Finance Manager, Special Projects

Company Description

 You may know us as Wonderful Pistachios, FIJI Water, POM Wonderful, JUSTIN Wine, Teleflora and Halos Citrus, but we're all one Wonderful and have an exciting opportunity for a Finance Manager to join our Accounting Special Projects team. In this dynamic role, you will be responsible for working with business leaders on key initiatives at the Wonderful Company, where your technical FP&A expertise is required. Projects include financial standardization across brands, assessing and improving operational efficiency, identifying business risks, oversight of the rotational program, evaluating internal controls, providing temporary finance & accounting support, and fraud investigation and prevention.

The ideal candidate is a proactive self-starter who enjoys project variety, thrives on new challenges, and who exhibits the leadership skills necessary to work and communicate with all levels of management. This person will exhibit a strong command of operational planning/budgeting processes and practices (including planning cycles, management reporting, variance analysis and financial data presentation) while operating in a ‘consulting’ role. Experience in system implementations are a plus. Candidate must have proven track record of successful change implementation and an ability to work as both an individual contributor and as a project manager. Must be flexible with the changing demands of the position, including but not limited to shifting priorities and timelines. This position provides opportunity for upward finance and accounting mobility within the extended The Wonderful Company organization for candidates with demonstrated business acumen. This role provides a unique opportunity for professional growth and leadership in a dynamic environment. This is a full-time position based in our West Los Angeles office, reporting directly to the Director, Accounting Special Projects.

We work a hybrid schedule with an in-office requirement Monday-Wednesday and the option to work remotely on Thursday and Friday.

Job Description

• Engage with a diverse set of business unit finance leaders and their finance and accounting teams to identify, lead and complete special projects, such as system implementations support, process evaluations and optimizations, fraud investigations, working capital/ROI or other KPI alignment and ad hoc financial analysis.
• Perform FP&A or Accounting bench strength engagements across different Business Units to assist in periods of natural attrition or temporary gaps
• Provide oversight and management of the Finance and Accounting Rotational (“FARM”) Program which manages 8+ Rotation Associates annually
• Create and oversee improvement initiatives for the FARM Program
• Build strong relationships with internal customers at all levels within the company
• Support accounting and finance related technologies, including but not limited to ERP system implementation and optimization, data validation, user testing support and partnership with Business Unit leaders and the Project Management team.
• Identify and implement best practices and process improvements
• Ability to successfully handle ambiguity to clearly define project roles, expectations and deliverables
• Demonstrate end-to-end project management abilities, such as preparing project plans/timelines, driving progress towards project milestones, managing and engaging stakeholders, regularly evaluate scope/project status, and presenting findings via documentation and formal read-out to team and stakeholders
• Draft clear and concise findings/recommendations and assist in the implementation of those recommendations

Qualifications

• 5 - 7 years of progressive work experience in Finance, Accounting or other related data and analysis-intensive field
• 1-2 years of prior management experience
• Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, or a related field. Advanced degree or professional certification (e.g., CPA) is a plus
• Extensive experience with large-scale ERP systems
• Advanced Excel skills are required
• Experience in communicating with all management levels through your ability to listen to business unit needs, understand complex matters and articulate them clearly, and present your findings and recommendations through oral or written presentations
• Strong accounting background and knowledge of accounting concepts, particularly around reporting and financial analysis
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to collaborate with individuals at all levels across the organization
• Proven ability to produce high-quality materials within tight deadlines
• Ability to travel 10-20%, as necessary, both domestic and international
• Ability to flex and adapt to changing