Commercial Finance Manager

Debenhams Retail; Manchester; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A retail group is seeking an experienced Finance Manager in Manchester to drive financial strategy and manage budgets. The role requires a qualified accountant with strong analytical skills and the ability to influence senior stakeholders. Benefits include a competitive bonus scheme, gym access, and a strong focus on personal development. Join now to shape the future of retail and contribute to business success.

Benefits

Highly competitive bonus scheme

Company pension

Private medical cover

40% discount across four brands

On-site gym

Free season ticket loan

Qualifications

• 2+ years of post-qualified experience in finance.
• Comfortable influencing and challenging senior stakeholders.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Produce and present weekly trading reports.
• Assist in preparing annual budget and quarterly reforecasts.
• Model and interpret financial implications of strategic opportunities.
• Understand and communicate financial KPIs.

Skills

Strong analytical skills

Commercial acumen

Effective communication

Proficiency in Microsoft Excel

Detail-oriented

Problem-solving skills

Education

ACA/ICAS/CIMA/ACCA qualified

Tools

Sage

Power BI

SQL

Job description

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Finance Manager to join our growing team in Manchester. In this role, you will be responsible for driving our financial strategy, working with our partners, managing budgets, and ensuring the financial health and success of our business. As a strategic thinker with a proven track record of strong commercial awareness, you'll use your acumen to drive business success. Joining our business at this exciting time means not only being the financial pulse but also helping to proactively shape its future. As a key player in our growth story, you'll have the chance to influence decision making, create new financial processes and collaborate across Debenhams and Karen Millen. This role offers a unique blend of retail and financial services experience allowing you to widen your experience whilst making a tangible impact on our financial performance.

Responsibilities

• Produce and present the weekly trading report analysing business performance, identify key trends/recommendations, and communicate these to stakeholders and directors.
• Assist in the preparation of the annual budget and quarterly reforecasts alongside the Group FP&A team, including detailed modelling of the next 12 months and higher‑level modelling of a 10‑year plan.
• Model, understand and interpret the financial and operational implications of strategic opportunities.
• Ensure that e‑commerce, product, marketing and operational KPIs are ingrained within reporting and that the impacts on performance are understood by key stakeholders.
• Produce weekly reforecasts of month‑end position to be shared with Group and Brand directors, and work alongside the Financial Reporting team to improve forecast accuracy.
• Understand the financial impact of promotional activity and the impact on own‑brand margins, and communicate this to relevant stakeholders to enable better decision making.
• Model and appraise commercial arrangements with concession partners, ensuring the agreed terms are beneficial to Debenhams Group.
• Understand end‑to‑end profitability for Debenhams Group brands sold on the Debenhams site, ensuring both Group and individual brand profitability is maximised and fairly apportioned.
• Assess marketing channel performance to support decision making by the marketing team.
• Understand working capital of the Debenhams business, in particular funds held in escrow and cash flow to/from concession partners.
• Appraise the success of the physical beauty store, managing the Group’s cost exposure and ensuring commercial value is gained from this site.
• Pro‑actively look for opportunities to improve reporting and analysis to better support stakeholders.
• Work alongside analytics and BI functions to drive improvements in insight, reporting and processes.
• Look to share best practice with other Group brands.
• Other ad‑hoc analysis and reporting as required.

Qualifications & Experience

• ACA/ICAS/CIMA/ACCA (or equivalent) qualified Accountant with ideally 2+ years’ post‑qualified experience.
• Strong commercial acumen and business awareness.
• Comfortable dealing with, influencing and challenging senior business stakeholders.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to manipulate and present data to produce meaningful information.
• Experience in a Commercial or Corporate Finance setting (retail/e‑commerce preferred).
• Detail‑oriented with a strong focus on accuracy.
• Proactive and able to work independently and drive own agenda.
• Demonstrable analytical and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, continually evolving environment.
• Strong organisation & time‑management skills.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills.
• Proficiency in accounting software (Sage preferable) and Microsoft Excel.
• SQL, Power BI knowledge desirable.
• Must be advanced on Microsoft Excel.

Company Culture

At Debenhams Group, we are a diverse portfolio of five core brands (boohoo, boohooMAN, PrettyLittleThing, Karen Millen and Debenhams) alongside a dynamic marketplace model and a growing financial services division. We don’t stand still – we lead, evolve, and redefine online fashion. With bold ambitions and big energy, we’re on a mission to be the best, delivering the strongest propositions to our customers in the most engaging, innovative, and efficient ways possible. We thrive on change, innovation, and pace. Every challenge is an opportunity, and every day is a chance to push boundaries. If you’re someone who embraces the unknown, thrives in a fast‑moving, high‑growth environment, and is ready to shape the future of retail, you’ll love it here. We want visionaries, disruptors and doers who bring fresh thinking, relentless energy, and the drive to make an impact.

2025 is a year for making bold moves, delivering real results, and driving forward with unstoppable momentum. If that excites you, then you belong at Debenhams Group. Let’s lead the change together.

Benefits

• Highly competitive bonus scheme, company pension, share schemes, private medical cover and life assurance.
• Access to an on‑site gym (Techno Equipment) and free weekly yoga and fitness classes.
• 40% discount across four brands and 20% off at Debenhams.
• A comprehensive wellbeing package to support your health and lifestyle.
• Some of our offices are dog‑friendly, so your furry friend can join you at work.
• Ongoing learning and development opportunities with great internal career progression.
• On‑site canteen serving breakfast, lunch, snacks and hot drinks daily.
• Free season ticket loan.