Commercial Finance Analyst (Maternity Cover)

This is a privately-run family business that started in 1989 and is currently the largest KFC franchisee in the UK operating 120 KFC restaurants across London, Midlands, East Anglia, Home Counties, Western England and Wales. We are continuing to grow at pace as part of the KFC owned brand of quick service restaurants serving fried chicken. This is a fantastic opportunity for an individual to add value is a role focusing on new stores, investment opportunity and acquisitions.

Responsibilities include:

1. Long range planning, annual business plan/budget and quarterly/intermediate forecasts
2. Financial modelling around new store openings, investment opportunities and potential acquisitions
3. P&L, balance sheet, cashflow and liquidity analysis
4. Monitor and support monthly/quarterly/annual period end close processes
5. Develop, monitor and communicate key performance indicators (weekly, monthly, quarterly)
6. Preparation of monthly financial reporting across business lines
7. Competitive benchmarking and analysis (internal, external)
8. Analytical and commercial support to financial decision-making processes
9. Deliver and manage annual planning timetable, and engagement of wider finance teams
10. Build the assumptions documents for Budgets, Forecasts and Business Plans, ensuring assumptions are rigorously tested and align across functions
11. Work with Commercial finance teams to produce standardised outputs that effectively communicate key messages in forecasts and budget, including drivers of movements on comparatives
12. Support delivery of period end timetable identifying process improvement and driving changes throughout finance
13. Present to the Senior leadership team the key variances to budget and YoY
14. Support in any ad-hoc presentations for the Head of FP&A and CFO
15. Identify, suggest and implement improvements to business processes and financial controls to increase efficiency and ensure all costs are recorded accurately in the accounts
16. Leading, consolidating and coordinating reporting through Financial Planning & Analysis function to promote consistency and value-added data - to include P&L alignment, functional analysis, benchmarking and route profitability

What are we looking for?

1. Strong financial understanding & strong analytical skills to be able to identify issues and trends
2. Financial modelling skills
3. Preferably familiar with Retail or Hospitality sectors
4. Business partnering experience to share appropriate information and coordinate activities
5. Be an agile learner to drive improvements
6. Able to work collaboratively, build credibility and influence others. Must be prepared to challenge others