Manager, Commercial Finance

Simple Mills • Chicago, IL

2d • $105,000 - $120,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

Simple Mills is on a mission to transform the way food is made, creating nourishing products with astounding ingredients and amazing taste. Founded in 2012 by Katlin Smith, our brand has redefined center-aisle grocery by delivering better-for-you products made with unique, nutrient-dense ingredients. Today, we’re a category leader and the #1 natural brand in multiple segments, with distribution in over 30,000 stores nationwide. Now, as part of Flowers Foods , we’re entering an exciting new phase of growth—expanding our reach, accelerating innovation, and amplifying brand awareness, all while preserving the integrity of what makes Simple Mills special. Our commitment to using simple, high-quality ingredients ensures that every bite is both delicious and nutritious. Whether it’s watermelon seed flour in our cookies or butternut squash in our crackers, we craft our products with innovative, wholesome ingredients that deliver extraordinary taste. Our work has been recognized by Fast Company as a Brand That Matters and a Most Innovative Company , and has been featured in Vogue, Forbes, Women’s Health , and NPR’s How I Built This . In 2024, Inc. named us one of its Best Workplaces , reflecting our dedication to fostering an inspiring and inclusive environment where passionate individuals can make a difference. Join us as we shape the future of food. Learn more at www.simplemills.com . The Manager of Commercial Finance will play a key role in supporting profitable growth for Simple Mills by partnering closely with Sales, Marketing, and Operations to deliver high-quality financial insights and commercial analytics. This role will support revenue planning, trade and promotional analysis, pricing evaluation, and ongoing tracking of commercial performance across customers and channels. Reporting to the Senior Director, Commercial Finance, this role will help translate commercial strategy into financial analysis that informs planning, forecasting, and decision-making. The Manager will contribute to improving tools, processes, and financial rigor across the business while operating as a strong thought partner to cross-functional teams. This is a hands-on role that requires strong analytical capability, clear communication, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, Economics, Analytics, or a related field required.
• 4–7 years of experience in Commercial Finance, FP&A, or analytics-focused finance roles.
• Experience in the Consumer-Packaged Goods (CPG) industry required.
• Experience supporting commercial teams through forecasting, trade or promotional analysis, and pricing work.
• Experience supporting AOP, reforecasting, and planning processes.
• Advanced Excel skills, including financial modeling and scenario analysis.
• Experience with Business Intelligence tools (e.g., Power BI).
• Familiarity with syndicated data sources (e.g., Circana, Nielsen, SPINS).
• Working knowledge of Net Revenue Management (pricing, promotion, mix, trade investment).
• Clear communicator who can translate analysis into actionable insights.
• Comfortable working in a dynamic, evolving environment with ambiguity.
• A personal connection to the Simple Mills mission and a fervent desire to improve the food system to help people and the planet thrive.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with Trade Promotion Management systems a plus.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to connect financial outcomes to business drivers.

Responsibilities

• Own commercial forecasting for assigned accounts and/or channels, including volume, net sales, trade spend, and key revenue drivers, in partnership with Sales and Marketing.
• Support consolidation and review of customer- and channel-level forecasts, helping identify key risks and opportunities.
• Partner cross-functionally to translate commercial plans into financial forecasts and performance insights.
• Support the Annual Operating Plan (AOP), Long-Range Planning (LRP), and reforecast cycles through development of assumptions, analyses, and scenario modeling.
• Prepare Net Sales and commercial performance reporting, including KPIs, variance analysis, and clear commentary.
• Develop actionable insights on performance drivers, risks, and opportunities, with recommendations to support decision-making.
• Communicate findings clearly to cross-functional partners, tailoring analysis to the audience and business context.
• Execute ad-hoc financial and strategic analyses to support customer strategies, pricing initiatives, and other commercial priorities.
• Analyze trade and promotional performance, including pre-event scenario modeling and post-event analysis.
• Deliver analytics across pricing, promotion, mix, and trade investment to support net revenue optimization.
• Support pricing analysis, including list price and price-pack architecture scenario modeling.
• Manage day-to-day tracking of trade and commercial budgets, monitoring spend versus plan and explaining variances.
• Support maintenance and improvement of Commercial Finance tools, systems, and reporting processes, including Trade Promotion Management systems.
• Manage and develop junior team members, fostering strong financial acumen and stewardship across the team.
• Act as a strong financial partner to Sales and Marketing teams, building trust through accuracy, insight, and responsiveness.
• Performs other projects as assigned

Benefits

• Competitive Compensation: This role offers a salary range of $105,000 to $120,000
• Annual Bonus Opportunity: Eligible for an annual bonus as part of our commitment to recognizing team contributions and company success.
• Holistic Benefits: A variety of health, financial, and wellness programs to help you feel your best and plan for the future.
• Time to Recharge: We believe your best work comes when you have space to rest, refocus, and show up fully—our time off approach is built with that in mind.
• Everyday Well-Being: From lifestyle perks to innovation shipments, we find meaningful ways to support you in living simply and feeling well.

What This Job Offers

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