Commercial Manager

Job Title: Commercial Manager

Industry: Food, FMCG & Agriculture Technology

Department: Commercial / Finance

Reports To: Director

Location: Chennai and Travel to Multiple Business Locations as required.

Role Overview

The Commercial Manager is a senior leadership role responsible for driving the financial, commercial, and governance backbone of the organization. This role oversees Procurement, Accounting, Finance, Costing, Controlling, Audit, and Compliance functions to ensure operational efficiency, financial discipline, cost optimization, and regulatory adherence across the Food & Agriculture value chain.

The ideal candidate brings strong cross-functional expertise with hands-on experience in the following areas: Procurement, Accounting, Finance, Controlling, Costing, Audit & Compliance.

Key Responsibilities

1. Procurement & Supply Chain Commercials

• Oversee strategic sourcing and vendor management for raw materials, agri-inputs, packaging, logistics, and services.
• Drive cost optimization by guiding the team on negotiations, contracts, and alternate sourcing and establish procurement policies, controls, and approval matrices.
• Monitor purchase price variance (PPV) and ensure budget adherence.

2. Accounting & Financial Operations

• Oversee end-to-end accounting operations including GL, AP, AR, payroll, and fixed assets.
• Ensure timely reporting of MIS and monthly, quarterly, and annual financial closures.
• Maintain accuracy of books in compliance with applicable accounting standards and manage cash flow, working capital, and participate in financial project works.

3. Finance & Financial Planning

• Lead budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning cycles.
• Provide MIS, financial dashboards, and decision-support analytics to leadership, especially in Costing and Pricing matters.
• Evaluate capital investments, expansion plans, and ROI analysis.
• Manage fund requirements, credit facilities, and financial risk mitigation.

4. Costing & Commercial Controlling

• Implement robust product costing and margin analysis for agri and food products.
• Track cost drivers across procurement, production, warehousing, and distribution.
• Develop standard costing models and variance analysis mechanisms.
• Support pricing strategies with cost intelligence and profitability insights.

5. Audit, Internal Controls & Compliance

• Design and enforce internal financial controls and SOPs.
• Coordinate internal and statutory audits and ensure closure of audit observations.
• Ensure compliance with tax laws, agri/food regulations, and corporate governance norms.
• Oversee GST, TDS, Income Tax, and other statutory filings.

6. Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Lead and mentor procurement, accounts, and finance teams.
• Work closely with operations, production, sales, and supply chain teams for commercial alignment.
• Drive a culture of accountability, transparency, and process discipline.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• CA / CMA / MBA Finance or equivalent qualification.
• 10+ years of experience in commercial/finance roles within Food, Agri, FMCG, or Manufacturing sectors.
• Hands-on experience in at least three of the following: Procurement, Accounting, Finance, Controlling, Costing, Audit & Compliance.
• Strong understanding of agri/food supply chain commercials and cost structures.
• Experience with ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, Tally, or equivalent).
• Proven leadership and stakeholder management skills.

Key Competencies

• Commercial acumen and cost consciousness
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Knowledge of statutory and regulatory frameworks
• Negotiation and vendor management expertise
• Financial planning and control mindset
• High integrity and governance orientation
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic FMCG, Restaurant service and agri-business environment

Success Metrics (KPIs)

• Reduction in procurement and operating costs
• Timely and accurate financial reporting
• Improvement in gross margins and cost efficiencies
• Zero major audit observations / compliance breaches
• Working capital optimization
• Strengthened internal controls and SOP adherence

Why Join Us

Be part of Food & Agriculture enterprise with strong growth plans and the role offers high visibility, strategic influence, and the opportunity to build robust commercial systems from the ground up.