HR Cost & Workforce Analyst in Greenford

Ferrero are seeking a highly knowledgeable and detail-oriented HR Cost & Workforce Analyst to join our People & Organization / HR team. In this role, you will take ownership of general people costs, including salary and benefits planning, analysis, and reporting. Working closely with HR and Finance stakeholders, you will play a critical role in forecasting, monitoring, and optimizing workforce-related costs while providing insights that support strategic decision-making.

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who enjoys working with complex data and financial models, who can translate numbers into meaningful business insights, and who thrives on influencing decisions that drive efficiency and growth.

• Workforce Planning & Budgeting: You will lead the setup and maintenance of Ferrero's salary and benefits planning tool (EVO), ensuring that it supports effective planning and decision-making. You will be responsible for forecasting and modelling headcount and compensation costs, including regular updates to standard costs and the creation of different budget scenarios to support the business planning process. As part of this work, you will provide analytical support during salary review cycles and work closely with the Reward team to guide and influence compensation evolution in line with business needs.
• Cost Analysis & Financial Monitoring: You will conduct monthly variance analysis on salary and benefits overhead costs, using EVO and payroll data to identify trends and areas requiring attention. A critical part of your role will be to monitor and reconcile workforce-related overheads in SAP ECC and Excel, ensuring that all data is accurate and complete. You will be accountable for guaranteeing that actual costs are correctly registered and fully aligned with Ferrero's financial projections and forecasts, providing transparency and clarity across the business.
• Strategic Partnering: As a trusted partner, you will act as the go-to expert for HR Centres of Expertise on all matters relating to cost management and workforce financials. You will evaluate and validate the financial implications of additional headcount requests and partner with Organisations & Improvement teams, along with other stakeholders, to consolidate and interpret workforce cost data across different functions. By doing so, you will help drive informed decisions that support both operational and strategic objectives.
• Reporting & Insights: You will prepare and deliver insightful reports for HR and Finance leadership teams, ensuring they have a clear and accurate view of workforce-related costs. This includes producing reports on salary cost trends, recharges, and cost centre breakdowns, while ensuring that reporting outputs are consistent and coherent across the business. You will also be responsible for responding quickly and accurately to ad hoc data requests, providing strategic insights to support decision-making and future planning.
• Projects & Continuous Improvement: Alongside your day-to-day responsibilities, you will lead or support a range of cross-functional projects focused on workforce cost optimisation and analytics improvements. You will track, monitor, and report on project-related costs, ensuring that they remain aligned with agreed budgets and wider business goals. Through this, you will play a key role in driving continuous improvement and ensuring Ferrero's workforce planning and cost management processes remain best in class.

You will be an exceptional analyst with strong financial and workforce planning expertise, who is confident working with complex datasets and financial models. You will have a strong understanding of cost structures, budgeting and workforce planning principles, and advanced proficiency in Excel, with experience using SAP ECC, EVO or similar HRIS and financial systems. For this role we will only consider applications from candidates who have either a combination of finance and HR experience, or strong finance experience with workforce planning and dealing with all natures of People Costs (salary, benefits, Employer charges, third-party services, etc.).

To succeed in this role, you will need to be a confident communicator with the ability to influence and build credibility with HR, Finance and business stakeholders. A proactive and detail-oriented approach is essential, as well as the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment and to collaborate effectively across teams.

Careers with caring built in - discover our benefits here.

Ferrero began its journey in the small town of Alba in Piedmont, Italy, in 1946. Today, it is one of the world's largest sweet-packaged food companies, with many iconic brands sold in countries all over the world. Find out more about Ferrero at ferrero.com.

Ferrero is committed to building a diverse and inclusive culture in which all employees feel welcomed and appreciated and have the same opportunities. We believe all our people are equally talented in their own way. In nurturing the curiosity and natural abilities of our employees, we provide them, generation after generation, the means to succeed personally and professionally, enabling them to craft their journey at Ferrero. The diversity of our talents is what makes our work environment multicultural, innovative, and highly rewarding.