CBS FP&A Specialist

Role Summary

The CBS Financial Planning & Analysis Specialist leads and coordinates financial planning, budgeting, headcount cost control, and P&L variance analysis for the Colgate Business Services Center (CBS). Partnering closely with HR/Global People, Payroll Analytics, and R2R teams. The Specialist is responsible for validating Intercompany Cost-Plus billing, tracking Funding the Growth (FTG) cost-saving pipelines, and presenting executive financial performance directly to functional Directors, while driving process automation across the global CBS network.

Key Responsibilities

• Budgeting, Forecasting & Headcount Control: Lead the preparation, consolidation, and variance analysis of the CBS Annual Budget and periodic forecasts, partnering with HR and Payroll to manage confidential headcount projections (vacancies, restructuring, turnover) and model P&L operational costs.

• Cost-Savings Pipeline Governance (FTG): Direct the quantification, tracking, and governance of the Funding the Growth (FTG) cost-savings pipeline, ensuring that operational efficiency initiatives are realized in actual financial results and reflected in executive dashboards.

• Executive Presentation & Stakeholder Management: Translate complex financial results, FTG progress, and working capital projections into strategic insights, regularly delivering executive presentations to Directors across CS&L, Global People, and Finance.

• Intercompany Billing & Cost-Plus Validation: Collaborate closely with the Record-to-Report (R2R) team to calculate, validate, and explain Cost-Plus base cost calculations and intercompany billing variances across local subsidiaries and corporate entities.

• P&L & Financial Statement Evaluation: Project and evaluate complete CBS financial statements (P&L, Balance Sheet, Working Capital) in synergy with R2R to ensure alignment between actual accounting records and forward-looking cash flow projections.

• Process Automation (CPI) & SOX Controls: Drive Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) initiatives, leveraging BI tools and automated dashboards to streamline forecasting cycles, monitor real-time KPIs, and maintain strict SOX compliance.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting or a related field.

• Experience: 3+ years of progressive experience in Financial Planning & Analysis, Management Control, Budgeting, or Corporate Accounting within a Shared Services Center or multinational corporation.

• Systems & Tools: Hands-on operational experience with ERP systems (SAP S/4HANA FI-CO module).

• Languages: Advanced English proficiency.

• Core Competencies:

  • Strong ownership, self-direction, and autonomy to drive deliverables and navigate complex financial scenarios independently.

  • High emotional maturity, discretion, and strict confidentiality to handle total payroll data and confidential organizational restructuring plans.

Desired Qualifications

• Advanced Education: Master’s Degree or Postgraduate specialization in Finance, Corporate Governance, or Business Administration (MBA).

• SSC Financial Frameworks: Proven experience in Intercompany Cost-Plus billing mechanisms, full P&L/Balance Sheet/Working Capital forecasting, and tracking Funding the Growth (FTG) savings.

• BI & Automation Stack: Proficiency with Business Intelligence and automation tools (Power BI, Tableau, Power Query, Advanced Excel / VBA Macros).

• Accounting Standards: Deep working knowledge of US GAAP / IFRS standards, cost accounting structures, and Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) internal control matrices.