Candidates About

Sylwia Nowak

Finance Director/Senior Manager with Controller and Financial Planning & Analysis expertise in Supply Chain, Sales and Marketing areas. Chartered Accountant (Euro CPA equivalent). Excellent knowledge of US GAAP and international reporting & accounting standards (IFRS). Strong international leader with 20 years of accomplishments for some of the world’s top companies. US Resident, Green Card holder.

CORE COMPETENCIES

LONZA Biologics, London, UK / Allendale, NJ, USA                                                              2015 – 2016

World’s leader and most-trusted supplier to the pharmaceutical, biotech and specialty ingredients markets. $4 billion sales 10,000 employees.  Major facilities in the United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Brazil, Singapore, China, and the Czech Republic. Corporate reporting under IFRS and US GAAP.

Operations Controller, Management Accountant (FP&A) – UK Operation (12/2015 – 11/2016)

Directed all financial aspects of the organization in the UK, an annual budget of $80 million, and 30 separate functional departments with total combined resources of 1500 employees and contractors. Led FP&A and profitability improvement for $200 million multi-unit multi-country consolidation process, including month-end closing, management reporting, variance analysis and a $100 million capital budget. Made numerous presentations to senior executives and the Board of Directors.

Collaborated with the Board of Directors to review each project’s business case. Developed and issued global financial policies and processes to control costs. Drove value across UK and USA sister operations in reporting and processes.

·   Oversaw the P&L rolling monthly and annual forecast, annual and long range plan for all corporate functions and responsible for consolidated budget.

·   Managed month/quarter/year end close process including financial statement variance analysis, KPI reporting, productivity. Provided insight and analysis to corporate functions including variance analysis and mid-term risks and opportunities.

·   Created R&D, HR and Supply Chain scorecards / KPIs / performance measures and rolling forecasts to drive performance. Provided analysis and decision support in pricing, financial analysis for contract negotiations, cost modelling, project evaluation, batch profitability, product costing, performance measures, strategic planning and business goal development.

·   Improved reporting with focus on revenue recognition (ASC 606) and cash forecasting. Led Inventory reporting and analysis and the quarterly close and balance sheet review. Drove a first ever perfect reporting accuracy for 9 months straight. Responsibled for Gross-to-Net accounting.

·   Helped to drive productivity savings projects in collaboration with Supply Chain, Sales, R&D and Manufacturing and connected productivity reporting  to P&L actuals in the month end close analysis resulting in $5 million savings.

·   Led Product Costing: actively coordinated and analyzed annual cost movements, set targets (Materials, Labor, Machine, Utilities and Overhead rates) across the operations in collaboration with a cross-functional team. Reduced manual adjustments by 57% while improving accuracy. Eliminated material price discrepancies. Drove increased batch and product profitability by improving product costing accuracy. Led to a $3 million year on year improvement.

·   Implemented new headcount planning & reporting tools and ensured correct allocation of hours to projects.

Johnson & Johnson, UK                                                                                                                         2015

Multinational medical device, pharmaceutical and consumer packaged goods manufacturing company generating sales over $70 billion with operations in 60 countries. Corporate reporting under US GAAP.

EMEA Center of Excellence SC Regional Finance Analyst - contractor (06/2015 ­– 10/2015)

Responsible for all aspects of financial planning and analysis of Nicorette factory. Determined business risks and opportunities based on analyses of monthly financial statements. Proactively and continuously improved, streamlined, and aligned Inventory related financial processes across all 10 Europe Middle East & Africa plants inline with US GAAP regulations. Reduced Obsolescence inventory. Ensured Sarbanes Oxley compliance at subsidiaries by reviewing and testing processes and assessments, and providing guidance for improvements. Promoted best practices. 

·   Implemented a new reporting tool to ensure the accounting accuracy for inventory sections of the Trial Balance

·   Built strong effective relationships with Regional Supply Chain and 10 EMEA site cross-functional teams 

·   Provided financial expertise and support to Supply Chain leadership

DANNON/DANONE Waters and Dairy Division, Poland and United Kingdom     2013 - 2015

Multinational food Products Corporation. Sales of $26 billion, with more than half in emerging countries centered on fresh dairy, early life nutrition, water and medical nutrition.

Trade Terms Manager – Sales & Marketing Finance Manager (09/2014 ­– 02/2015)

Responsible for month/quarter/year end close process including KPI reporting. Prepared monthly financial and management reporting for Division & Corporate Management. Provided financial support and guidance to Commercial/Business Unit Teams. Led the standardization and control of trade terms. Ensured sales teams complied with promotional accrual processes and raised provisions using SAP. Developed an effective internal and external network and led a cross functional team to exceed business goals of supporting sales growth while driving positive customer relations and profitability. Led a team of 5.

·   Collected over $5 million and decreased bad debts provision by 50%

·   Eliminated price discrepancies. Improved the process for establishing new product standard pricing, coordinated across the operations in collaboration with cross-functional team to secure sales.

·   Standardized commercial financial controlling by implementing a new account review process

·   Improved customer cash forecasting and control of balance sheet positions. Implemented a deduction tracker to improve cash forecast accuracy. Consolidated order to cash departments for UK Divisions. Responsibled for Gross-to-Net accounting

·   Collaborated with partners and finance colleagues to improve SOX controls execution. Established 12 new documented and implemented company procedures. Identified and informed Financial Controller of Commercial risks & opportunities

·   Established Commercial Financial Controlling structures within Danone Shared Services. Built, developed and led a new team of 5 commercial accountants to drive key business focus areas

Senior Industrial Controller (06/2013 –09/2014)

Responsible for all aspects of financial planning and analysis, reporting and consolidation of all 4 factories of the Danone Water Division in Poland while managing a team of 4 associates across multiple sites. Determined business risks and opportunities based on analyses of monthly financial statements.
Proactively and continuously improved, streamlined, and aligned cost and manufacturing target setting and financial planning for all production sites driving the highest quality standards (accurate, complete, agreed with partners, and on time across multiple sites). Collaborated with business partners and finance colleagues to design and implement internal and external controls.

·   Improved and aligned monthly reporting process for each factory, complimented by business partners

·   Improved the CapEx process and depreciation calculation & reporting for the Operations and Supply Chain groups

·   Led Product Costing: established an improved process for new product cost coordination, actively coordinated and analyzed annual cost movements, set targets (Materials, Labor, Machine, Utilities and Overhead rates) across the operations in collaboration with cross-functional teams

·   Created one standardized approach to spare parts management to stabilize, harmonize and improve control of a high value business critical asset grouping creating significant savings/profit and cash flow benefits

·   Created and implemented new analysis tools to drive productivity savings projects cooperating with Sourcing, Marketing, R&D and Manufacturing.  Connected productivity reporting to P&L results each month end close.

AVON Poland and United Kingdom                                                                                     2008 - 2013

The fifth-largest beauty, fragrance, apparel, fashion & home products company and the second largest direct selling enterprise in the world generating annual sales over $11 billion. Corporate reporting under US GAAP.

Regional Finance Manager Manufacturing Excellence Europe/Middle East & Africa (12/2011–02/2013)

·   Led the budgeting, forecasting and financial planning process including establishing the target costs for key elements for manufacturing, product costing, saving projects, major restructuring programs and capital investments.

·   Helped drive productivity savings projects (PPV, MUV, BOM, Direct Labor, OH) cooperating with Sourcing, New Product Development, R&D and Manufacturing. Delivered $90 million annually for AVON worldwide manufacturing including USA.

·   Led Manufacturing, Planning, Forecasting and S&OP process financial support for 30-site benchmarking and best practice implementation which drove over $8 million in savings over 3 years.

·   Created and consolidated Regional Contract Manufacturing scorecard / KPIs / performance measures to drive continuous improvement and analyzed results as part of the monthly closing process.

·   Led analysis and coordinated implementation of new process solutions for regional best practice across several company-owned manufacturing sites and more than 20 third party manufacturers and led over $100 million annual capex buget.

·   Significantly improved production variance reporting and analysis (Bill of Material Variation, Material Usage Variation, Direct Labor and Other Variation) using expert accounting knowledge, ERP and Excel skills.

·   Hired, developed and led a team of 3 associates. Led a regional sub-team of 5 associates to create and implement one standardized approach to tools and format parts management in AVON to harmonize and improve asset and cash control

·   Ensured strong financial controls environment according to US GAAP

·   Evaluated project savings as part of Global Continuous Improvement Initiative (incl. USA) and established rigorous ‘waste’ / loss reporting and opportunity assessment which improved speed to market by 20% and reduced losses 15%.

Senior Finance Analyst Regional Supply Chain (03/2011 – 11/2011)

·   Provided financial and business partner support for business planning and Hyperion financial reporting

·   Analyzed Production Variation, provided insight by outlining key drivers of variances, and recommend actions for continuous improvement.  Led budgeting and continuous improvement for direct labor spend and labor recovery

·   Collaborated with partners and finance colleagues to drive Internal and external controls development and execution – achieved perfect audit record for Internal Audit reviews and SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley) controls reviews

Finance Analyst (08/2008 – 03/2011)

·   Prepared budget and forecasts and set targets and budgets for manufacturing and distribution. Led intercompany spend accounting. Led regular reporting and variance analysis for the largest consumer products operation in Europe (about 6000 active SKUs).

·   Selected as a member of US GAAP Finance and Accounting Excellence team in NYC for all Avon Poland entities.

·   Optimized reporting processes through development and implementation of tools to collect and analyze data. Significantly reduced waste, improved speed to market and product quality.

·   Responsibled for Gross-to-Net accounting. Reconciled and booked month-end adjustments for intercompany revenue recognition. Oversaw inventory in transit and provide month-end accounting and reconciliation. Controlled Credit Card expenses, delivered process improvements to improve efficiency and accuracy and provided accounting.

Prior Experience:

Senior Accountant/Deputy Chief Accountant, Pollena (Packaging Producer),  2007-2008

Cost Controller, Unilever ($68 billion Foods, Personal Care and Home Care consumer products),  2006-2007

Sales and Finance, various positions of increasing responsibility, P.A.W.  (Private Wholesale Supply), 1997-2006

EDUCATION

Master of Finance and Banking, 1999

University of LODZ – Lodz, Poland

B.A. in Management & Marketing, 1997
Management and Business College – Lodz, Poland

Chief Accountant License – Accountants Association in Poland (2008)

SKILLS / LANGUAGES

Advanced MS Office user (Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Word and Outlook), VISIO,

Hyperion, Essbase, Cognos, Oracle Financials, JD Edwards, SAP, BW, Navision, Ariba, Concur, MES, Blue Planner, TM1, Magnitude, Comarch, People Soft, HIRIS, ERP system implementation experience.

Proficient in Polish. Basic Russian.