Job Opportunity: Commercial Finance Business Partner at Unilever
Location: Durban or Johannesburg, South Africa
Function: Finance
Reports to: Commercial Finance Director
Scope: Southern Africa
Employment Type: Full-time, Onsite
At Unilever, our mission is driven by purpose. We invite you to join us in shaping a better business and a better world through your impactful work.
We are seeking a Commercial Finance Business Partner to enhance performance management within our Customer Development (CD) function. This pivotal role supports effective commercial decision-making through strong financial control, insightful analysis, and close collaboration with Customer Development teams.
Key Responsibilities
Commercial Performance & Decision Support
- Facilitate decision-making for Customer Development promotions and collaborate with CD Operations on accruals.
- Ensure optimal investment levels across channels, categories, customers, and activities.
- Assess the feasibility and return on promotional plans.
- Aid in the development and execution of customer investment strategies.
Performance Management & Forecasting
- Partner with CD account teams to standardize performance management across all customers and channels.
- Support initiatives to bridge performance gaps, mitigate risks, and seize opportunities.
- Communicate and manage account targets, including growth and Trade Terms Spend (TTS).
- Forecast performance by category and customer.
- Drive the agenda for TTS savings.
Finance Controlling & Governance
- Assist in CD finance controlling processes, including accrual reviews and aged deduction management.
- Monitor, analyze, control, and forecast contractual spending.
- Analyze and present monthly financial results with actionable insights to relevant business partner teams.
Order to Cash & Risk Management
- Support debtor management and resolve overdue customer balances.
- Address key issues related to claims and aged deductions.
- Collaborate with the Order to Cash team to resolve transactional and balance sheet issues efficiently.
Insight & Continuous Improvement
- Conduct pre- and post-evaluations of promotional activities, analyzing variances between planned and actual results.
- Apply insights to enhance future promotional effectiveness.
- Provide day-to-day financial expertise to Customer Development Operations as needed.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance or Accounting.
- CIMA or CA (SA) certification is essential.
- 3-5 years of experience in Finance or Commercial Finance roles within the FMCG sector.
- Proven experience in commercial performance management, forecasting, and financial control.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate financial data into actionable business insights.
- Advanced proficiency in Excel, along with strong SAP and PowerPoint skills.
- Excellent organizational and time-management abilities.
- Demonstrated capability to collaborate cross-functionally and influence commercial stakeholders.
- Strong problem-solving skills and adaptability to dynamic business environments.
- High attention to detail with a robust governance and control mindset.
- Proven stakeholder management skills with a customer-centric, business-partnering approach.
Why Join Unilever?
- Work for one of the world’s most purpose-driven and trusted brands.
- Make a meaningful impact on business capability and performance.
- Be part of a supportive, culture-driven environment that values people and growth.
- Enjoy opportunities for regional exposure and professional development.
Unilever is committed to equity, inclusion, and diversity, driving our business results and creating a better future for our diverse employees, consumers, partners, and communities. We believe that a diverse workforce enables us to meet our growth ambitions and foster inclusion across the organization. We encourage all individuals to bring their ‘Whole Self’ to work. If you require any support or have access needs, please let us know during your application process so we can assist you throughout your recruitment journey.
