Director, Strategic Finance

Company Description

Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc. is an industry-leading innovation company focused on creating smarter, safer and more beautiful homes and improving lives. Our driving purpose is that we elevate every life by transforming spaces into havens. We believe our work and our brands can have incredibly positive impacts for not just our business and shareholders, but for people and the planet, too.

When you join Fortune Brands, you become part of a high-performing team who are empowered to think big, learn fast and make bold decisions. We support an inclusive and diverse culture where everyone is encouraged and empowered to be their authentic selves, and where our differences and unique perspectives are a key strength.                                                                                                                                                                            

Explore life at Fortune Brands here.

Job Description

As the Director of Strategic Finance, you will play a key role in guiding, prioritizing, and optimizing investments to enhance financial performance and create long-term value. You will manage and guide the Strategic Investment Planning (SIP) process, also known as Zero-Based Budgeting (ZBB), working across business units to align resources with high-impact initiatives that drive sustainable growth and innovation.

In partnership with finance, sales, marketing, product management, business intelligence, and technology teams, you will bring strategic insights and financial expertise to ensure investment choices support both business goals and long-term success. Your ability to translate complex financial data into clear, actionable strategies will empower senior stakeholders, including the CEO and CFO, to make informed, thoughtful decisions.

We value individuals who can Think Fast, leveraging insights and creative problem-solving to identify opportunities, adapt to changing market dynamics, and drive progress; Work It Together, fostering collaboration, strengthening relationships, and aligning teams around shared goals; and Make the Hard Call, making well-balanced, thoughtful choices that support innovation, financial well-being, and sustainable growth with confidence and care.

Position location: This position is eligible for a hybrid schedule based out of Deerfield, IL. Effective mid-2025, Fortune Brands will transition to a new world-class campus in Deerfield, bringing together associates from across our U.S. offices, brands, and functions. The campus will offer vibrant workspaces for collaboration, along with amenities for dining, onsite daycare, fitness and recreation.

What you will be doing

• Manage the Strategic Investment Planning (SIP) process, also known as Zero-Based Budgeting (ZBB), to evaluate and prioritize investments across business units, ensuring alignment with strategic and financial goals.
• Identify opportunities to optimize resource allocation and improve efficiency using predefined playbooks.
• Partner with finance teams to develop financial models and reviews that assess trade-offs, cost savings, and long-term value creation.
• Track and monitor investment performance, ROI, and cost savings over multiple years.
• Prepare business cases and executive presentations for senior stakeholders, including the CEO and CFO, to support decision-making.
• Collaborate with finance, sales, marketing, product management, and technology teams to ensure cross-functional alignment on investment choices.
• Establish a structured SIP/ZBB operating framework, including governance meetings and integration with financial planning cycles.
• Define and communicate KPIs and reporting mechanisms to track investment performance and ensure transparency.
• Support business units in prioritizing strategic investments based on financial insights and feasibility.
• Build and maintain dashboards to monitor SIP/ZBB outcomes and inform decision-making.
• Leverage data and financial modeling to evaluate investment impact on growth, profitability, and efficiency.
• Continuously enhance the SIP/ZBB process, integrating best practices, automation, and advanced analytics.
• Translate complex financial data into clear, actionable recommendations for stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Economics, Business, Data Analytics, or a related field.
• 7+ years of experience in financial planning & analysis (FP&A), strategic finance, investment planning, or business analytics.
• Strong understanding of P&L manageme