Associate Manager - Finance

Overview

i) Lead monthly review of Trade Claims (TCs), aged accruals, and open claims balances to improve accrual accuracy and ensure timely resolution of outstanding items.

ii) Perform channel, customer, and trade spend control reviews to identify process gaps, control weaknesses, and opportunities for improving accrual and claims management accuracy.

iii) Conduct customer claims, deductions, and write-back reviews to ensure compliance with policies, accuracy of settlements, and appropriate supporting documentation.

iv) Drive month-end balance sheet reviews, accrual validations, and reconciliation processes to ensure completeness, accuracy, and compliance with control requirements.

v) Prepare control-related variance analysis, exception reporting, and management commentaries highlighting key risks, trends, and remediation actions.

vi) Support periodic control reviews, actualization processes, GCS testing, and control reporting with detailed analysis of findings and corrective actions.

vii) Perform ad hoc controls, compliance, and process reviews to support business initiatives, audits, and management requests.

viii) Identify and recommend opportunities for process standardization, automation, and control enhancements to improve operational efficiency and reduce risk.

ix) Consolidate control assessment results, audit findings, remediation progress, and governance updates into leadership review decks and management reports.

x) Create and maintain control trackers, reconciliation tools, reporting dashboards, and analytical models to monitor compliance, accrual accuracy, and process performance.

xi) Perform monthly review of trade spend accruals, FIFO balances, customer claims settlements, and balance sheet exposures, providing detailed insights and commentary on key movements.

xii) Partner closely with Commercial Finance, Sales, GBS Sales, KAMs, and Finance Leadership teams to strengthen controls, resolve exceptions, and improve trade spend governance.

xiii) Identify control risks, compliance issues, balance sheet exposures, and process breakdowns, while reporting key risks and mitigation plans to leadership and control stakeholders.

xiv) Conduct post-event and post-implementation reviews of trade promotions, claims settlements, write-backs, and system/process changes to evaluate control effectiveness and embed continuous improvements.

These points position the role as a dedicated Controls & Governance function rather than a Commercial Finance business-partnering role, making them suitable for a job evaluation, role releveling, or organizational design document.

Responsibilities

Controls - Trade Spend Management

• Lead review of current and aged TCs every month (~1,000) to enhance and sustain accruals accuracy to 97%+. Closely work with GBS Sales team to analyse open claims and seek KAMs feedback on rest of balance.
• Act as gate keeper for all write-backs in TPM system for released TCs. Document reason for adjustment and incorporate changes in process to prevent re-occurrence.
• Review and approve customer claims to ensure only valid claims are process against right TCs.
• Lead Forecast and Actuals Reporting process with respect to FIFO/In Year adjustments. Liaison with BU reporting team to provide inputs for pre-close and post close reviews with Sector.
• Lead Accruals/FIFO review meeting with each channel head by providing value added insights and highlighting areas of improvement to enhance accruals accuracy. Enhance ownership and accountability of accruals by KAMs via:
• Monitor variances between pre-month substantiation vs actuals and seek KAMs feedback. Analysis to be shared with channel heads in monthly meeting.
• Subsequent write back of validated accruals to be communicated back to KAMs and seek clarification/justification of same. Share with channel heads at monthly controls meeting.
• Output of above two actions to be shared with SLT
• Implement efficient & effective controls for D&A Accruals accuracy via deep dive review of TC set-up in TPM, claims settlement in High Radius and sharing learnings with senior management.
• Regularly communicate progress, milestones and challenges related to change initiatives to management and other relevant stakeholders, ensuring transparency and alignment with overall goals.
• Drive Balance Sheet review and BL reconciliation process

Process & Controls Improvements

• Lead, recommend and support implementation of cross functional process improvements with a focus on efficiency and controls
• Identify opportunities for improved controls/processes and work with key stakeholders across business to develop and implement system enhancements/process automation
• Ensure Accounts Receivable policies and processes are compliant with PepsiCo Global Control Standards
• Perform GCS testing and review testing results; develop action plan and follow through with any identified issues
• With Support of GBS Sales, manage internal and external auditing process for Trade Spend and address issues arising from the audit results
• 4-10 years of experience in Commercial Finance, Controllership or Audit domain
• Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree in commerce/business administration / economic with high level of Finance & Accounting Experience. CA/ICWAI/MBA/CPA Finance is preferred
• Proficient in SAP CRM/TPM, Mosaic, Power Query, Office365 product suite and visualization tools like Power BI. Experience of High Radius is a plus.
• Sound knowledge of Financial systems (SAP, TM1, MS Office Excel & PPT)
• Strong understanding of business processes
• Strong technical knowledge and experience of both Management reporting and planning processes
• Strong organizational and leadership skills
• Must have strong interpersonal skills, effective verbal and written communication skills, collaboration and presentation skills, and be a team player
• Willingness to learn new skills and work in an ambiguous environment as the business continues to evolve
• Strong and effective player who is willing to understand and streamline the existing processes
• Accounting knowledge – Balance Sheet and Profit Loss