Jean Paruth

Costing

• Ensure precise and timely cost implementation in the system, maintaining financial integrity while offering critical insights for informed decision-making.
• Serve as a key advisor on cost-related matters, assisting stakeholders in navigating financial inquiries.
• Strengthen collaboration with the supply chain teams to uphold supplier catalog accuracy, optimizing procurement efficiency
• Provide management with strategic cost-change analyses, identifying trends and financial implications.
• Oversee sales allocations for both brands, ensuring proper revenue recognition and reporting accuracy.
• Oversee annual cost updates from the Philippines and Poland, all Global interfaces ensuring alignment with financial goals.
• Conduct thorough cost assessments for full FSC profile in preparation for annual revaluations
• Designed and implemented cost templates for system uploads, ensuring synchronization with all system data while maintaining consistency and accuracy across platforms.
• Spearhead planning and forecasting, aligning cost expectations with strategic objectives.
• Providing strategic cost analysis and financial oversight during the development phase of new launches (stage gate) to ensure optimal resource allocation and budget efficiency.

Gross Margin

• Provide expert guidance on margin queries, strengthening financial decision-making.
• Business Partnering with key marketing management to refine margin analyses, supporting strategic goals on the 7 strategies(Pricing, Mix, Newness, NTA, Customer Motivation,Excess Disposition,and Cost Impact)
• Prepare margin calculations for re-buy strategies and mystery packs, optimizing profitability.
• Approval of airfreight costs that align with gross margin targets, ensuring financial efficiency and profitability.
• Reporting & Insights : Generate reports on gross margin performance, providing actionable insights for leadership.
• Financial Analysis : Evaluate gross margin trends, identifying factors affecting profitability.
• Budgeting & Forecasting : Prepare financial projections, ensuring alignment with business objectives on PPV's, Airfreight,Sea freight,Customs and Duties, Fx Variations, FOB and FIFO cogs, Deferrals, Brochures,Sales Aids, Literature, Inventory, Inventory Revaluation Variations,Obsolescence,Material Usage Variations, Bills of Material Variations,Direct Labour, Overhead Spending, Third Party Variations and Royalties.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration : Partner with global finance, to align on targets set for cogs strategies, marketing margin 7S, cost and cogs allocations
• Variance Analysis : Investigate discrepancies between actual and budgeted cogs, providing insights for corrective actions.
• Compliance & Auditing : Ensure adherence to financial regulations and support audit processes related to cogs management.

• Enhancing Forecast Accuracy : Strengthen financial oversight and inventory management processes to minimize stock write-offs and improve forecasting reliability.
• Obsolescence Calculation Analysis : Preparation of obsolescence assessments for Justine and Avon across all product life cycle phases (Active, Phased Out,Discontinued, Non-salable), ensuring accurate financial provisions.
• Financial Accuracy & Controls : Prepare inventory adjustment reports, conduct monthly reconciliations, and process journal entries to ensure financial integrity and compliance.
• Regulatory Compliance & Governance : Uphold Business Controls (SOX) , ensuring adherence to global financial policies and regulatory standards.
• Financial Support & Risk Mitigation : Assist in enhancing control measures and reporting effectiveness while proactively identifying inventory-related financial risks.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Ad Hoc Support : Address inventory-related inquiries from local and global teams, ensuring timely and data-driven resolutions.
• Variance Analysis & Strategic Adjustments : Conduct detailed variance analysis to identify key cost drivers and inventory performance trends, providing actionable recommendations for optimization.
• Stock Validation & Reconciliation : Participate in annual wall-to-wall stock counts , ensuring data integrity in E1 and investigating any significant discrepancies.

• Materials management for Pace,Nokia,HTC,Blackberry,Acer and Tom Tom
• Supervise inventory movement and tracking,while
  Maintaining optimal stock levels and ensure efficient stock control through (MRP)
• Oversee scrap management procedures and waste reduction strategies
• Lead and coordinate inventory staff, ensuring effective team operations
• Monthly analysis of foreign exchange gains/losses
• Direct cycle counting and stock-taking activities for accuracy and compliance for all brands
• Identified discrepancies between physical counts and system records, initiating investigations and making necessary adjustments for accurate financial reporting.
• Developed robust internal controls for accurate product costing and valuation, ensuring compliance with standards.

• Inventory Risk & Compliance: Identify risk areas, enforce policies, and ensure compliance with stock control standards
• Stock Movement & Control: Monitor stock movement, ensure accurate valuation, and approval of inventory adjustments
• Analyze and report on material and labor recoveries to optimize resource utilization and track and maintain records of machine and labor efficiency for performance monitoring
• Cycle Counting & Stock Take: Implemented and managed cycle counting processes, stock take, and resource allocation
• Reporting & Analysis: Generate dashboards and variance reports on WIP, scrap, obsolescence, recoveries,stock movement, forward days
• Costing & Valuation: Review standard costing, analyze system cost movements, and manage cost implosions
• Oversee the accuracy of Bill of Materials (BOM) for inventory control and monitor BOM changes and their impact on inventory and production
• Audit & Reconciliation: Conduct internal audits, liaise with auditors, and reconcile stock-related ledger accounts
• SOP, created standard operating procedures for inventory movement, stock take,cycle counting, scrapping and wastage and inventory revaluation
  

Cash Book Clerk-( From 2000 to 2002)

Financial Reconciliation & Reporting:

• Bank statement reconciliation (three accounts)
• Debtors processing and reconciliation
• Intercompany journal processing
• Cheque payments and reconciliation
• Receiver of Revenue reporting
• Interbank transfers and reconciliations
• Cash flow forecasting
• Petty cash management
• Rebate processing and reconciliation
• General ledger account reconciliation

Value Chain Controller (From 2002 to 2010)

Stock & Raw Material Management:

• Reconciliation and monitoring of raw material receipts and milling
• Raw material costing and contract management with procurement
• Tracking contract pricing, quantities, and grade variations
• Bulk material processing, including assemblies, blending, conversions, and packed products
• Finished product reconciliation and monitoring
• Analysis of damages, wastage, spillages, mix backs, and returns
• Oversight of finished goods transfers to warehouses
• Reconciliation and monitoring of conversions and packing material usage
• Identification and resolution of negative stock discrepancies
• Consignment stock monitoring and reconciliation

Financial & Compliance Oversight:

• Adherence to company policies within production, packing, and warehouse departments
• Analysis and reporting on stock write-offs, adjustments, credit notes, obsolescence, and aging stock
• Analysis, reconciliation, and reporting of stock and cost variances
• Preparation of weekly and monthly flash reports (actual vs. budget)
• Creditors payment and reconciliation (Agri sector, R60 million monthly)
• Maintenance, and control of standard costing in the new accounting system

Systems & Audit Support:

• Bill of Materials (BOM) maintenance, including recipe building
• Accuracy control in financial reporting for bulk, packed, and packing materials via Symphony
• Assistance in internal and external audits
• Technical query resolution and support
• Reconciliation and monitoring of work in progress within production statements for bulk, finished, and raw material WIP
• Monthly financial and operational reporting

Financial Reconciliation & Management:

• Debtors and creditors reconciliation
• Cash book and general ledger reconciliation
• Fixed asset control and processing
• Journal entries and trial balance reconciliations
• Cash flow forecasting
• Trip costing

Operational Oversight & Reporting:

• Assistant in operational contracts
• Weekly wage payroll
• Petty cash administration
• Audit preparation