Senior Associate Commercial Finance (Wholesale)
SPEED & SPIRIT is what we look for in our candidates, defined by some simple values that inspire us to BE DRIVEN in our performance, BE VIBRANT in our sporting legacy, BE TOGETHER in our team spirit, and BE YOU to let our individual talent and experience shine. Applying for a job at PUMA is easy. Simply click APPLY ONLINE and follow the steps to upload your application.
Your mission
Position Summary: To manage a business unit for PUMA India and work closely with the Business Head to achieve KPIs for the business unit
- P&L and working capital management
- Business Partnering
- Control, compliance, process automation
- Strategy for future growth
Key Objectives:
Business Performance & P&L Management
- Own and manage the complete Profit & Loss (P&L) for the assigned business unit.
- Partner closely with Business Heads and Sales teams to drive achievement of revenue, margin, and EBIT targets.
- Monitor business performance through regular financial reviews and provide actionable insights to improve profitability.
- Identify risks and opportunities impacting financial performance and proactively recommend corrective actions.
Financial Planning & Analysis
- Lead annual budgeting, periodic forecasting, and long-range planning processes for the business unit.
- Conduct variance analysis against budgets and forecasts, highlighting key business drivers and recommending interventions.
- Support strategic decision-making through financial modelling, scenario analysis, and business case evaluations.
Working Capital & Receivables Management
- Drive working capital optimization with a strong focus on Accounts Receivable and Days Sales Outstanding (DSO).
- Collaborate with Sales and Customers to ensure timely collection of receivables and resolution of payment-related issues.
- Monitor credit exposure and escalate risks impacting cash flow and collections.
Customer Reconciliation & Commercial Governance
- Partner with reconciliation teams to ensure timely closure of customer reconciliation issues.
- Engage directly with customers to resolve complex finance-related disputes, deductions, and outstanding issues.
- Ensure accurate accounting and commercial compliance across customer transactions.
Business Partnering & Strategic Support
- Support Business Heads on strategic initiatives, growth opportunities, pricing decisions, customer negotiations, and profitability improvement projects.
- Provide financial insights and recommendations to enhance operational and commercial effectiveness.
- Act as the primary finance contact for business teams and customers on finance-related matters.
Controls, Compliance & Risk Management
- Work closely with Internal Audit, Loss Prevention, and Control teams to strengthen financial governance and minimize leakages.
- Ensure compliance with accounting policies, internal controls, statutory requirements, and company SOPs.
- Drive process improvements, automation initiatives, and standardization of finance processes.
Performance Reporting & Management Review
- Develop, track, and review business KPIs on a daily and periodic basis.
- Proactively identify and escalate potential risks or performance gaps.
- Prepare and present business reviews, financial performance reports, and management dashboards to senior leadership.
Key Performance Indicators:
- Achievement of Sales, Gross Margin, and EBIT targets
- Working Capital performance and DSO management
- Account Receivable ageing and collection efficiency
- Timely closure of customer reconciliations and dispute resolution
- Forecast and budget accuracy
- Reduction in commercial leakages and control gaps
- Process improvement and automation outcomes
Organizational relationships:
Internal:
- CFO & Finance Leadership
- Business Heads
- Sales Teams
- Supply Chain & Planning
- Operations & Warehouse Teams
- Legal Team
- Merchandising Team
- Internal Audit & Loss Prevention Teams
External:
- Key Customers
- Channel Partners and Distributors (where applicable)
Your talent
Eligibility Criteria And Functional Competencies Required:
- Chartered accountant with 1-2 years of experience
- Similar experience in Business finance and commercial role
- Self-motivated, Great people skills to manage and work with internal and external stakeholders
- Ability to think innovatively and provide quick solutions to business problems
- Ability to bring changes to current processes through robust SOP’s and automations
- Good managerial skills and ability to lead a team
- Good understanding of accounting standards and GST
- Excellent working knowledge of excel is a must
- Ability to handle and comprehend huge data
- Experience in retail industry and working knowledge of SAP would be an advantage
- Open to domestic travel and ability to close issues with the customer independently
Technical Skills Required
- Advanced Microsoft Excel and financial analytics
- Ability to analyse and interpret large data sets
- Experience with SAP preferred
- Knowledge of automation (SQL, Python, AI tools) and reporting solutions is an added advantage
Our principles
PUMA provides equal opportunities for all job applicants, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, or disability. Equality for all is one of the core principles at PUMA and we do not tolerate any form of harassment or discrimination.
At PUMA, every application is reviewed by real people who are committed to fairness, transparency, and equal opportunity - no matter your background, identity, or experience. To ensure our process stays true to these values, no automated systems or AI tools are used to make hiring decisions. Every decision is made by real people -with real judgment and accountability. We may use functions supported by Artificial Intelligence (AI) to carry out isolated organizational steps, such as scheduling interviews. These functions have no influence on decisions in the application process. We believe in creating spaces where everyone is welcome, celebrated, and empowered to contribute authentically. Because at PUMA, whoever wants to play, can play.
PUMA is a global sports brand creating footwear, apparel, and accessories that inspire athletes and everyday movers. The PUMA Group owns PUMA, Cobra Golf, and stichd, operates in 120+ countries, and has around 22,000 employees worldwide.