Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Certification
Languages
Timeline
Generic

Carolina Polanco

Bronx,NY

Summary

Results-driven Finance professional experienced in data driven forecasting, analysis, and reporting. Well-versed in producing reports, identifying risks and opportunities, and handling month- and year-end closings. Meticulous, conscientious, and methodical in approach. In addition, I embody exemplary relationship-building and problem-solving skills that foster deep trust and dependability cross-functionally with internal stakeholders as well as externally with suppliers.

Overview

20
20
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Marketing Procurement Manager

Heineken USA Inc.
White Plains, NY
06.2021 - Current
  • Lead for Procurement on systems, compliance, and reporting activities
  • Provide data and analytics to the Commerce Procurement team to enable them to drive effective use of budgets in the spend areas and continue to drive savings and further efficiencies
  • Optimize the aggregation, validation, analysis, and reporting of US spend (Commerce) totaling $420M with 700+ suppliers to uncover opportunities for category strategy development and savings
  • Perform the Purchase to Pay activities for all functions within Commerce
  • Work cross-functionally with business controllers to ensure accurate forecasting and budgeting
  • Developed and maintained relationships with key suppliers for smooth communication and to meet required expectations.
  • Evaluated supplier quotes based on purchasing procedures and competitiveness in quality, price and delivery.
  • Negotiated complex corporate procurement contracts by working closely with internal and external contacts.
  • Reduced YoY BTL costs by $XX by leading RFP that led us from going from 3 agencies to 1 as the sole BTL agency to support 1 of our core brands across all functions.
  • Created internal rate cards for our BTL Agencies in order to better negotiate the upcoming Scopes of Work
  • Developed productive relationships with key account holders.
  • Demonstrated respect, friendliness and willingness to help wherever needed.

Sales FP&A Manager

Heineken USA Inc.
White Plains, NY
06.2017 - 06.2021
  • Managed the Commercial and Fixed Costs spend for Field Region Sales, National Accounts & Commercial Marketing Teams
  • Led the consolidation of month end reports such as Spend Report, LDF Report, and PO Report
  • Prepared all month end accrual entries for Sales functions
  • Met with stakeholders monthly to discuss R&O and provide Finance support as needed
  • Provided month-end P&L updates and variance analysis
  • Prepared the Month End Commentary for Strategy Team by analyzing YTD variance vs LY vs LE
  • Led the compilation of data inputs required for Annual Plans & LE’s in order to submit results to Global on a timely basis
  • Streamlined the Spend Reports used by the sales teams – took 6 different reports from 3 systems and made 1 master Spend Report
  • Led the clean-up of the master data related to cost and budget codes to enable us to identify more clearly the spend by brand, program and person responsible across multiple reporting tools
  • Led the integration of all Sales Reorgs by working cross-functionally with IT, People Dept., Marketing Services and Dbridge to ensure data flowed seamlessly under the updated structures
  • Informally managed consultant/temporary hire by delegating monthly tasks

Internal Reporting Finance Manager

Heineken USA Inc.
White Plains, NY
02.2013 - 06.2017
  • Responsible for monthly and quarterly reporting closing activities of, as well as the submission of consolidated results to Heineken Global (in Euro)
  • Served as the key contact between HUSA and Export Entities (Dutch Export and Mexico Export) to ensure accuracy of export’s financials
  • Maintained data integrity of the TM1 reporting tool during high-pressure monthly reporting periods as well as LE planning
  • Managed cross-functional relationship with IT and Business Control departments and provide system-related trainings and ongoing support
  • Compiled monthly Actuals, LE, and Annual Plan in order to submit our results to Global on a timely basis (OTIFNE)
  • Responsible for all the organic growth manual adjustments such as Stock Profit Elimination and Manual FX which enable us to view a consolidated P&L (in Euro)
  • Prepared Actuals reporting packages for CIL internal reporting such as Monthly Revenue Tracker, FTEs, Capex, FGPNet, Revenue Drivers, and Risks & Ops
  • For LE’s and Annual Plan compiled all the data of the export entities in order to prepare Export P&L’s and submit all required datasets including Volume, Expense by Function, P&L, Balance Sheet, FGPNet, and Monthly Revenue Tracker.

Senior Financial Analyst

Nokia Inc.
White Plains, NY
10.2010 - 02.2013
  • The sole financial analyst of the Americas region of Vertu, which manufactured and sold handcrafted mobile phones for the luxury market consisting of 3 retail locations and over 25 wholesale customer accounts in the US
  • Led the preparation, analysis and reporting input for planning process timelines and deliverables
  • Delivered P&Ls by channel (retail & wholesale) plus commentary, Maintained Operational Expense (OPEX) planning (rolling 12 months) by cost center in line with strategic planning,
  • Developed and maintained performance analysis on Sales & OPEX,
  • Managed the sales planning and forecasting process for both Retail and Wholesale channels using Hyperion via Citrix,
  • Worked cross-functionally with retail team, head of marketing and regional sales managers in order to manage the expense budgeting and forecasting process for 8 cost centers including retail, marketing, and administrative costs
  • Responsible for highlighting financial variations in Sales and OPEX performance in order to provide early warning to regional management
  • Prepared annual budget across all cost centers of the Americas region
  • Managed the regional accruals reported to global and oversaw accounts payable and receivables
  • Advised on payment plans to improve collection and worked with global to seek plan approvals
  • Facilitated support in audits across the Vertu organization
  • Utilized Excel on a daily basis to create various analyses for regional head as well as retail sales staff, daily use of pivot tables, vlookups and complex formulas
  • Assisted regional head on various presentations made to management by providing supporting financial data
  • Ad hoc analysis and reporting to support regional head.

Senior Internal Auditor

CBS Corporation
New York, NY
05.2006 - 10.2010
  • Audited the operational and financial controls of the television, radio, outdoor advertising, publishing, corporate, and shared services businesses, both domestically and internationally
  • Effectively communicated both deficiencies and the necessary remediation via written reports and discussions with work team and department leaders
  • Conducted process and fraud interviews of company personnel for ad-hoc investigations
  • Performed data extraction and analytics
  • Coached new team members to get them up to speed on software tools used and walk them through specific audit procedures
  • Consistently built rapport with business unit’s auditees to enhance the efficiency of the audit
  • Assisted the Business Development group with due diligence reviews of potential acquisitions as needed
  • Utilized Spanish language skills to conduct interviews with Spanish speaking auditees, translate financial documents from Spanish to English, and to review documents
  • Led the local review of key processes and controls and the identification of control risks and short-term enhancements of a South American outdoor advertising company with presence in four countries that was acquired in 2008.

Senior Consultant, Fraud Investigation Dispute Svc

Ernst & Young LLP
New York, NY
01.2005 - 05.2006
  • Assisted in a financial accounting investigation on behalf of the audit committee of the leading mortgage bank in Puerto Rico, which was under an SEC 10A investigation
  • Reviewed auditor’s working papers; recreated and recalculated various financial and valuation models; benchmarked the mortgage bank with its competitors for trend analysis; and performed a review for over 20,000 electronic documents
  • Participated in the internal investigation of one of the firm’s pharmaceutical audit clients that originated from a whistleblower’s allegations
  • Analyzed the various allegations and worked alongside the core audit team in ensuring that the allegations were not fraud related or high-risk to the year-end audit
  • Main task included re-pricing pharmaceuticals, which was a significant and complex audit area
  • Participated in an accounting/auditing malpractice engagement
  • Assisted expert in determining if the financial statement audits were performed in accordance with Generally Accepted Auditing Standards
  • Reviewed audit work papers and depositions
  • Managed and coached the junior staff of each team as well as reviewed their work product.

Associate Auditor

PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP, TICE
New York, NY
08.2002 - 01.2005
  • Delivered quality service to top-tier clients with complex industry issues in the Technology, Information, Communications, and Entertainment/Media (TICE) related industries
  • Gained a thorough understanding of client operations through audit theories and procedures including risk assessment, planning, analytical procedures, review of financial close and proper application of US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
  • Audited a division of a FTSE 100 publishing company listed on the London Stock Exchange with a dual listing in the USA
  • Audited a large Advertising conglomerate that provides international advertising and marketing services
  • Engaged in quarterly and annual SEC filing compliance of 10Qs and 10Ks
  • Had acting senior role that led to the coaching of the junior staff daily as well as the review of their assigned areas in the audit.

Education

Bachelor of Science - Accounting, International Business

FORDHAM UNIVERSITY – COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Bronx, NY

LICENSES & CERTIFICATIONS - undefined

Certified Public Accountant in the State of New York (Inactive) - undefined

Skills

  • Budgeting and Variance Analysis
  • Advanced Excel
  • Powerpoint
  • SAP
  • Power BI
  • TM1/Cognos
  • Data Integrity
  • Financial back-end ninja
  • Effective Working Relationships
  • Proactive and Focused

Certification

  • CPA - Certified Public Accountant (Inactive)

Languages

English
Spanish

Timeline

Marketing Procurement Manager

Heineken USA Inc.
06.2021 - Current

Sales FP&A Manager

Heineken USA Inc.
06.2017 - 06.2021

Internal Reporting Finance Manager

Heineken USA Inc.
02.2013 - 06.2017

Senior Financial Analyst

Nokia Inc.
10.2010 - 02.2013

Senior Internal Auditor

CBS Corporation
05.2006 - 10.2010

Senior Consultant, Fraud Investigation Dispute Svc

Ernst & Young LLP
01.2005 - 05.2006

Associate Auditor

PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP, TICE
08.2002 - 01.2005

Bachelor of Science - Accounting, International Business

FORDHAM UNIVERSITY – COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

LICENSES & CERTIFICATIONS - undefined

Certified Public Accountant in the State of New York (Inactive) - undefined

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Carolina Polanco