Associate Director, Financial Projects

Lactalis USA is currently seeking candidates to join our Accounting & Finance team in Buffalo, NY.

Lactalis, the world leader in dairy, is a family-owned business with more than 85,000 pragmatic and ambitious professionals worldwide, committed to nurturing the future by providing healthy and delicious dairy products that bring people together every day. We produce award-winning dairy products that bring people together every day. We offer an enviable range of dairy brands including Galbani, President, Kraft Natural Cheese, Cracker Barrel, Black Diamond, Parmalat, Siggi's, and Stonyfield Organic in addition to several brands imported from our affiliates in Europe.

At Lactalis, our core values of AMBITION, ENGAGEMENT, and SIMPLICITY are at the heart of everything we do. We are dedicated to building a safe, diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace and we know that our candidates come from many different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. If you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job posting, we still encourage you to apply and share with us your STORY, your PASSION, and your EXPERTISE! You may be just the perfect candidate for this or other roles within our company.

Lactalis is an equal employment opportunity employer. We will not discriminate against applicants with regard to any legally-recognized basis including, but not limited to: veteran status, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, and physical or mental disabilities.

From your PASSION to ours

The Associate Director Financial Projects is a key contributor to Lactalis American Group, Inc. (LAG) Corporate Division. The position will have hybrid reporting lines depending on the project however administratively will report to the CFO. The Associate Director Financial Projects will lead critical projects related to systems (SAP LIS implementation), Integration of businesses (eg Ambrosi) accounting (USGAAP) and tax to ensure our companies are structured correctly and we gain efficiencies. The person will need a thorough knowledge of GAAP, M&A, some knowledge of cross border trading between the United States and Europe. The person will provide thorough analysis of corporate options that are in the best interest of LAG in the United States as well as recommend optimal entity structures ahead of the LIS Project.

From your EXPERTISE to ours

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

* Lead certain finance work streams and work with the implementation team and appointed integrator for the new SAP LIS System. This will be a significant part of the role over the next 24 months. To this end he/she will need to spend time understanding plant finance, logistics finance, milk procurement, commercial and corporate finance.

* Review LAG end to end finance process and make recommendations for improvement in conjunction with the new SAP LIS implementation.

* Be Involved in significant company initiatives which may include acquisitions and integration of new businesses. Initially be responsible for integrating Ambrosi into LAG.

* Responsible for corporate restructuring including liquidation and merger of entities.

* Partner with the Commercial team on reviewing our approach to imports especially imports from France and Italy.

* Works collaboratively with cross functional departments to resolve issues, improve efficiencies, meet key objectives and ensure compliance, as required.

* Develop, implement appropriate tools to gain more efficiencies in finance processes

* Provides technical expertise and guidance to staff and internal customer groups on specific elements of GAAP

* Assist with drafting of ad-hoc GAAP financial statements

* Perform ad-hoc project finance analytics

* Maintain current knowledge of new applicable laws and regulations that apply to the accounting and finance, ensuring the appropriate application of these in the assigned tasks.

* This description reflects management's assignment of essential functions; it does not proscribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned.

From your STORY to ours

Qualified applicants will contribute the following:

Professional Certification

* CPA, CMA, CA or equivalent designation, preferred.

Education

* Bachelor's Degree or Master's Degree from an accredited college or university majoring in Accounting, Finance or related field.

Experience

* A minimum of 10 years of experience in accounting / finance in the dairy or FMCG industry,

* Prior public accounting and/or internal audit experience advantageous

* Drafting and implementing company policies.

* Prior systems implementation experience a plus

Specialized Knowledge

* Good Knowledge of GAAP

* Knowledge of cross border trading between the US and Europe .

* Exceptional Excel skills, and other Microsoft Office Suite products.

* Experience with ERP systems, preferably SAP FICO, HFM and financial statement consolidation tools.

Skills/Abilities

* Result-oriented approach with hands-on execution capability

* Flexible, strategic team player

* Ability to work independently, a self-starter

* Abilities to advise peers and superiors effectively

* Can be both detailed oriented and have big picture thinking