Industrial Finance Manager

Job Title:

Industrial Finance Manager - Burton and Crumlin

Location:

Burton-on-Trent , United Kingdom Reporting to:
Make Network Finance Lead Earlier this year, Unilever announced an agreement to combine its Foods business with McCormick & Company, creating a scaled global flavour powerhouse. The proposed combination would bring together iconic Foods brands, including Hellmann’s and Knorr, with McCormick’s portfolio to create a global leader across spices, seasonings, condiments and complementary food categories, supported by strong retail and food service platforms.

McCormick brings more than 135 years of heritage, a presence in 150+ countries and territories, and a portfolio of trusted brands. The transaction remains subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions, with completion estimated for mid-2027. Burton and Crumlin are two important Unilever Foods sourcing units in the UK, with complementary portfolios and distinct operational priorities & delivering a combined turnover of €320m.

Burton is a UK Condiments and Marmite site, producing products across brands including Hellmann's, Marmite, Bovril and Colman's. Crumlin is the UK Pot Noodle site and has an important role in the Mini Meals portfolio. Together, the sites represent a broad and dynamic finance scope, with ongoing focus on operational performance, cost competitiveness, investment delivery, controls and transformation.

Main purpose of the job:
The Burton and Crumlin Industrial Finance Manager position is a great opportunity to further develop in three crucial parts of any finance leadership position:
Business partnering, controlling and FP&A. As finance manager for two factories, you are part of both the Burton and Crumlin leadership teams, supporting and contributing to the decision-making process across the two sites. The role requires the ability to balance priorities across two different operations, build strong relationships with both site teams and provide a joined-up financial view where relevant.

You are taking active part in shaping the future of both sites, not only as a finance expert but also as an LT member responsible for quality of products, safety and wellbeing of employees and the factories’ CSR agenda. You provide decision making support to both LTs, prepare the financial appraisal for investments and drive the savings agenda across Burton and Crumlin.

The finance manager is also accountable for keeping compliance of both sites to the Unilever control framework and audit requirements. The role is part of a European team of Industrial Finance Business Partners and reports into the Foods Network lead for Europe. On main accounting, controlling and reporting tasks the FM is supported by the site finance resources, a make expertise team (MET) and shared services teams (SCFS, OC, IBM).

• Business partnering both Factory Leadership Teams to drive site performance
• Responsible for projects governance and delivery of in-year financial performance (costs/capex/waste/savings) across Burton and Crumlin
• Responsible to ensure site on-ground controls are executed at both sites (inventories, purchase process, IFRS 16, balance sheet etc)
• Co-creates and co-drives the savings agenda with operations across both sites and uses available industrial tools to support (ZBB, benchmarking)
• Budget Planning, Forecasting, weekly cost governance & Month End Activities for Burton and Crumlin
• Drives long term strategic planning for both sites (Masterplan and BP) guiding the site leadership teams on the key value items
• Supports decision making for strategic and cross-site projects with ad hoc data/analysis
• Supports in the design and implementation of transformation plans for the Foods network
• Pa…