Group Vice President, Finance - Liquid Products North America

Overview

The Group Vice President, Finance - Liquid Products North America leads the finance and accounting functions serving as business partner and as an integral member of the cross-functional business unit management team. Additionally, this executive serves as chief liaison between the business unit and the Corporate Finance and Accounting Team.

This executive is responsible for all financial leadership elements including operations analysis, budgeting and planning, accounting, reporting, and finance organizational development. The role will involve a heavy focus on operational finance – as such this executive must be well versed with ways to improve manufacturing and supply chain activities that drive stronger performance. This Group Vice President will attract and develop the team promoting a culture of high performance, excellence, and continuous improvement that values learning and a commitment to quality. He/she will work closely with the President Liquid Products North America in the development of the business unit’s annual operating and long-term strategic plans in addition to monitoring progress. Additionally, this executive will work alongside purchasing, operations, and sales teams in monitoring commodity positions and pricing.

Responsibilities

WHAT YOU'LL DO

Develop processes and set practices to measure, understand, and monitor business unit results relative to action plans and milestones. Lead development and implementation of business unit performance measures and enhance processes that drive productivity improvements and accountability throughout the organization.

Support strategic planning, budgeting, forecasting, financial modeling, analyzing and reviewing contracts, preparing business cases and presentations, and managing the business unit’s capital expenditures.

Collaborate with Corporate Finance, Corporate IT, and Business Unit Leadership to implement, upgrade, and maintain financial policies, system tools, internal controls, accounting standards, and procedures—leveraging strong system expertise and data comfort to drive performance and compliance.

Create a high-performing finance team by hiring, retaining, and developing strong talent with a servant leadership and talent development are foundational. The role demands a proven developer of talent, and a leader committed to career progression of the team.

Champion systematic manufacturing variance analysis to identify areas requiring attention and areas for improvement and resolution. Lead the Finance Center of Excellence (COE) within Golden State Foods Integrated Work System (GIWS).

Drive operational improvements through hands-on experience in cost accounting and a deep understanding of operational financial complexities, particularly in manufacturing settings

Assist with ongoing compliance efforts and participate in financial and tax audits throughout the year.

Partner closely with finance leads across manufacturing sites and distribution center networks, acting as a cultural fit and a trusted communicator across levels.

Collaborate as needed with customer finance and supply chain teams to resolve issues and build stronger cross-functional relationships.

Earn trust, build reputational equity, and proactively nurture relationships based on transparency and mutual communication.

Organize and lead finance meetings with a focus on insight-sharing, idea generation, performance tracking, and solution-oriented discussion—teams are expected to go beyond reporting to interpret the “so what?” behind data.

Participate in business unit management and Corporate Finance meetings with readiness to contribute insights, voice concerns, and drive collaboration through a solution-focused, emotionally intelligent approach.

LEADERSHIP/MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY

• Responsible for Finance Director (2), and Shared Services Manager. Total team 10+.

PERFORMANCE CATEGORIES

• The executive in this role must be a highly engaging, emotionally intelligent, and solutions-focused leader. A natural servant leader, they should be confident in building and empowering a high-performing team that comes with ideas, insights, and action—not just reports.
• The individual should bring a track record of operational and financial leadership, ideally having served as a Plant Controller with progression to multi-site responsibility. Comfort with data, systems, and cross-functional communication is critical, as is experience in food industry manufacturing environments.
• Success will also hinge on the ability to translate complex technical and financial matters into accessible, strategic insights for operations leaders. This executive should be a clear communicator with the agility to engage senior leadership as well as factory site teams, always aiming to align finance with broader operational goals and cultural values.

Qualifications

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:  Education and experience equivalent to:

 

Education/Certification:

A Bachelor of Science degree in finance, accounting, economics, or related discipline is required.  An advanced degree is highly desirable (CPA preferred – active or inactive).   

 

Experience:

The Group Vice President, Finance Liquid Products North America will have 15 +/- years relevant work experience in Business Unit finance to include manufacturing environments (ideally food manufacturing but open to related sectors). 

 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

 

Skill and ability to:

• From a skills and experience standpoint, this professional will have expertise to include full P&L, FP&A, budgeting, planning, reporting, cost accounting, sales and/or marketing finance.
• This executive should be capable of taking on expanded responsibilities in time earned through success and the ability to make continued positive impact, while living the values of the company.

 

WHAT YOU’LL GET

• People First: At Golden State Foods, we're not just a company; we're a dynamic community where your talents are celebrated, and your ambitions are nurtured.
• Values Driven: Our core values drive everything we do, creating a culture of innovation, integrity, and excellence. But we're not content with just being great; we strive for greatness in every aspect of our work.
• People Development: At GSF we strive to continually develop our people to prepare us all for the needs of tomorrow.
• Philanthropy & Sustainability: We're committed to making a difference beyond our walls through philanthropy and sustainability efforts across all our locations around the globe.
• Extensive Benefits: Golden State Foods believes in a holistic approach to wellness focusing on the whole person with benefits that support those needs.