Trade Spend Manager

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in United States.

📋 Description

• Management of Trade Promotion Spend

• Ensure that all customer trade promotion chargebacks are valid, authorized deductions that are accurately recorded by customer, promotion, and general ledger account in the trade promotion management (TPM) system.

• Collaborate closely with the Head of Sales Operations to facilitate promotion planning, execution, and accuracy within the TPM system.

• Act as the primary relationship manager for the TPM service provider and serve as the internal TPM superuser.

• Establish and maintain customer records, SKUs, promotions, and general ledger mappings within the TPM system.

• Upload and validate direct customer sales, distributor shipments, and consumption data into the TPM system.

• Oversee automated workflows for incoming customer remittances and chargeback documentation.

• Input and manage non-chargeback accounts payable invoices within the TPM system.

• Review, validate, and allocate customer chargebacks to the appropriate promotions while enhancing process scalability through automation, AI, and outsourced operational support.

• Trade Spend Accruals & ERP Integration

• Prepare monthly trade spend accruals by customer, promotion, and general ledger account by analyzing open promotions, planned spend, and chargeback activity within the TPM system, adhering to company accounting policies and GAAP.

• Summarize accruals by channel and general ledger account and discuss findings with the CFO, Controller, and Accounting Manager.

• Export, validate, and reconcile trade promotion spend data from the TPM system for ERP upload, ensuring financial reporting and balance sheet accuracy.

• Collaborate with Accounting to support accurate month-end close processes through detailed reconciliation and variance analysis.

• Customer Disputes & Deduction Resolution

• Work with the TPM service provider to identify, dispute, and resolve invalid customer chargebacks.

• Partner with Operations to contest logistics fines, shortages, and other operational deductions.

• Assist Finance with collections and accounts receivable follow-up related to settled disputes.

• Monitor deduction trends and root causes to enhance recovery rates and minimize future chargebacks.

• Budgeting, Audit & Financial Support

• Collaborate with the Head of Sales Operations and Financial Planning & Analysis to formulate annual and monthly trade spend budgets by customer, promotion, and general ledger account within the TPM system.

• Assist with year-end audit requests and provide relevant trade spend documentation as necessary.

• Help maintain robust financial controls, documentation, and audit readiness across trade spend processes.

• Reporting, Insights & Process Improvement

• Prepare monthly trade spend reports and variance analyses against budget and forecast.

• Provide trade spend data, analysis, and insights to external trade spend consultants.

• Support Sales leadership with TPM reporting, analysis, and performance insights.

• Collaborate across functions with Sales, Finance, and Operations to enhance the efficiency, scalability, and effectiveness of trade spend processes.

• Identify opportunities for process optimization, automation, and improved reporting capabilities across systems and workflows.

⛳️ Requirements

• Strong knowledge of trade promotion spend, customer deductions, accrual accounting, and retailer/distributor programs within a CPG environment.

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities with a keen attention to detail.

• Experience in cross-functional collaboration with Sales, Finance, Operations, and external partners.

• Capability to manage large volumes of transactional data while ensuring accuracy and organization.

• Strong communication skills with the ability to articulate financial and operational insights clearly.

• High ownership mindset coupled with a proactive, solution-oriented approach.

• Comfort in navigating ambiguity and performing effectively in a fast-paced, evolving business environment.

• Ability to pinpoint process inefficiencies and drive initiatives for continuous improvement.

• Advanced Excel and data manipulation skills; experience with ERP and TPM systems.

• Interest in utilizing automation, AI, and scalable processes to enhance operational efficiency.

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, or a related discipline.

• Over 10 years of finance and accounting experience, including 5 or more years managing trade promotion spend in a CPG food & beverage setting.

• Experience with trade promotion management (TPM) software.

• Familiarity with major food distributors and retailers (e.g., UNFI, KeHE, Amazon, Target).

• Proven track record in identifying and disputing incorrect chargebacks in customer portals.

• Experience in trade spend accrual accounting, balance sheet reconciliations, and month-end close processes.

• Advanced Excel and data manipulation capabilities.

• Experience with ERP systems (NetSuite preferred).

🏝️ Benefits

• Medical

• Dental

• Vision

• 401k

• Equity