Corporate Costing Manager

Nestlé Pakistan is seeking a Corporate Costing Manager to lead its corporate costing function, managing costs totaling approximately PKR 140 billion, which represents about 70% of the company’s P&L. This role is based at the Head Office in Lahore and involves overseeing a team of four professionals. The manager will work closely with Business Units, Factories, Finance, Technical, and Supply Chain teams to ensure accurate cost analysis, enhance cost governance, and provide actionable financial insights that support both strategic and operational decisions. The position plays a critical role in identifying cost optimization opportunities, improving forecasting accuracy, and maintaining the integrity of costing data and controls.

Key Responsibilities

- Lead the corporate costing strategy by establishing cost management priorities, identifying key cost drivers, and translating business objectives into effective cost control and optimization initiatives.
- Oversee costing analysis and reporting to ensure that cost data, forecasts, and financial insights are accurate, consistent, timely, and compliant with Nestlé’s standards.
- Manage the annual budgeting process and periodic forecasting related to costs, collaborating with business units, factories, and cross-functional teams to validate assumptions and align with strategic goals.
- Analyze cost trends, variances, and emerging risks, providing senior management with fact-based insights and recommendations to enhance performance and decision-making.
- Validate and monitor cost-saving initiatives, support continuous improvement projects, and develop trend analyses to identify inefficiencies and sustainable savings opportunities.
- Collaborate with the CFO, Head of Decision Support, Operations Controllers, and other key stakeholders across Finance, Technical, Supply Chain, and business units to align costing priorities and facilitate effective decision-making.
- Ensure compliance with Nestlé Costing Standards, internal policies, and controls while proactively managing risks that could impact costing accuracy or data integrity.
- Lead, coach, and develop a team of four costing professionals, fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing culture focused on accountability and continuous learning.
- Support internal and external audit processes by providing clear, well-substantiated costing information as required.

Required Qualifications

- Master’s degree in Accounting and Finance, MBA (Finance), or a professional qualification such as CA, CMA, or ACCA.
- 7 to 10 years of relevant experience in cost management, corporate costing, and financial analysis, preferably within the FMCG sector.
- Practical knowledge of manufacturing and white-collar costing standards, including budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis.
- Strong understanding of costing principles, cost drivers, cost management practices, and financial controls.
- Advanced skills in financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and reporting, with the ability to translate complex data into actionable business insights.
- Working knowledge of SAP CO modules and strong proficiency in English.
- Demonstrated strategic thinking and fact-based decision-making capabilities, with experience leading change and simplifying complex processes.
- Proven leadership skills, including coaching, providing feedback, enabling performance, and developing high-performing teams.
- Strong stakeholder management skills with the confidence to influence senior leaders and collaborate across multiple functions.
- High standards of governance, compliance, and data integrity, combined with sound judgment and accountability.
- Analytical and detail-oriented mindset, with strong problem-solving abilities to identify trends, discrepancies, and improvement opportunities.
- Adaptability and resilience to manage competing priorities and perform effectively in a dynamic business environment.
- Commitment to collaboration, inclusivity, transparency, and fostering trust, respect, and shared outcomes within the team and across departments.

This role offers an opportunity to contribute significantly to Nestlé Pakistan’s financial and operational success by driving cost efficiency and supporting strategic initiatives in a leading multinational FMCG company.