Senior Business Controller

Bridgestone

Zaventem, Belgium

Role Overview:

We are looking for an experienced controller to partner with the PC4 OE, TBR OE, and MC Business Leaders in managing the financial performance of its dedicated business line(s) at 360°, as well as steering business decision making through controlling, analysis, valorisations & reporting requirements in terms of profitability, tactics, and strategy execution.

S/he will be responsible for building short and long-term plans, explaining variances and identifying risks and opportunities for countermeasures, as well as monitoring and challenging the ongoing performance by performing analysis for each product line at the most granular level required.

This role is the key in the Organization and need to quickly develop in-depth business knowledge and expertise by working hand-in-hand with the Business, Finance peers (HQ & Regions), as well as all the relevant supporting functions (Product Development, Logistics & Supply Chain, Procurement, Manufacturing, Strategic Planning…) to drive profitable business growth.

Primary Responsibilities:

Performance Controlling & Analysis (25% of time):

The Business Controller is responsible for in-depth performance analysis, focusing on key financial metrics such as price, volume, and mix analysis on both revenue and gross profit margins. This involves benchmarking against targets to identify variances.
They will ensure accurate control of costs included in the segments' Profit & Loss (P&L) statements, particularly manufacturing costs and operating expenses (OPEX). This includes verifying cost allocations and understanding the drivers behind these costs.
A key task is the production and presentation of management reporting packages, which includes monitoring Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), providing qualitative commentary, and highlighting trends or insights relevant to stakeholders.
The role requires identifying areas where financial results deviate from targets, determining root causes, and proposing counter-measures. The Business Controller must work closely with department heads to implement these measures and follow up on their progress.
A deep dive into customer and product profitability is essential, identifying challenges and opportunities related to pricing, product mix, and cost-to-serve.

Segment Performance Maintenance (30% of time):

The Business Controller will create and maintain financial models focused on profitability and variance analysis, which are critical for developing business cases and KPIs.
Supporting investment decision-making is a major part of this role, requiring the performance of ad-hoc analyses, valuations, and business case studies to assist decision-makers.
The role involves reviewing new business opportunities and product developments by creating business cases and models, challenging assumptions, suggesting changes, and identifying risks and opportunities to provide a comprehensive business perspective.
The Business Controller needs to analyze the broader business environment, understand industry trends, and identify key factors that could impact the business.
They will run P&L simulations and sensitivity analyses to identify potential profit levers and risks, providing recommendations for improvement.
The role includes analyzing and presenting the end-to-end impact of business decisions on overall profitability, considering the replacement performance.

Planning & Analysis (25% of time):

Understanding the macro-economic environment and key industry trends is crucial for this role. This includes analyzing demand evolution assumptions and how they impact the business.
The Business Controller needs to understand internal cost factors and how they affect segment profitability, linking these to top-line performance to create a realistic financial plan.
They are responsible for developing robust assumptions to drive various planning models, ensuring that management targets are accurately translated into financial plans.
Running P&L simulations and sensitivity analyses is part of the role to identify potential deviations or unfavorable impacts that need to be addressed.
The Business Controller will interpret and communicate key business drivers behind financial numbers to quantify risks and opportunities.
They play a key role in designing and coordinating various planning activities and processes, including forecasts, budgeting, and mid-term planning.

People, Process & Systems Enhancement (20% of time):

The role requires the Business Controller to embrace and promote the company values and mindset, working closely with team members and other business areas to create synergies.
They will contribute to the implementation of new systems, report redesigns, and process improvements in collaboration with internal stakeholders.
The Business Controller is expected to continuously seek and propose new ideas for potential improvements to enhance overall efficiency and effectiveness.

Qualifications and Skills Required:

Education: A Master’s degree in Accounting & Controlling, Business Administration, or Engineering is preferred.
Experience: The ideal candidate should have 6-8 years of progressively responsible experience in accounting, controlling, and analysis. Experience in a sales division of a large multinational company, particularly with exposure to planning, manufacturing, and logistics, is highly desirable. Experience in manufacturing cost accounting and procurement is a plus.
Technical Skills: Advanced knowledge of financial systems and processes, particularly SAP and Business Intelligence (BI) tools. Strong proficiency in MS Office, especially Excel for financial modeling.
Personal Attributes: The role requires a candidate who is financially minded but also has a strong business and commercial orientation. They should be proactive, pragmatic, and creative, with a focus on external factors and future-oriented thinking. The ability to work under pressure in a time-sensitive environment is crucial.
Language: Fluency in English is required.
Interpersonal Skills: The ability to integrate into a complex matrix organization and work collaboratively with cross-functional teams is essential. Strong communication skills are necessary for interacting with senior management and other stakeholders.

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