Sr. Finance Manager - Innovation - Chicago, IL

About Well Enterprises Headquartered in Le Mars, Iowa, Wells Enterprises, Inc. is the largest privately held ice cream manufacturer in the United States. Founded in 1913 by Fred H. Wells and run by the Wells family for generations, the company is an independent operating company of the Ferrero Group, one of the global leaders in sweet packaged foods. We produce more than 900 ice cream and frozen novelties treats. Wells produces Blue Bunny® ice cream, frozen novelties and specialty frozen desserts along with the iconic Bomb Pop® brand. So much ice cream is produced in Le Mars by Wells that the city was designated as the Ice Cream Capital of the World® by the Iowa legislature! Blue Bunny branded items are distributed across the nation. Ice cream enthusiasts can find their favorite Blue Bunny products in grocery, convenience and club stores, on mobile vending trucks and in foodservice settings (such as educational institutions, hospitals and restaurants). The company’s corporate office and two ice cream plants are located in Le Mars. Our two other ice cream plants, one in Henderson, NV and the other in Dunkirk, NY help supply our frozen treats across the United States. Over 4,000 production, sales, office, and support personnel make up the Wells family. With its state-of-the-art production facilities the company is cited by many industry experts as one of the most technically advanced in the industry.

Well Enterprises

Ice Cream and Frozen Novelties

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W

wellsenterprisesinc.com

1,001-5,000 employees

Food and Beverage Manufacturing

Le Mars, Iowa

Privately Held

44k LinkedIn followers

• The Senior Manager, Innovation Finance serves as the financial lead for the
• innovation portfolio, guiding commercial investment decisions from concept
• through commercialization. The role combines financial analysis, governance,
• cross-functional partnership, and long-range planning to support profitable
• growth while balancing risk, resource constraints, and long-term value creation
• Lead financial evaluation of the innovation pipeline from concept through
• commercialization, presenting analysis and recommendations to senior
• management and internal stakeholders.
• Develop and maintain innovation P&Ls, business cases, and investment
• recommendations.
• Assess profitability, margin structure, volume assumptions, and return on
• investment for new products.
• Partner with Marketing, Innovation, Operations, R&D, Supply Chain, RGM, and
• Commercial teams to ensure financial considerations are incorporated early in
• the development process.
• Establish financial criteria and decision frameworks for innovation
• prioritization.
• Facilitate financial alignment across stakeholders and ensure transparency of
• key assumptions.
• Support stage-gate reviews and executive decision-making processes.
• Identify risks, sensitivities, and key assumptions impacting innovation
• outcomes.
• Provide recommendations on portfolio trade-offs and resource allocation.
• Drive high-performance culture by providing guidance, direction and
• developmental leadership to direct reports.
• Demonstrate curiosity and critical thinking by asking probing questions,
• challenging conventional assumptions, and exploring alternative perspectives
• to drive sound financial decisions.
• Make thoughtful, timely recommendations using available information while
• recognizing risks, uncertainties, and the need for further analysis.
• Champion change management behaviors and influence business partners.

Preferred

• 10+ years of progressive experience in Finance, ideally in CPG or
• brand-focused roles
• Strong analytical skills with deep understanding of P&L management
• Proven ability to influence cross-functional teams and senior stakeholders
• Advanced Excel and financial modeling skills; experience with Oracle EPM,
• Hyperion, or similar systems a plus
• The base pay range for this position is $142,636 to $171,336 annually.  Actual
• compensation will be determined based on location, experience, qualifications,
• and other job-related factors permitted by law.  This pay range represents the
• anticipated salary for this position at this time.
• Wells Enterprises is an EEO/AA employer M/F/Vet/Dis
• manufacturers in the United States and the maker of well-loved brands
• including Blue Bunny, Halo Top, Bomb Pop, and Blue Ribbon Classics and
• today Trolli, Butterfinger 100grand, Baby Ruth, Nutella and Kinder Bueno.
• Wells Enterprises is a $2 billion company employing 4,000 employees, across four
• production plants and two main hub locations, Chicago and Le Mars. Guided by
• innovation, quality, and a people-first mindset, Wells is committed to
• delighting consumers and developing exceptional teams.
• As part of the Ferrero Group, Wells combines its strong U.S. heritage with
• Ferrero’s global standards of excellence, offering a unique opportunity to grow
• within a dynamic, values-driven, and international environment.
• At Wells, our people—and their experience—sit at the heart of our ambition.
• Learn more at www.wellsenterprisesinc.com

• At Wells, we’re proud to support our employees with comprehensive benefits that
• enhance health, financial wellness, and include paid time off (PTO). Eligible
• employees may also receive an annual incentive bonus based on Company
• performance.  Learn more about our benefits here