Silicas Finance Manager

Job Description
The Silicas Finance Business Manager provides analytical business support and financial support to the Silica Business segment of PQ Corporation. The Silica Finance Business Manager will work closely with the Silica General Manager and will provide insights and recommendations, which will help drive improvements in Operations, Sales, and the overall profitability of the Silica Business segment. Together with the Finance Manager's team, this role is responsible for providing insight and analysis into the financial results of the Global Silica segment, including North America, Brazil, UK and Indonesia plants. This makes for a diverse and challenging role. The Silicas Finance Business Manager will report to the PQ Corporation CFO.
More specific responsibilities include:

• Lead, develop and manage an efficient and effective Silica Finance organization to ensure they make a full contribution to the company's objectives.
• Support the completion of the month end, quarterly and annual close processes, ensuring the close is completed timely and producing the related reporting packs, investigating, and explaining variances, and taking corrective actions.
• Lead the annual budget process for the Silica Business segment, which entails meeting strict deadlines, reviewing product costing, and understanding and justifying variances compared to prior year and budget.
• Provide financial input to the sales and operations forecasting through the IBM process and lead the IRR stage to combine business assumptions to a financial view.
• Lead the process of calculating the cost of regional product movements to assist in decision making.
• Lead the process of calculating sales prices for main customers with cost pass-through contracts.
• Responsibility for working capital for Silica business segment, including producing forecasts, understanding variances and taking action if required.
• Provide financial analysis and advice to the Silica business team including producing financial justifications for large investment decisions and creating pricing models for customers.
• Promote financial best practices and efficiency in processes; continuously identify and implement opportunities to improve.
• Ensure that an effective control environment is maintained through compliance with both internal and external standards.
• Support the quarterly and annual audit process through the provision of audit schedules and analysis of results, inventory, costs, customer trends or other key business factors.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS
In addition to the necessary skills and experience to perform the responsibilities outlined above, there are several traits that a successful candidate will possess.
Technical
The Silicas Finance Business Manager will be an accomplished finance professional with proven finance skills, solid business acumen and an ability to adequately manage their time to ensure all work is completed in a timely manner. Additionally, the candidate will possess:

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, Finance, or a related field
• MBA desirable
• Experience in global teams
• Minimum 7-10 years' experience with increasing responsibilities in business/financial support roles in a manufacturing environment
• Experience with financial accounting software; SAP strongly preferred.
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills

Personality and Cultural Success Factors
The Silicas Finance Business Manager must also possess the following traits:

• Ability to work independently, prioritize and attain deliverables.
• Demonstrated leadership capability.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and ability to work well with the Corporate Finance team.
• Ability to interact effectively with all levels of personnel and focus on internal "customer" satisfaction.
• Strong aptitude for process improvements required.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and take initiative in resolving problems and making recommendations.
• Must be highly disciplined, results-oriented, and self-motivated.
• Strong organizational skills. Ability to organize complex projects, manage multiple tasks, and meet established deadlines.
• Detail oriented
• Highest level of integrity

Additional Information
PQ Corporation is a leading global provider of performance chemicals that touch almost every aspect of daily life. Our customers use our products in Consumer Products, Cleaning Products, Detergents, Construction, Green tires, Coatings, Toothpaste and Food Beverages.
We support customers globally through our strategically located network of manufacturing facilities. We believe that our products, which are predominantly inorganic, contribute to improving the sustainability of the environment.
We serve over 900 customers globally, across many end users and operate over 30 manufacturing facilities which are strategically located in Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa, and North America.