BRIAN BRIDGES
Memphis,TN
Summary
Strategic finance leader with expertise in aligning operational execution with financial strategy to enhance profitability and efficiency. Proven ability to manage multi-million-dollar budgets and lead cross-functional initiatives, achieving measurable results in manufacturing, distribution, and service sectors. Proficient in FP&A, budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow management, with strong skills in Power BI and financial modeling.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
Work History
FP&A Analyst
StepUp Scaffold
05.2025 - Current
- Serve as the company's first dedicated FP&A professional, reporting to the CEO and leading the build-out of financial reporting and forecasting frameworks.
- Built a 13-week cash flow projection model to support both weekly and monthly cash management decisions and improve working capital planning.
- Developed a Power BI dashboard integrating customer purchase history, margin trends, and item-level data to support pricing strategy and customer targeting.
- Completed transfer pricing documentation for the Government of Denmark, outlining the company's intercompany pricing methodology and ensuring compliance with OECD and local regulations.
Director, Operational Excellence & Network Optimization
Highline Warren
07.2023 - 05.2025
- Led cross-functional initiatives to optimize logistics, warehousing, and network design while managing a $70M+ operational budget.
- Consolidated five distribution centers and implemented WMS and AMR technologies, delivering over $1M in annual EBITDA improvements.
- Negotiated freight terms with a customer that resulted in $1M in cost savings while maintaining service levels.
- Developed a DAT-indexed freight benchmarking model that optimized sourcing strategies, leading to improved cost efficiency and data-driven decision-making.
- Developed Power BI dashboard to monitor picking productivity and claims, reducing claims 40% by targeting high-risk products/accounts.
Project Manager
Highline Warren
01.2023 - 06.2023
- Contracted to lead high-impact process improvement and cost-reduction initiatives across distribution and finance operations during a critical transitional period.
- Investigated and corrected a $3M over-accrual by analyzing financial processes and implementing corrective workflows.
- Designed and implemented a batch picking process, doubling productivity and reducing annual labor costs by $250K.
- Developed a Power BI dashboard to analyze small parcel surcharge data, reducing costs by $150K.
M&A Associate
Redwood Services
03.2022 - 12.2022
- Conducted due diligence for six acquisitions, resulting in a doubling of pro forma EBITDA.
- Built detailed financial models, including IRR, MOIC, and scenario analysis, for presentation to the investment committee.
- Created and implemented a standardized budget template across new acquisitions, reducing onboarding and budgeting time while saving over $100K annually.
- Produced lender and board-facing materials outlining pro forma financials, integration timelines, and progress toward synergy goals.
Director, Financial Planning & Analysis
Highline Warren
09.2021 - 03.2022
- Designed and launched Power BI dashboards that provided real-time insights into profitability by customer, brand, product category, and region - enabling informed decision-making across sales and executive leadership.
- Partnered with department heads and senior leadership to align financial plans with business strategies, ensuring clear linkage between budget targets and operational execution.
- Oversaw the CapEx evaluation process across the organization, including proposal intake, ROI modeling, financial justification, and prioritization based on corporate objectives.
- Provided actionable financial insights and variance explanations during monthly business reviews and helped establish financial accountability frameworks across departments.
Senior Manager, Network & Process Improvement
Highline Warren
03.2021 - 09.2021
- Directed a strategic initiative to prepare the company's largest distribution center for a major inventory expansion, streamlining inventory flow to support increased volume and maintain service levels during peak demand.
- Analyzed sales and inventory data across multiple facilities to optimize product stocking strategies and refine customer allocation, improving order fulfillment accuracy and responsiveness.
- Developed and tracked key performance indicators (KPIs) for on-time shipping, inventory cycle counts, and order accuracy, resulting in measurable improvements in inventory control and reduced shipping delays.
Continuous Improvement Project Manager
Highline Warren
08.2020 - 03.2021
- Initiated and led the consolidation of leased equipment across the distribution network, delivering $75K in annual savings and achieving full return on investment within two years.
- Directed strategic initiatives focused on operational efficiency, using data-driven analysis to identify bottlenecks, streamline workflows, and implement sustainable process improvements across warehouse operations.
- Designed and launched a small parcel shipment status reporting system for all distribution centers, equipping Customer Service and Sales teams with real-time delivery visibility and improving response times for addressing customer issues.
FP&A Senior Analyst
Highline Warren
09.2019 - 08.2020
- Directed the full 2020 budgeting process for all distribution centers across the organization, ensuring alignment between financial forecasts and strategic goals.
- Designed and implemented dynamic variance reporting tools that enabled detailed, location-specific expense trend analysis across facilities.
- Consolidated financial performance data into executive-level summaries, equipping senior leadership with actionable insights to support informed, data-driven decision-making.
Mill Business Process Analyst
International Paper
11.2016 - 08.2019
- Built Power BI dashboards to visualize operational and financial data for internal use by finance and mill operations teams, improving visibility into performance metrics and indirect cost.
- Created a financial model to calculate hourly profit margins in paper production, supporting cost analysis and identifying opportunities for process and pricing improvements.
- Managed month-end close activities for three paper mills, ensuring timely journal entries, accruals, and reconciliations in support of accurate financial reporting.
Rebate Analyst
International Paper
11.2016 - 05.2018
- Collaborated with business leaders and facilitated strategic meetings to address rebate variances, contributing to improved accuracy and compliance across multiple departments.
- Led the reconciliation of rebate and accounts on a monthly basis, ensuring the precise and timely completion of financial records to support effective business operations.
- Developed and implemented a robust process to monitor the largest mill rebate, exceeding $16 million, enhancing tracking efficiency and accelerating issue resolution.
Accounting Coordinator
CBRE, Inc.
03.2016 - 11.2016
- Prepared journal entries, conducted general ledger account reconciliations, and supported various accounting projects, including the documentation of client control procedures, contributing to improved audit compliance and readiness.
- Oversaw the management of account receivables, aging reports, and payment postings, reducing collection time and enhancing the accuracy of financial reporting.
- Directed the efficient processing of vendor invoices, ensuring timely and accurate payments, while strengthening vendor relationships and reducing late payment penalties.
Education
Master of Business Administration - Business Administration
University of Memphis
12.2024
Bachelor of Science - Finance, Minor in Accounting
University of Memphis
12.2016
Skills
- Budgeting and forecasting
- Financial reporting
- Operational planning
- Network optimization
- Capital expenditure analysis
- Cross-functional leadership
- Power BI proficiency
- Financial modeling
- Excel expertise
- Variance analysis
- Data analysis
- Attention to detail
Timeline
FP&A Analyst
StepUp Scaffold
05.2025 - Current
Director, Operational Excellence & Network Optimization
Highline Warren
07.2023 - 05.2025
Project Manager
Highline Warren
01.2023 - 06.2023
M&A Associate
Redwood Services
03.2022 - 12.2022
Director, Financial Planning & Analysis
Highline Warren
09.2021 - 03.2022
Senior Manager, Network & Process Improvement
Highline Warren
03.2021 - 09.2021
Continuous Improvement Project Manager
Highline Warren
08.2020 - 03.2021
FP&A Senior Analyst
Highline Warren
09.2019 - 08.2020
Mill Business Process Analyst
International Paper
11.2016 - 08.2019
Rebate Analyst
International Paper
11.2016 - 05.2018
Accounting Coordinator
CBRE, Inc.
03.2016 - 11.2016
Bachelor of Science - Finance, Minor in Accounting
University of Memphis
Master of Business Administration - Business Administration
University of Memphis
Similar Profiles
JYOTI AGGARWALJYOTI AGGARWAL
Recruiter at STEPUP-HR-& Shared ServicesRecruiter at STEPUP-HR-& Shared Services
Rupinder Kaur sranRupinder Kaur sran
Office Manager at Stepup MigrationOffice Manager at Stepup Migration
Dejon MiguelDejon Miguel
Car Salesman at StepUp LLCCar Salesman at StepUp LLC
Maurice BlandMaurice Bland
Home Improvement Contractor at Self-employedHome Improvement Contractor at Self-employed
Amanda MosherAmanda Mosher
TNARNG State Program Manager at Tennessee Army National GuardTNARNG State Program Manager at Tennessee Army National Guard