Financial Planning and Analysis Manager

Overview

Americana Restaurants is seeking a commercially astute and analytically adept Manager to spearhead the Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) and Business Partnering functions focused on Indirect Costs and IT expenditures across all its brands and geographic markets. The role is responsible for managing the full budgeting, forecasting, reporting, and cost control lifecycle for indirect and IT costs. The successful candidate will lead a small team of analysts and serve as the primary finance liaison to the IT, Digital, Corporate, and support departments, tasked with enhancing visibility, enforcing governance, driving automation, and optimizing costs in a dynamic, multi-brand, cross-border environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee the comprehensive budgeting, forecasting, and long-term planning for indirect expenses including utilities, maintenance, operating supplies, smallwares, travel, licenses, and insurance, alongside IT spend across all brands and markets.
• Champion the adoption of zero-based budgeting (ZBB) principles across indirect spend categories to meet budgeted cost-to-sales ratios and absolute spending targets.
• Develop and analyze monthly and quarterly management reports, board updates, and dashboards outlining key performance indicators, risks, and opportunities.
• Conduct detailed variance analysis comparing actuals to budget, forecast, and prior periods through rigorous general ledger review, engaging regularly with stakeholders.
• Control indirect and IT expenditures to remain within authorized budgets, ensuring timely accruals and monitoring of cost centers.
• Manage contract coverage and compliance for all indirect expenditures, maintaining supplier spend documentation and transparency.
• Evaluate Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs), contracts, and RFPs for financial and policy adherence, promoting a strict "BPM/PO-first" culture and reducing expense reporting delays.
• Support IT project governance including validation of financial aspects, returns on investment, and budget alignment in project approvals.
• Act as a trusted finance business partner to IT/Digital and corporate functions, guiding cost-effective decisions.
• Collaborate closely with IT teams (Infrastructure, Applications, Cybersecurity, Digital) to comprehend project financials and assist with post-implementation evaluations.
• Work with country and brand finance teams to ensure precise cost allocation, accruals, and consistent reporting standards.
• Provide financial insights for procurement and vendor negotiations including ROI assessments and benchmarking.
• Lead IT vendor reconciliations and resolve historical outstanding balances, reconciling vendor open items against accruals monthly.
• Standardize vendor invoice processing and approvals; establish SOPs for consistent IT invoice handling (both CAPEX and OPEX).
• Drive accrual-to-expense reconciliations covering utilities and maintenance against vendor statements of account.
• Promote automation of routine reports and analyses leveraging Power BI, Python, and planning tools to create insightful dashboards for various spend categories.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of assistant managers and analysts, nurturing future finance leaders.
• Ensure robust internal controls and strict adherence to financial policies and procedures.

Qualifications & Experience

• Professional qualifications such as CA, CPA, CIMA, or an MBA are preferred.
• Minimum of seven years' experience in FP&A, finance business partnering, or commercial finance roles, including leadership responsibilities, ideally within QSR, FMCG, retail, or multi-national operations.
• Deep understanding of indirect cost drivers, IT expenditure management, and cost control techniques.
• Proven track record collaborating with cross-functional teams in matrixed, multi-brand organizations.

Skills & Competencies

• Expert-level proficiency in Excel and financial modeling.
• Practical experience with Power BI and financial planning/consolidation platforms such as Oracle Hyperion/EPM or SAP.
• Exposure to automation tools like Python with a strong passion for digital transformation and process improvements.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills capable of influencing senior executives.
• Strong analytical abilities paired with a proactive approach and meticulous attention to detail.
• Leadership, teamwork, and stakeholder engagement skills to manage and motivate teams effectively.