Jennifer Engel Hughes
About Jennifer Engel Hughes
Jennifer Engel Hughes serves as the Senior Manager of Commercial Group Finance at Inspire Brands, where she oversees financial planning activities and fosters team development through coaching and mentoring. With a diverse background in finance management across several companies, she provides analytical support for business initiatives and ensures accurate reporting.
Current Role at Inspire Brands
Jennifer Engel Hughes serves as the Senior Manager of Commercial Group Finance at Inspire Brands, a position she has held since 2022. In this role, she manages key financial planning activities, which include the development of annual business plans, quarterly forecasts, and monthly reporting. She provides finance and analytical decision support specifically for the Commercial Group function. Hughes also creates learning opportunities for her team through professional development, coaching, and mentoring.
Previous Experience in Finance
Prior to her current role, Hughes held various finance positions at notable companies. She worked at Inspire Brands as the Manager of Shared Service Finance from 2020 to 2022. Before that, she was employed at Delta Air Lines in several capacities, including Manager of Schedule Planning and Manager of ACS Performance & Analytics. She also served as the Director of Field Finance at Air Serv Corporation and as Finance Manager for Recycle at WestRock Company.
Educational Background
Jennifer Engel Hughes studied at the University of Mary, where she earned a Master’s degree in Business Administration with a focus on Accounting and Business from 2001 to 2003. She also completed her Bachelor of Science degree in the same field at the same institution, studying from 1997 to 2003. This educational background has provided her with a strong foundation in finance and business management.
Financial Planning and Analysis Expertise
In her role at Inspire Brands, Hughes manages key financial planning activities and liaises with business units to support their Objectives and Key Results (OKRs), projects, and initiatives. She assists with financial analyses focused on cost savings and new project scoping. Additionally, she develops timely and accurate reporting with effective visualizations and metrics, enabling teams to track their progress effectively.
Team Development and Management
Hughes emphasizes the importance of team development in her current role. She continuously evaluates team skills and competencies to ensure they meet business demands and drive results. By partnering with Human Resources, she manages and analyzes General and Administrative (G&A) spending, which includes salary, vacancy, and headcount analysis.