Finance Business Partner

Rotterdam | Finance Business Partner (Manufacturing & Supply Chain)

Travel:
Up to 2 days per week to manufacturing sites (approximately 40 minutes from Rotterdam) and one visit every two weeks to a second plant located approximately 1.5 hours north of Rotterdam.

About the RoleWe are seeking an experienced
Finance Business Partner
to act as the primary financial advisor to a key business division, partnering closely with the Division CEO and senior operational leadership team.This is a highly visible role at the intersection of
finance, manufacturing, supply chain, and operations, requiring an individual who can translate complex business performance into clear financial insights and actionable recommendations. The successful candidate will take ownership of understanding and explaining the division's full Profit & Loss performance while providing commercial and operational challenge to senior stakeholders.A strong background in
Supply Chain Finance, Manufacturing Finance, Operations Finance, or Plant Finance within a production environment
is essential. This role requires someone who understands how operational decisions impact financial performance and who is comfortable challenging and influencing leaders across the business.

Key ResponsibilitiesBusiness Partnering & Stakeholder Management

• Serve as the lead Finance Business Partner for the division and the primary financial advisor to the Division CEO and leadership team.
• Build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders across Operations, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Commercial, and Corporate Finance functions.
• Provide financial insight and challenge to support strategic and operational decision-making.
• Influence business decisions by balancing service levels, production efficiency, lead times, complexity, and cost.

Financial Performance & P&L Ownership

• Own the understanding, analysis, and explanation of the division's full P&L.
• Identify key drivers of financial performance and recommend actions to improve results.
• Analyse and explain variances in revenue, margins, manufacturing costs, and operational performance.
• Improve visibility of cost of sales, profitability, and plant performance across business units.
• Translate operational performance indicators into meaningful financial outcomes.

FP&A, Forecasting & Reporting

• Lead and support budgeting, forecasting, performance reporting, and financial planning activities.
• Partner with Group FP&A and Controllership teams to ensure accurate forecasting and reporting.
• Deliver meaningful financial analysis that supports strategic planning and business growth.
• Monitor financial performance and proactively identify risks and opportunities.

Operational & Manufacturing Finance

• Work closely with manufacturing and supply chain teams to understand plant economics and operational performance.
• Evaluate production efficiency, cost structures, inventory impacts, and margin drivers.
• Identify and quantify cost savings, productivity improvements, synergies, and process optimisation opportunities.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives through robust financial analysis and business cases.

Candidate ProfileThe ideal candidate combines strong commercial acumen with deep operational finance expertise gained within a manufacturing or production-led environment.Essential Experience

• Significant experience in
  Finance Business Partnering, FP&A, Operations Finance, Supply Chain Finance, Manufacturing Finance, or Controlling.
• Proven experience supporting manufacturing, industrial, engineering, production, FMCG, chemicals, food, packaging, or other asset-intensive businesses.
• Strong understanding of
  supply chain, plant operations, manufacturing cost structures, and operational performance drivers.
• Experience owning or supporting a complex P&L and explaining financial performance to senior stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience in forecasting, budgeting, variance analysis, and management reporting.
• Track record of influencing business decisions through data-driven financial insights.

Stakeholder Management

• Comfortable operating in a highly visible environment and engaging directly with senior leadership.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to challenge and influence stakeholders constructively.
• Capable of translating complex financial information into clear business recommendations.

Matrix Organisation Experience

• Previous experience working within a
  matrix organisation
  is strongly preferred.
• Comfortable collaborating across multiple functions, business units, and corporate finance teams, including FP&A, Treasury, Tax, and Controllership.

Location & Eligibility

• Currently living in the Netherlands.
• Holds a
  Dutch passport, EU passport, or unrestricted right to work in the Netherlands.
• Willing and able to travel regularly to manufacturing sites as part of the role.

What Success Looks LikeThis is not a role for someone who simply reports numbers. We are looking for a finance professional who can explain:

• Why performance changed
• What operational factors drove the outcome
• What actions should be taken next
• How financial and operational performance can be improved

The successful candidate will be a trusted partner to leadership, bringing together finance, operations, and strategy to drive better business decisions and stronger financial performance.
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