AP Vendor Relations and Financial Sr Analyst

Ulta Beauty, Inc. • Bolingbrook, IL

1d

About The Position

Be a part of an exceptional team that leads company shrink mitigation and safety initiatives while keeping our Guests, Associates, and Communities at the center of everything they do. The face of retail is constantly changing, and this agile team is at the forefront of the latest Asset Protection technology and analytical tools that help protect company assets every day. Through operational excellence, innovation, and collaboration, the Asset Protection team is exceptional at quickly designing and implementing innovative new solutions for diverse Asset Protection challenges while simultaneously building strong partnerships across Human Resources, Stores Operations, Supply Chain, and Compliance teams. Do you enjoy investigating company profitability opportunities? Are you a proactive critical thinker who loves executing a strategic business plan? Then consider joining the Asset Protection team today!
THE IMPACT YOU CAN HAVE:
The AP Vendor Relations and Financial Analyst performs accounting and administrative work involved in the daily organization, operation, and supervision of the Asset Protection department’s accounting and budgeting systems.
This role will exercise independent judgment and discretion in planning and carrying out work processes and procedures including: preparation, submission and reporting of Asset Protection department expenses, store managed expenses, and Asset Protection managed capital expenditures, as well as rigorous budget accountability, comprehensive vendor management, invoicing, and general budgeting.
This role is critically responsible for collaborating with various Asset Protection Leaders to drive the preparation of the department’s annual budget, request capital and expense as needed throughout the year, complete timely and accurate period-end and quarterly forecasting and accruals, and manage the full vendor lifecycle, ensuring performance accountability and strategic cost efficiency.
In all we do, we strive to uphold the company’s values in which we win together, give wow experiences, improve always, do what’s right and, love what we do, champion diversity and own what we do.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or related quantitative field (finance, computer science, statistics or math) strongly preferred.
• Minimum of three or more years’ experience in high-impact accounting, business planning/operations, or financial analysis required. Prior hands-on budgeting and forecasting experience is essential.
• Must be relentlessly detail-oriented and able to follow through on complex tasks and consistently meet non-negotiable deadlines.
• Superior organizational, verbal, and written communication skills, with the ability to present financial data clearly to executive leadership.
• Proven background in compiling large data sets, creating complex queries, and developing insightful reports.
• Demonstrated history of maintaining a high level of accuracy and integrity in financial reporting.
• Advanced Proficiency in Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUPS, complex formulas) and MS Office required.
• Ability to rapidly learn and master other software programs and financial systems.
• Normal office demands

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated success with leading vendor interactions and accountability to the MSA/SOWs
• Hands-on SAP experience is a significant plus.

Responsibilities

• Financial Reporting & Strategy: Lead all monthly and quarterly financial reporting cycles, distilling complex data into clear, concise presentations for Executive Leadership within Asset Protection and Corporate Finance.
• Budget Ownership & Management: Drive the end-to-end annual budget creation process. Own ongoing budget management, variance tracking, and present strategic recommendations to mitigate financial risk and capitalize on savings opportunities. This includes holding department heads accountable for adhering to allocated budgets and keeping senior management informed on significant variances.
• Forecasting & Analysis: Develop robust monthly financial forecasts for all LP accounts, proactively identifying trends and presenting actionable insights on spending patterns to senior management.
• System Mastery & Data Integrity: Serve as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) for all relevant financial systems (e.g., SAP, Service Channel). Utilize advanced querying skills to extract, analyze, and validate data, ensuring absolute accuracy in all financial reports and reconciliations.
• Capital Expenditure (CapEx) Oversight: Rigorously track and report on all CapEx projects. Ensure strict adherence to budget and timeline constraints through proactive analysis and reporting. Manage the allocation and tracking of all capital expenditures, ensuring accountability for project spending and return on investment (ROI) analysis post-implementation.
• Liaison & Compliance: Act as the primary interface between Asset Protection leaders and corporate finance partners, enforcing strict adherence to corporate financial standards, policies, and reporting requirements.
• Accounting Close Cycle Leadership: Manage the precise and timely execution of the period, quarter, and year-end accounting close activities, including expense submission and accruals, meeting all mandatory corporate deadlines.
• Accounts Payable Resolution: Take full ownership of vendor invoice lifecycles. Aggressively reconcile vendor aging reports against SAP data to resolve overdue issues and streamline payment processes.
• Strategic Vendor Lifecycle Management: Lead the comprehensive vendor management lifecycle, from initial selection and contract negotiation to ongoing performance monitoring and relationship offboarding. Setup and manage strategic relationships with third-party AP solution providers and vendors, setting up contracts and establishing payment terms/services.
• Performance Monitoring & Accountability: Establish, monitor, and enforce rigorous Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Drive accountability for vendor performance, addressing compliance issues promptly and ensuring alignment with business objectives.
• Business Reviews & Strategy: Support high-level quarterly business reviews with vendor executives, by supplying information to the Sr Manager that focus on wins and opportunities, contributing strategic insights on vendor consolidation and cost-efficiency initiatives.
• Operational Inventory Management: Manage the comprehensive tracking of merchandise protection tool inventory levels and associated procurement spending to ensure operational readiness.
• Process Excellence: Continuously monitor and improve invoice processing and purchase order workflows, supporting timely financial closeouts and vendor payments. Oversee P2P (Procure-to-Pay) process improvements, ensuring efficiency and compliance across all vendor interactions.

Benefits

• Full-time positions are eligible for paid time off, health, dental, vision, life and disability benefits.
• Part-time positions are eligible for dental, vision, life, and disability benefits.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level