Easter Seals Jobs

92598BR

Job Title:

Finance Director, Inventory Management - Chicago or Decatur, IL

Department/Function:

Finance, Accounting, Audit

Job Description:

Finance Director, Global Nutrition Inventory Management - Chicago or Decatur, IL.

Position Summary:

The Finance Director for Global Nutrition Inventory Management is a key role focused on driving financial excellence in inventory management across the Nutrition business. This role is responsible for enhancing visibility, optimizing reserves, identifying and mitigating risks, and ensuring alignment with supply chain, finance, and business unit goals across a global network of 180+ plants, 100+ co-manufacturing locations, 500+ warehouses. Leveraging advanced tools and data analytics, the Finance Director will implement proactive inventory strategies to support growth, efficiency, and long-term sustainability.

Job Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities include:

• Inventory Financial Management

• Lead the financial assessment of inventory, including tracking, forecasting, reserve setting, and risk identification.

• Develop and implement consistent criteria for managing slow-moving, obsolete, and excess inventory across all nutrition business units.

• Coordinate with Controlling the inventory reserve calculations and ensure alignment with controlling and accounting policies.

• Financial Leadership in Inventory Practices:

• Working with the Nutrition Supply Chain teams, transition inventory management from reactive to proactive by integrating monitoring, visibility, and risk anticipation practices.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to formalize and document inventory management guidelines and methodologies.

• Actively engage in reducing inventory losses by addressing root causes and implementing data-driven action plans.

• Data Visibility and Analytics:

• Enhance inventory visibility by expanding data collection to SKU and location levels, ensuring timely and granular insights.

• Partner with IT to implement advanced data tools (e.g., dashboards, AI/ML solutions) for real-time tracking and forecasting.

• Drive the adoption of inventory “control tower” concepts to consolidate, visualize, and standardize inventory health data.

• S&OP and Operational Alignment:

• Align inventory strategies with Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) cycles, ensuring financial insights guide demand-supply balancing.

• Support supply chain teams with scenario planning, phase-in/out strategies, and SKU rationalization to optimize inventory levels.

• Lead cross-functional collaborations to harmonize goals, reduce complexity, and enhance synchronized execution.

• Proactive Risk and Reserve Management:

• Monitor inventory health using tailored KPIs, such as Days of Inventory Outstanding (DIO) and reserve adequacy metrics.

• Facilitate early identification of inventory risks, including expirations and unhealthiness, to enable timely corrective actions.

• Drive initiatives to repurpose or dispose of excess inventory through blending, rework, or alternative strategies.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration and Leadership:

• Act as a key liaison between finance, supply chain, controlling, and business units to foster alignment and shared accountability.

• Facilitate recurring reviews with senior leadership to provide insights on inventory health, risks, and reserves.

• Mentor and upskill team members to enhance inventory management expertise across the organization.

Key Deliverables:

• Implementation of standardized inventory health criteria, aligning practices across all business units.

• Development of inventory management dashboards and tools for real-time visibility and decision-making.

• Reduction of inventory losses and reserves through proactive monitoring and targeted actions.

• Integration of financial insights into S&OP planning cycles to enhance demand-supply balance and reduce inefficiencies.

Educational and Experience Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Economics or Business Administration; MBA preferred

• 10+ years of experience in financial leadership roles, with a strong focus on inventory management, supply chain, or operational finance.

• Demonstrated expertise in inventory reserve management, slow-moving/obsolete inventory practices, and forecasting.

• Proven ability to lead data integration and analytics projects in a global, matrixed organization.

• Experience with tools such as SAP/S4, Power BI, and advanced planning systems (APS).

• Experience working in an organization with centralized services functions providing global business services or shared services activities

• Ability to work in a challenging environment with multiple, changing and competing priorities

• Results and continuous improvement oriented; ability to drive initiatives and lead changes

• Strong problem solving skills with a proactive and pragmatic approach; willingness to roll-up sleeves and make things happen; strong follow skills through and detail oriented

• Proven experience in finance integration and handling complexity

• Mobility to travel as needed

• Effective oral and written communication skills as well as ability to work with various levels of office and operational contacts; good presentation with an ability to communicate clearly

• Positive, ‘can do’ hands on attitude with good influencing and stakeholder management skills

Core Competencies:

Every position in ADM requires commitment to integrity, safety, diversity, quality and the following:

• Excellent influencing, communication and presentation skills

• Strong business acumen including financial analysis

• Project management skills, organization skills and an ability to multitask

• Comfortable working in matrix and entrepreneurial environments

• Advanced proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint

• Language - English required

Excited about this role but don’t think you meet every requirement listed? We encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this role or another one of our openings.

ADM requires the successful completion of a background check.

REF:92598BR

Req/Job ID:

92598BR

City:

Decatur

State:

IL - Illinois

Ref ID:

#LI-KK2

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About ADM

At ADM, we unlock the power of nature to provide access to nutrition worldwide. With industry-advancing innovations, a complete portfolio of ingredients and solutions to meet any taste, and a commitment to sustainability, we give customers an edge in solving the nutritional challenges of today and tomorrow. We’re a global leader in human and animal nutrition and the world’s premier agricultural origination and processing company. Our breadth, depth, insights, facilities and logistical expertise give us unparalleled capabilities to meet needs for food, beverages, health and wellness, and more. From the seed of the idea to the outcome of the solution, we enrich the quality of life the world over. Learn more at www.adm.com.

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#LI-Onsite

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#IncludingYou

Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging are cornerstones of ADM’s efforts to continue innovating, driving growth, and delivering outstanding performance. We are committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce and create welcoming, truly inclusive work environments — environments that enable every ADM colleague to feel comfortable on the job, make meaningful contributions to our success, and grow their career. We respect and value the unique backgrounds and experiences that each person can bring to ADM because we know that diversity of perspectives makes us better, together.

We are committed to ensuring all qualified applicants receive consideration for employment regardless of race, color, ethnicity, disability, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, sexual orientation, age, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

We welcome everyone to apply, especially those individuals who are underrepresented in our industry, as we strive to ensure our workforce represents the world that we help to feed: people of color, women, gender non-conforming, LGBTQIA+, veterans and persons with disabilities. For more information regarding our efforts to advance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging, please visit our website here: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion | ADM. (https://www.adm.com/en-us/culture-and-careers/diversity-equity-inclusion/)

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Benefits and Perks

Enriching the quality of life for the world begins by taking care of our colleagues. In addition to competitive pay, we support your diverse needs with a comprehensive total rewards package to enhance your well-being, including:

• Physical wellness – medical/Rx, dental, vision and on-site wellness center access or gym reimbursement (as applicable).

• Financial wellness – flexible spending accounts, health savings account, 401(k) with matching contributions and cash balance plan, discounted employee stock purchasing program, life insurance, disability, workers’ compensation, legal assistance, identity theft protection.

• Mental and social wellness – Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and Colleague Giving Programs (ADM Cares).

Additional benefits include:

• Paid time off including paid holidays.

• Adoption assistance and paid maternity and parental leave.

• Tuition assistance.

• Company-sponsored training and development resources, such as LinkedIn Learning, language training and mentoring programs.

*Benefits may vary for bargained locations, confirm benefit eligibility with your recruiter.