Senior Manager, Merchandise Finance - Hard Discount (18-Month Contract)

at  Loblaw Companies Limited

Referred applicants should not apply directly to this role.
All referred applicants must first be submitted through Workday by a current Loblaw Colleague.
Come make your difference in communities across Canada, where authenticity, trust and making connections is valued – as we shape the future of Canadian retail, together. Our unique position as one of the country’s largest employers, coupled with our commitment to positively impact the lives of all Canadians, provides our colleagues a range of opportunities and experiences to help Canadians Live Life Well®.
At Loblaw Companies Limited, we succeed through collaboration and commitment and set a high bar for ourselves and those around us. Whether you are just starting your career, re-entering the workforce, or looking for a new job, this is where you belong.

ROLE MANDATE:

This position plays a key role providing financial support to the Food Merchandising Business Unit of the Hard Discount division and is responsible for leading the development of analysis and modeling that will enable the Center of Store Merchandising team to optimize forecasting, planning, and understanding of their financial results. The successful candidate will contribute to the Finance team’s ability to provide Data Driven Insights to the business and aid with the achievement of financial targets while working closely with Hard Discount Finance leadership, including the BU and Finance teams.

GENERAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide day-to-day financial support, reporting and analysis for the business unit.
• Develop insights, trends, runs rates and recommendations for business results and discuss with management team to help the business achieve targets
• Focusing on Latest Estimate on a periodic basis breaking down to Sales, Gross Margin & Other Income
• Provide weekly and period forecasts in conjunction with the category team.
• Provide reporting on ad hoc such as new store performance and provide visibility to teams on impact to sales growth
• Period end reporting for tracking initiatives Category and Corporate initiatives
• Provide business decision support and analytics to drive improved accountability and performance.
• Supporting Category Directors in Invoice Processing and understanding Other Income (Lump Sum & Vendor Portal)
• Preparation of annual budgets by category, department and banner with a consolidated BU view.
• Work closely with category teams on vendor profitability
• Responsible for tracking period end entries and ensuring accurate reporting
• Working with Regional Finance teams to ensure banner allocation is accurate on a periodic basis
• Conduct detailed financial report reviews each period, which includes preparation of Period end presentations
• Liaise with other functional areas (Accounting, Finance, Operations, and Franchise Operations, Procurement) to co-ordinate cross-functional analysis and data accumulation.
• Meet with Business Unit’s regularly to understand resource requirements to support the business areas.
• Ensure that all processes have been accurately documented to allow for smoother transitions and resource allocation.
• Manage, train, motivate and appraise direct reports. This includes explicit consideration of on-the-job training needs for each direct report, arranging appropriate training, and providing timely feedback.
• Participate in various committees to ensure the voice of the BU is heard and is incorporated into new processes and reporting.
• Working with the business and provide support to merchandise teams on capital requests

ROLE REQUIREMENTS:

• Completion of CA/CMA/CGA and/or MBA designation is an asset
• 3-5 years of relevant work experience or a similar combination of education and relevant work experience in an analytical / business planning role
• Strong leadership and time management skills with proven ability to lead a team and deliver objectives on time and within budget
• Highly organized and detail oriented individual, able to prioritize multiple projects effectively and work independently in a fast-paced environment
• Strong communication skills with an emphasis on verbal reasoning, conflict resolution and listening skills
• Advanced Excel proficiency and experience with business intelligence (BI) tools such as MicroStrategy
• Excellent analytical and problem solving skills
• Superior time management and organizational skills
• Strong technical skills (accounting practices/standards, computer skills, etc.)
• Proactive individual, able to effectively manage multiple priorities simultaneously
• Demonstrated ability to interact with people at various levels of an organization
  Our commitment to Sustainability and Social Impact is an essential part of the way we do business, and we focus our attention on areas where we can have the greatest impact. Our approach to sustainability and social impact is based on three pillars – Environment, Sourcing and Community – and we are constantly looking for ways to demonstrate leadership in these important areas. Our CORE Values – Care, Ownership, Respect and Excellence – guide all our decision-making and come to life through our Blue Culture. We offer our colleagues progressive careers, comprehensive training, flexibility, and other competitive benefits – these are some of the many reasons why we are one of Canada’s Top Employers, Canada’s Best Diversity Employers, Canada’s Greenest Employers & Canada’s Top Employers for Young People.
  If you are unsure whether your experience matches every requirement above, we encourage you to apply anyway. We are looking for varied perspectives which include diverse experiences that we can add to our team.
  We have a long-standing focus on diversity, equity and inclusion because we know it will make our company a better place to work and shop. We are committed to creating accessible environments for our colleagues, candidates and customers. Requests for accommodation due to a disability (which may be visible or invisible, temporary or permanent) can be made at any stage of application and employment. We encourage candidates to make their accommodation needs known so that we can provide equitable opportunities.