Key Skills

Job Description

Are you passionate about commercial finance and business partnering? Do you thrive when working closely with sales and marketing teams to drive business performance and influence key decisions? Join us as our new Senior Commercial Finance Business Partner, Utrecht Join Arla's Commercial Finance team supporting Benelux & France and become the finance partner for our Netherlands Retail business, the largest and most strategically important market within the cluster. In this role, you will help shape commercial decisions, challenge the business to unlock growth opportunities, and ensure we continue to deliver strong financial performance in a highly dynamic FMCG environment. As Arla Foods and DMK come together, the role will also contribute to identifying and supporting commercial value-creation opportunities arising from the integration. About the role As Senior Commercial Finance Business Partner for Netherlands Retail, you will be part of the Sales Leadership Team and act as their trusted advisor, as well as support the key account organization. You will combine strategic thinking with hands-on financial management, providing insights and recommendations that drive profitable and sustainable growth. This role offers a broad scope across customer profitability, pricing, promotions, investments, forecasting, and business planning. You will work closely with stakeholders across Sales, Marketing, Category Management, Supply Chain, and Finance, making finance an integral part of commercial decision-making. Key responsibilities Reporting to the Finance Director for Netherlands, Belgium, and France, your responsibilities will include: Acting as the primary finance partner for the Netherlands Retail business; Driving performance management and supporting decision-making with clear financial insights; Leading forecasting, budgeting, and long-term planning for the retail channel; Challenging and supporting commercial teams on pricing, promotions, trade investments, and customer profitability; Identifying risks and opportunities and translating them into actionable business plans; Supporting key customer negotiations, annual agreements, and major commercial initiatives; Delivering business cases and financial evaluations to support strategic decision-making; Leading monthly performance reviews with stakeholders and ensuring clear follow-up on actions; Driving continuous improvements in reporting, analytics, and financial processes; Collaborating closely with the wider commercial finance team to share best practices and strengthen business performance. Who we are looking for You are an experienced commercial finance professional with strong business judgement and the ability to drive impact. You combine analytical depth with a pragmatic focus on decisions and results, and you are comfortable balancing challenge with collaboration. Furthermore, you have: A Master’s degree in Finance, Economics, Business Administration or a related field; At least 7 years of relevant experience in Commercial Finance, FP&A, Strategy, Corporate Finance or Business Partnering. Experience from FMCG or another fast-paced consumer environment is preferred; Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders, challenge constructively and act as a trusted advisor; Strong experience in profitability, pricing, forecasting, planning, customer negotiations, scenario modelling and business cases; Ability to turn complex analysis into concise narratives, clear recommendations and practical actions; A proactive and forward-looking mindset, with strong prioritization skills and the confidence to take a position and say no when needed; Strong collaboration, communication and relationship-building skills, combined with resilience, integrity and sound judgement; Advanced Excel and PowerPoint skills. Experience with SAP, BW, Power BI or similar analytics tools is an advantage; Fluent English. Dutch language capability and knowledge of the Dutch retail market are advantages. What we offer You will join an ambitious and collaborative Finance team with broad exposure to commercial leadership. The role offers significant autonomy and visibility, with the opportunity to shape important decisions, raise the standard of business partnering and make a tangible contribution to growth and profitability in one of Arla’s key growth regions. Application and Contact Ready to take ownership of a broad and impactful role in a dynamic commercial environment? We'd love to hear from you. Please apply by October 9, 2026. For more information, contact Dirkjan Boels at +31 6 50506603.

Core Responsibilities

The Senior Commercial Finance Business Partner will act as a trusted advisor to the Sales Leadership Team, driving financial performance and strategic decision-making for the Netherlands Retail business. Responsibilities include leading forecasting and budgeting, managing trade investments, and identifying commercial value-creation opportunities.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Master’s degree in Finance, Economics, or Business Administration and possess at least 7 years of relevant experience in commercial finance or FP&A. Strong analytical skills, the ability to influence senior stakeholders, and proficiency in English are essential requirements.