Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
References
Timeline
Generic

Dannielle M. Backus

Grand Rapids,MI

Summary

Accomplished finance professional with extensive experience at Kellanova Company, specializing in financial modeling and cross-functional collaboration. Successfully reduced trade liabilities by over $11.5M through meticulous variance analysis and process optimization. Proficient in ERP systems like SAP, fostering team growth to drive operational efficiency and strategic problem-solving. Aspiring to leverage these skills in a dynamic role focused on enhancing business performance.

Overview

25
25
years of professional experience

Work History

Global Finance & Analytics Specialist, Invoice to Cash

Kellanova Company
Grand Rapids, USA
08.2019 - Current
  • Contribute to Sales Finance functions through financial models and complex analysis via daily duties and ad hoc requests to contribute to strategic initiatives
  • Provide problem-solving support to business partners through the development of variance analysis while identifying and communicating risks & opportunities to future profit performance
  • Use owner’s mindset by identifying areas where process improvements can be utilized to work more efficiently and standardize processes, all while thinking outside the box
  • Proficiently partnering with Sales Finance functions to manage business issues that include short- and long-term strategic objectives while looking cross functionally and weighing competing ideas and priorities
  • Proactively provided RTR - APT detailed reporting that allowed for Cash Model accuracy and validation via exact line item support down to material level for visibility and accurate ownership
  • Thus, reducing Kellogg trade liability by approx
  • $12M
  • Customer Specific Trade Review, providing robust promotional level trade examinations to identify opportunities for adjustment of trade reserve vs
  • Actual trade spend
  • Additionally, supplying sales executives with detailed reporting to ascertain inaccurate trade spend applications or erroneous customer deductions that require repayment
  • Analytical and problem-solving support for business partners through the explanation of deviations between actual vs
  • Expected results resulting in over $11.5M in trade liability reduction

SR Associate Close Books, Record to Report

Kellanova Company
Grand Rapids, USA
04.2017 - 08.2019
  • Assisted in coordination of the accounting functions surrounding the timely preparation of the monthly and annual consolidated financial statements for Kellogg North America US P&L
  • Participated in team management of the month end closing process including preparing, posting and reviewing journal entries with proper supporting documentation
  • Prepared and analyzed general ledger account reconciliations accurately to company and industry standards, as well as compliance with GAAP, including resolution of discrepancies
  • Rebuilt major GL reconciliations for workers compensation, prepaid insurance, and accounts payable, resulting in the removal of $6.8M in variance items that aged beyond 90 days
  • Located a $13M error at year-end-close, which ensured profitability and reinforced the importance of internal controls in our daily activities
  • Root cause analysis for data load drops between four different reporting systems, which included mapping and system setup

SR Customer Accounts Associate

Kellanova Company
Grand Rapids, USA
11.2015 - 04.2017
  • Functioned as a liaison and built supportive relationships while resolving discrepancies and issues
  • Ensured all payments were processed according to Service Level Agreements
  • Designed, implemented and maintained policies, workflows, systems and processes on OTC collection cycle
  • Ensured compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley requirements and refined AR processes and procedures with a focus on continuous improvements
  • Mentored an international 19-person team to drive down a top 5 customers deduction balance from over $12M to under a million in 6 months that involved over 30 direct and indirect payers
  • Attained repayment for erroneous deductions/cash discounts of $2.3M
  • Authored a deduction agreement used in sales contract negotiations worth $150M

Customer Accounts Associate

Kellanova Company
Grand Rapids, USA
03.2015 - 11.2015
  • Administered credit, collection and cash application policies
  • Interacted with customers’ accounts payable contacts/buyers to pursue past dues, repayments, resolve unapplied cash receipts and resolve issues with a high level of customer service
  • Provided operational governance and accountability for audits and operational feedback
  • Partnered with process owners to identify continuous improvement opportunities
  • Collaborated with AP and the controller to create a payment plan with a customer account that was severely delinquent, resulting in Kellogg's liability decreasing from $1.5M to less than $10k in ten weeks
  • Decreased outstanding AR balances from $25M to less than $12M by collaborating with various departments to increase level agreement metrics and drive down deduction balances

Accounting Manager, Notary

AIS Realtime Location Service, Inc.
Grand Rapids, USA
11.2013 - 09.2014
  • Prepared all financial reports, including Profit and Loss Statement, Balance Sheet and Statement of Cash Flows, as well as the year-end financial reports
  • Responsible for the monthly close as well as maintenance of all accounting ledgers including monthly review of all account reconciliations and journal entries
  • Provided timely explanations of variances between actual results and forecasts/budgets; provide corrective action recommendations to management, where necessary
  • Identified profit leakage and reduced spending by reporting on budget versus actuals

Accounts Receivable, Cash Application, Sox Tester

Hart & Cooley, Inc.
Grand Rapids, USA
04.2011 - 11.2013
  • Managed and reported all cash activities on a daily and monthly basis
  • Produced weekly cash receipts forecast and monthly cash reconciliation
  • Facilitated the accounts receivable process with internal and external contacts
  • Reviewed and reconciled accounts receivable for accuracy
  • Oversaw 404 compliance testing for two plants, which involved walk-throughs, evidence preparation, and reporting to corporate leadership
  • Cross-trained finance staff to foster positive working relationships and allow for backup knowledge for all roles
  • Collaborated with IT involving data load import errors and variances from external bank reporting

Additional experience with small businesses

01.2000 - 01.2011

Education

Master of Accountancy - Forensic Accounting

Davenport University

Bachelor's Degree - Accounting Information Management

Davenport University

Associates Degree - Accounting

Davenport University

Skills

  • Standard Cost Accounting
  • Ad Hoc Reporting
  • ERP: SAP (BW (B1P, B3P, B4P), C1P, E1P
  • Salesforce
  • Anaplan
  • High Radius
  • BW Super User
  • Collections/Deductions/Cash Management
  • KPI Management Reporting/Ownership
  • Audit Compliance
  • Month-End Closing
  • Risk Management
  • Budget Variance Analysis
  • Account Analysis
  • Project Management
  • Customer Relationship Management
  • Financial modeling
  • Variance Analysis Expertise
  • Process Optimization
  • General ledger reconciliation
  • Internal controls
  • Comprehensive Financial Reporting
  • Data Insights Generation
  • Customer relationship management
  • Cross-functional collaboration
  • Attention to detail
  • Strategic Problem Analysis
  • Root-cause analysis
  • Troubleshooting techniques
  • Knowledge sharing
  • Management collaboration
  • Process optimization
  • Risk management
  • Coaching and mentoring
  • Operational enhancement

References

References available upon request.

Timeline

Global Finance & Analytics Specialist, Invoice to Cash

Kellanova Company
08.2019 - Current

SR Associate Close Books, Record to Report

Kellanova Company
04.2017 - 08.2019

SR Customer Accounts Associate

Kellanova Company
11.2015 - 04.2017

Customer Accounts Associate

Kellanova Company
03.2015 - 11.2015

Accounting Manager, Notary

AIS Realtime Location Service, Inc.
11.2013 - 09.2014

Accounts Receivable, Cash Application, Sox Tester

Hart & Cooley, Inc.
04.2011 - 11.2013

Additional experience with small businesses

01.2000 - 01.2011

Master of Accountancy - Forensic Accounting

Davenport University

Bachelor's Degree - Accounting Information Management

Davenport University

Associates Degree - Accounting

Davenport University

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Dannielle M. Backus