CP Commercial Finance Lead - EASA

Syngenta Group is one of the world’s leading sustainable agriculture innovation companies, with roots going back more than 250 years. Our 53,000 people across more than 100 countries strive every day to transform agriculture through tailor-made solutions for the benefit of farmers, society and our planet – making us the world’s most local agricultural technology and innovation partner.

Syngenta Group is committed to operating at the highest standards of ethics and integrity. This is a commitment that we are making to investors, customers, society and employees. Syngenta Group is also committed to maintaining a workplace environment free from discrimination and Harassment.

Role purpose

• Act as the key partner to Business in EASA and together with respective Business Area Leadership Team drive strategy and delivery of financial targets
• Full accountability to manage P&L and deliver financial targets for EASA, and for area of scope (either Southern or Eastern Africa).
• Active participation in the development and implementation of the relevant operational plans to ensure clarity of the financial impact, including support of evaluation of new businesses and models
• Through appropriate balance of short, medium, and long-term financial planning and monitoring• drive effective and efficient delivery of business goals with sound financial analysis and advice,
• drive the delivery of budgets and forecasts,
• challenge the resource allocation and income generation proactively raising issues and driving resolution
• Proactively identify risk and manage risk.

• Provide management with sound risk-based analysis on potential impacts, implications and propose potential ways to mitigate risks on key economic and commercial exposures.
• Drive productivity and simplification in finance and related business processes in the relevant functional/business scope
• Support / lead as appropriate strategic initiatives and projects in the BA depending on the business needs
• Indirectly manage the finance team and ensure appropriate resource allocation

Accountabilities

• Represent Finance function to the BA Leadership Team
• Support development and implementation of strategies for BA
• Utilizing key agronomic indicators, deliver 5-year plans and budgets. Ensure effective resource prioritization based on sound risk-based cost / benefit analysis
• Provide business management with sound risk-based analysis on potential impacts, implications and propose potential ways to improve risk management on key economic exposures
• Provide functional expertise in key projects within BA or specific AME projects
• P&L accountability for the Business Area; drive actions to support stronger cash-flow generation for the company, including optimization of working capital
• Lead financial processes across P&L scope connecting with various stakeholders• P&L and working capital management
• Latest Outlook and Risks & Opportunities management
• Coordinate planning cycle: sales and GP forecast, S&OP preparation
• Lead the annual budget preparation process
• 5-Year-Plan preparation and strategy co-creation with BA Leadership Team

• Co-create and review commercial terms and policies (price model, i.e. discounts / rebates / incentive plans), contracts, support of commercial processes (e.g. in-season commercial terms tactics) and new business models (financial consideration and frameworks for strategic business projects)
• In collaboration with Finance Operations team:  act as Company assets custodian, ensure proper accounting policies, effective process governance and Control Framework maintained in the area of responsibility
• Member and active contribution in CP AME Finance Leadership Team and BA Leadership Team
• Flexibly allocate time to coordinate, lead or support as appropriate strategic initiatives in the BU in scope or across AME (GTM review, FiSo structuring and implementation, New business models implementation, collaborations).
• Act as Productivity Ambassador; help origination to embrace Productivity mindset across all teams in Business Area(s)

Knowledge, experience & capabilities

Critical knowledge

• Sound knowledge of business and industry drivers
• Effective finance management of a business with full P&L responsibility
• Best practices for the development of annual budgets, latest estimates and financial planning
• Financial modelling
• Commercial finance (commercial terms, pricing, campaign planning)
• Ability to understand, communicate and manage complex cross-functional issues

Critical experience

• A finance professional with 8+ years of experience in different areas of business finance and controlling, ideally with previous P&L accountability
• Experience in working with cross functional teams and ability to work with all levels of the organisation
• Experience in influencing key stakeholders towards adopting and aligning to relevant procedures and tools
• Exposure to commercial operations
• Experience in working with multi-cultural and virtual teams; coordination of work of others without direct reporting line

Critical Technical, professional and personal capabilities

• Chartered Accountant or CPA or CIMA (Registered) or similar qualifications.
• Bachelor’s degree in finance, Accounting, or related field.
• Wide knowledge of finance (financial analysis, investment analysis, valuation analysis, risk management, budgeting / planning).
• Influencing, teamwork skills and leading change
• Successfully communicate ideas that proactively challenge business.
• High focus and energy with a pragmatic mind set and solution-oriented approach
• Strong collaboration mindset and ability to work in matrix organisation
• Technology savvy, drive for digitalisation

Critical leadership capabilities

• Customer management: ability to interact and influence at different levels within the organization
• Judgment: provides timely and good decisions that are respected by the business, involves stakeholders to enhance the decision-making process
• Insight generation: brings forward looking mindset to business, generate insights and identify financial impacts

Critical success factors & key challenges

• Finance expertise and advice to business, support of decision-making process.
• Strong business acumen and understanding of end-to-end implications of commercial decisions
• Collaboration and agility mindset
• Ability to challenge and influence
• Ability to collaborate across multiple geographies and stakeholders

Location: Kenya / Zambia