Finance Business Process Owner

Position Title: Finance Business Process Owner

Reports to: LUSA Transformation Management Office Senior Director

Location: Buffalo NY

Lactalis Heritage Dairy is currently seeking candidates to join our team in Buffalo!

Lactalis Group, the world leader in dairy, is a family-owned business with more than 85,000 pragmatic and ambitious professionals worldwide, committed to providing healthy and delicious dairy products that bring people together every day. At Lactalis, our core values of AMBITION, ENGAGEMENT, and SIMPLICITY are at the heart of everything we do.

If you're looking for a unique experience with a company that offers strong brands, professional expertise, and a dynamic work environment that champions entrepreneurial spirit, hands-on responsibility, and real opportunity for career development, we want to hear from you!

Lactalis Heritage Dairy: inviting you to share with us your STORY, your PASSION, and your EXPERTISE.

From your PASSION to ours

The Finance Business Process Owner (BPO) is a key position within LUSA Transformation Management Office, responsible for driving change and delivering value. The Finance BPO is responsible for managing and optimizing the financial processes within the SAP system. This role involves collaborating with various departments to ensure financial processes are aligned with SAP Core Model design and corporate goals. This role involves ensuring that SAP Core Model financial modules operate efficiently and effectively, aligning with business requirements and compliance standards. The SAP Finance BPO will lead process improvement initiatives, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and provide expert guidance on SAP finance functionalities.

Function Challenges: The Lactalis Group has embarked on an enterprise processes standardization strategy that requires successful implementation of the "Lactalis Integrated System" (L.I.S.) program, based on SAP Core Model and a suite of integrated applications. The successful candidate will be responsible for managing and optimizing procurement processes through SAP S/4HANA, including supporting applications. This role requires a strong understanding of procurement best practices, ERP systems, and BPO operations.

Key Stakeholders:

• Lactalis American Group Finance & Accounting team(s)
• Information System - LIS Technical Program Manager
• BPOs of other Streams in France & the US
• Roll Out manager of the different divisions in the US
• IT Teams (Internal & external service providers)

From your EXPERTISE to ours

Key responsibilities for this position include:

SAP Process Management:

• Ensure the adoption of the processes defined in the Core Model and propose continuous improvement and optimization in their business area.
• Oversee and manage end-to-end financial processes within the SAP Core Model, including modules such as FI (Financial Accounting), Treasury & Banking, and others as relevant.
• Identify opportunities for process improvements and implement changes to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
• Develop and maintain process documentation and ensure adherence to standardized procedures.

Collaboration and Communication:

• Work closely with cross-functional teams including corporate and USIT, and other business units to align LIS Core Model Financial processes with organizational objectives.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for finance-related SAP process issues and inquiries.
• Facilitate regular meetings and workshops with stakeholders to gather input and provide updates on process improvements.

System Enhancement and Integration:

• Partner with IT to evaluate and implement LIS Core Model and tools
• Ensure seamless integration of SAP with other enterprise systems.
• Monitor system performance and address any issues that impact financial processes.

Compliance and Risk Management:

• Ensure financial processes comply with regulatory requirements and internal policies.
• Identify and mitigate risks associated with financial processes.
• Conduct regular audits and assessments to ensure process integrity and accuracy.

Training and Development:

• Develop and deliver training programs for finance team members and other stakeholders on new processes and systems.
• Support continuous learning and development within the finance team to foster a culture of process improvement.

Performance Measurement:

• Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness of financial processes.
• Provide regular reports and insights to senior management on process performance and improvement initiatives.

From your STORY to ours

Qualified applicants will contribute the following:

• Bachelor's degree in financial accounting, or related field. A master's degree or relevant certification (e.g., CPA, CMA) is preferred.
• Minimum of 5-7 years of experience in finance, accounting, or a related field, with at least 3 years in a process management or improvement role.
• Strong knowledge of financial processes and systems, specifically SAP S/4HANA ERP systems.
• Mastery of Finance processes - General Accounting, Asset Management, Customer Accounting / Credit Management, Supplier Accounting, Banking & Treasury, Closing, Organizational Structures References & Inter-company
• Knowledge of FMCG processes
• Logistics processes
• Purchasing processes
• Financial Controlling
• Integration challenges of an ERP
• Proven track record of leading process improvement initiatives and managing cross-functional projects.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate with stakeholders at all levels.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and other relevant software.
• Ability to travel 50% domestically.

Lactalis Heritage Dairy 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.