analysis process, providing insights and analysis of recent results and insight to any risks and opportunities.  Ensure data accuracy and consistency with ERP system results.
• Automate manual data processes.
• Create data warehouse, either separately or as part of ERP system (Netsuite).
• Establish and document best practices.

EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelors degree required. Concentration in quantitative discipline (Mathematics, Accounting, Finance) or equivalent.
• Strong modeling skills in Excel and data management required.  Candidate should be very familiar with pivot tables, VLookups, database management, financial terminology (ROI and NPV calculations, etc.).
• This candidate will ideally have 2+ years of experience.
• Experience working consumer products, beauty, or retail.

SKILLS:

• Demonstrated critical thinking and analytical problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent inter-personal communication and the ability to influence others.
• Self-starter and shows initiative and quickly learns the specifics of marketing and sales finance.
• Ability to work in teams and independently.
• Initial focus (50% hands on with Sales and Marketing teams / 50% analysis and research).
• Formal accounting training a plus. 
• Advanced spreadsheet knowledge and capabilities.
• Accounting understanding a plus.