Cocoa FP&A Analyst # 26-14216

Duration: 18 months contract Job Description:

• The Cocoa FP&A Analyst supports the cocoa procurement organization by providing accurate financial analysis, reporting, and forecasting related to cocoa raw materials. This role acts as a key bridge between Procurement, Finance, Supply Chain, and Accounting, ensuring transparency and financial integrity across cocoa contracts, pricing, hedging, and inventory flows.
• The analyst plays a critical role in understanding how cocoa physical contracts, futures hedging, and operational execution translate into financial results, including P&L, PPV, inventory valuation, and accruals.

Main Duties: Financial Analysis & Reporting

• Analyze cocoa raw material costs, including futures, differentials, premiums, freight, sustainability premiums, and other cost components.
• Prepare and explain cocoa PPV, purchase price evolution, and cost variances versus forecast, budget, and standard cost.
• Support monthly close activities related to cocoa, including accruals, and reconciliations.

Forecasting & Planning

• Support short and mid-term cocoa cost forecasts.
• Maintain and update cocoa forecast assumptions.
• Assist in standard cost setting and annual planning processes for cocoa raw materials.

Systems, Data & Controls

• Work with data from systems such as S/4, iRely, and reporting tools to ensure data accuracy and consistency.
• Support SOX and internal control activities, including documentation, reconciliations, and audit requests related to cocoa.
• Identify data gaps or process inefficiencies and support continuous improvement initiatives.

Cross Functional Collaboration

• Act as a finance partner to Cocoa Procurement, Supply Chain, and Accounting teams.
• Support ad hoc analysis and management requests related to cocoa costs, contracts, and performance drivers.
• Contribute to process harmonization and standardization initiatives across regions.

Typical Day:

• Support ad hoc analyses and project work based on business requests
• Improve reporting
• Lead monthly forecast updates in preparation for recurring management and executive review meetings
• Analyze monthly figures in S/4 to enable Actual vs. Forecast PPV analysis

Top Three Technical Skills:

• Solid Excel and financial modeling skills
• Experience with SAP S/4 (required) and commodity systems (preferred)
• Experience with Power BI

Must Haves (i.e., years of experience?):

• Based on the skills outlined above, a strong FP&A analyst would typically have a minimum of around five years of relevant experience.

Industry Experience:

• Experience in the food manufacturing industry, ideally within Procurement, would be highly desirable.
• Experience working with commodities would be an additional advantage.
• Direct experience with cocoa would be a strong plus.

What do you foresee as being the biggest challenge in this position?

• The individual must enjoy investigating issues, identifying root causes, and driving solutions.
• Given the current reporting gaps at HSY, the role will require the ability to build ad‑hoc or standalone reports independently and, where appropriate, push for scalable reporting solutions to be developed by IT—with my support.

About US Tech Solutions: US Tech Solutions is a global staff augmentation firm providing a wide range of talent on-demand and total workforce solutions. To know more about US Tech Solutions, please visit www.ustechsolutions.com. US Tech Solutions is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. AI Statement: By applying, you acknowledge that AI-assisted tools may be used during hiring. IND01