At Russell Stover, not only do we love chocolate, but we love our jobs! Every day we go to work exhibiting our values of excellence, innovation, entrepreneurship, responsibility, and collaboration. Working at Russell Stover you’ll be part of the leading manufacturer of boxed, seasonal, and sugar-free chocolates. For over 100 years, Russell Stover Chocolates, Whitman’s, and Pangburn’s have been crafted with the finest ingredients to bring happiness to generations. Today, we produce over 55 million pounds of chocolate annually, and our legacy brands can be found in 13 company-owned stores and over 9,000 wholesale accounts. Russell Stover is undertaking a business turnaround focused on strengthening performance, improving execution, and positioning the company for sustainable, profitable growth. This creates both a significant challenge and a compelling opportunity for an experienced financial leader to shape the path forward. Join our team and let’s continue making chocolate lovers happy!
A day in the life…
As
Chief Financial Officer (CFO), you will serve as the lead finance executive for Russell Stover, with ultimate ownership and accountability for the company’s financial leadership, stewardship, performance management, and reporting. With oversight of Finance, Procurement, and Master Data , you will ensure timely, accurate, and transparent financial information and provide the insight and discipline needed to support the business turnaround. You will partner with the senior management team to develop short-, medium-, and long-term strategic, financial, and operational plans and projections. As an integrated business partner, you will actively engage with the Vice Presidents and CEO to strategically plan and assess organizational performance against the annual budget, latest estimates , and the company’s strategy .
What You Will Be Doing…
- Provide finance vision, leadership, and expertise to drive strong execution in a complex environment.
- Oversee multiple distinct Product Division P&Ls to assess performance and opportunities.
- Determine COGS and Operations finance across manufacturing, co-manufacturing, co-packing, logistics, procurement, and master data.
- Lead strategic planning, cost savings, and cross-functional alignment to support sales and profit goals.
- Guide cross-functional teams through the annual budget process and mid- to long-term financial planning to support business strategy and performance goals.
- Ensure timely, accurate budgets, forecasts, reporting, and budget variance discussions.
- Direct financial and capital budget development, analysis, and approval presentations.
- Oversee treasury, cash flow planning, funding availability, and banking relationships.
- Identify key business drivers, opportunities, and risks using predictive models.
- Maintain accounting systems, internal controls, processes, and financial procedures.
- Prepare accurate financial reports and ensure compliance with NFR, IFRS, and the Lindt Financial Manual.
- Manage taxes, statutory filings, tax strategies, and audits with advisors, Lindt Group, and affiliates.
- Identify and manage company risks appropriately.
- Manage legal affairs, counsel communications, contracts, claims, bankruptcies, and corporate records.
- Participate on the Russell Stover Leadership Team to shape strategy and culture.
- Collaborate with Lindt & Sprüngli Finance leaders to share best practices and insights.
- Lead, coach, and develop the Finance Leadership Team to strengthen division performance.
- Lead and develop a senior team of direct reports responsible for core Finance, Procurement, and Master Data functions, establishing clear accountability, effective succession plans, and strong cross-functional partnership.
- Lead financial discussions in growth plan dialogues and business reviews with Group Management.
If visiting our manufacturing plants, you will be expected to:
- Adhere to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to ensure product quality and maintain compliance with food safety standards.
- Complete and follow FSQA training and programs to comply with regulatory requirements, ensure consumer safety, and support the plant’s food safety and quality objectives.
- Promptly report and take appropriate action on any observed or potential food safety hazards, process deviations, or non-conformities by notifying the designated plant supervisor, in accordance with your role and responsibilities.
- Actively contributes to the continuous improvement of the company’s Food Safety Culture through engagement and actions aligned with your role.
This job posting is not all inclusive and other duties may be assigned.
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Do you have what it takes?
(Basic Qualifications)
- 15+ years of progressive senior finance leadership experience.
- 5+ years as a CFO or equivalent senior finance executive, preferably in CPG.
- Experience managing multiple P&Ls, complex COGS models, and operations finance.
- Proven success leading cross-functional teams and influencing executive stakeholders.
- Bachelor’s degree in finance, business administration, accounting, or related field.
- MBA and/or CPA required.
- Strong leadership and analytical skills, with a sense of urgency, resilience, and a highly collaborative approach.
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to speak, read, and write English fluently, with or without an accommodation.
- Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed.
Do you stand above the rest?
(Preferred Qualifications)
- Manufacturing environment experience.
- Demonstrated experience leading or supporting successful business turnarounds and performance transformations.
- International business experience.
- Experience overseeing or partnering with strategic IT functions.
At Russell Stover Chocolates, we don’t just accept difference — we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our employees, our products, and our community. Russell Stover Chocolates is proud to be an equal-opportunity workplace.
We provide equal employment opportunities to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, religion, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, protected medical condition, genetic information, military service, veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by law.
Employment by Russell Stover Chocolates is contingent upon I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification, passing the urinalysis drug screen, education verification, and satisfactory reference and background checks.
Make Happy. Work Happy.
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