Financial Analyst, Food & Industrial Ingredients US/Canada

About Ingredion: Join Ingredion, where innovation impacts lives worldwide! Without even realizing it, you’ve experienced our work in your favorite chocolate, your pet’s food, the paper you write on, and your everyday snacks. As a global powerhouse across more than 60 industries, we harness the potential of natural ingredients to transform lives. Whether you’re just starting your career or bringing years of experience, there's a place for you here to make a real difference. Be part of our team that values a wide range of perspectives and is committed to shaping a better world with every product we create. Location: Westchester, Illinois Workplace Type: Hybrid As a Financial Analyst, Food & Industrial Ingredients US/CAN you will be responsible for supporting and continuously improving the F&II US/Canada financial planning, forecasting, and budgeting processes and assisting the development of business and financial strategies as well as analysis of operating results.  The individual will also be responsible for assisting in the development of the operating expense budget for the segment and supporting the segment’s annual capital expenditure deployment program to ensure overall profitability and sustainability.  This role reports to the Director, Finance Food & Industrial Ingredients US/CAN. What you will do: Operating Expenses o   Prepare operating expense budgets and financial reporting for all business functions within the F&II US/Canada segment including Commercial, Supply Chain, Marketing, and Manufacturing groups. o   Ensure overall SG&A plan alignment with profit growth outlook. o   Drive an owner’s mindset, bring discipline around SG&A spending and ensure external commitments are upheld. o   Provide headcount oversight/control. o   Develop collaborative and influential relationships with the F&II US/Canada Leadership Team and key leaders within Operations, Commercial, and other functions. o   Assist in development, execution, and launch of new US/Can local service fee process to distribute costs across business segments and properly reflect cost to serve. Capital Planning o  Review and develop capital expenditure recommendations by ensuring sound business justification, validating assumptions, understanding and developing discounted cash flow models, interacting with all stakeholders, and summarizing relevant data meaningfully.   o  Facilitate execution of capital allocation by aiding in forecasting, reporting actual spending monthly, tracking individual project progression, ensuring timely approval of projects and completing post completion reviews on all capital projects in a timely manner.    o  Assist and guide stakeholders in capital software understanding, input and approvals.  o  Facilitate execution of 5-year Capital Strategic plan by assisting with target setting, project prioritization, and reporting.  Financial Planning and Analysis o   Assist in preparation of all monthly and quarterly comprehensive financial reports, including segment income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements. o   Conduct thorough analyses of financial performance, highlighting key drivers and areas for improvement; investigate and explain deviations from budgeted, forecasted, and prior period figures. o   Collaborate with department heads to understand underlying causes and propose corrective actions. o   Engage in regular business reviews with executives, offering actionable recommendations. o   Ensure timely and accurate reporting to internal and external stakeholders. Budgeting/Forecasting o   Support the annual F&II US/Canada budgeting (Goal) process and the periodic forecast updates during the calendar year, by working cross-functionally with all stakeholders (Commercial, Operations, etc.) to establish annual financial goals and properly identify risks and opportunities.  o   Begin process of moving the segment to a rolling forecast process to improve timeliness and accuracy of financial forecasts. Continuous Improvement o   Execute special projects that focus on process improvements advancing an owner’s mindset and cost reduction at all levels across the segment. o   Create value by implementing action plans to enhance profit margins across the business. o   Collaborate with cross-functional teams to address specific business challenges. o   Present findings and recommendations to senior management. o   Proactively identify opportunities for process enhancement and efficiency gains. o   Provide support for ad-hoc financial projects and analysis along with financial presentations for F&II US/Canada and Ingredion leaders. Human Resources o   Ensure professional development to advance individual performance, organizational capability, succession planning, and recognition. What you will bring: ·       Strong relationship building, influencing and communication skills. ·       Bachelor’s degree required with emphasis in Finance or Accounting. CPA or MBA preferred. ·       0-3 years of experience in financial analysis, reporting, forecasting, accounting, or auditing. ·       Strong written, verbal communication and presentation skills; must be able to convey information to all levels of the organization in a clear, focused, and concise manner. ·       Must be able to analyze financial results and assess impacts of business decisions. ·       Must have a working knowledge of income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statements. ·       Strong knowledge and demonstrated experience with Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint ·       Strong understanding of GAAP and financial reporting standards. ·       Limited travel required. Who you are: ·       Experience planning, coordinating multiple projects simultaneously.  ·       Embraces change and open to new ideas and approaches. Why Join Ingredion?  Discover why Ingredion is the ideal place to advance your career with our exceptional rewards and benefits package desi