This story is part of Analytics Heroes, a series of profiles on leaders transforming the future of business analytics.

Martin Gonzalez is a Regional Cost Accounting Manager for Jabil, a global manufacturing services company based in Florida with more than 170,000 employees worldwide. Jabil engineers and builds a wide array of components and products for many Fortune 500 companies in consumer and automotive electronics; computing, storage, and data centers; defense and aerospace; capital equipment and infrastructure; and other major industries.

Martin works in the company’s Electronics Manufacturing Services division for the Americas, overseeing 120 corporate clients in 10 sites. His main role? To keep track of how much money his division needs to make everything, and to plan for the future. “I’m in charge of the site costing teams throughout North and Latin America, [and] I’m responsible for analyzing and communicating current and future cost initiatives within my region,” says Martin.

Refining processes, improving practices

Martin’s team also creates value for Jabil by focusing on process automation and standardization – they’re always learning better, more efficient ways to do things. This learning process also extends to enhancing employees’ functional and leadership skills through people-development programs.

When asked what he’s known for, Martin reflects on his role as an experienced analyst – he’s entering his tenth year at Jabil. Martin proudly states, “People come to me with questions about costing procedures, best practices, and ideas for costing strategies that can fit new customers, acquisitions or business modules.” His wealth of experience applies beyond his own direct purview, with managers from other groups and functional areas asking him questions about how they can improve or automate their processes.

IBM software is integral to Martin’s role, helping him manage and understand the company’s costing data, and informing his decision-making. IBM Cognos Analytics, IBM Planning Analytics powered by TM1, and IBM Controller all play a part.

Faster margin analysis moves more to the bottom line

Using IBM Cognos Analytics, Martin created a margin analysis business intelligence dashboard that works at every level of the organization. “It’s fully connected to SAP, IBM Planning Analytics, and other master data sets in real time,” says Martin, “which lets us present information to leaders of business units, finance execs, and heads of operations with SOX-compliant reports, 24/7.”

Martin estimates that the dashboard lets his company create reports 25 times faster than the previous system: doing them manually in Excel, “we’re saving each cost accountant on every site 7.5 hours a week. Now they can produce reports in two or three minutes.”

Being an Analytics Hero: more balance, bigger wins

“I’m honored that IBM is recognizing me as an Analytics Hero for Jabil,” says Martin. “It motivates me to know that I’m on the right path, and that I’m making a positive impact on my company and the people in it.”

As it may be expected from a company that manufactures key components for some of the world’s largest companies, Jabil has ambitious mandates and mission-critical deadlines. How does Martin help his team thrive in a demanding environment?

“The goals that we have are big, so I remind my team that every small win takes them a step closer,” says Martin, “so organize your time around those achievements.” For Martin, the company’s push for continuous improvement means helping his team stay energized and happy to do just that. “If you’re sacrificing family time or personal goals, it’s hard to bring that constant focus to work every day.”

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