Controller

Max Mara Fashion Group; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private medical insurance (PMI)

Company pension scheme

Generous employee discounts

Job summary

Max Mara Fashion Group seeks a fully qualified Controller to lead financial planning, reporting, and analysis for B2C e‑commerce and UK/IRE operations in London. The role requires strong analytical and commercial acumen, with deep experience in SAP/BW, budgeting, and performance analysis across multiple channels.

The successful candidate will partner with CFO/CEO to deliver P&L by channel, cost-centre profitability, and insightful dashboards, while supporting year-end audits and regulatory

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or related field.
• Fully qualified ACA, ACCA, or CIMA (or equivalent).
• 3+ years of experience in financial analysis, budgeting, and commercial reporting.
• Background in fashion, luxury goods, or retail preferred.
• Advanced SAP, BW, and Excel skills.
• Knowledge of UK GAAP/IFRS, HMRC compliance, and post-Brexit import/duties frameworks.
• Strong communication to present financial data to executives.
• Italian language knowledge is a strong plus (not mandatory).
• Right to Work in the UK; sponsorship not provided.

Responsibilities

• Budget, forecast and performance reporting by channel for B2C e-commerce.
• Prepare and update the P&L by channel; analyze variances vs budget and last year.
• Upload budget data into BW; support CFO in Board budget reviews.
• P&L preparation for UK & IRE operations on BW; analyze stock devaluation.
• Cost center and profitability analysis; identify variance drivers and actions.
• Inventory reporting and stock performance analysis; reconcile with stock data.
• Monthly/quarterly reporting incl. aged receivables, Intrastat, and ONS data.
• Assist CFO with daily operations and year-end audit; cash flow budgets and gross margin.

Skills

Financial analysis

Budgeting

Commercial reporting

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Finance/Accounting

ACA/ACCA/CIMA qualification

Tools

SAP

BW

Excel

Job description

We are looking for a fully qualified Controller to join our dynamic finance team in London. This role is crucial in managing financial planning, reporting, and analysis for our B2C e-commerce and UK/IRE operations. The ideal candidate will combine strong analytical skills with robust commercial acumen, bringing proficiency in financial reporting tools such as SAP/BW, and extensive experience in budget forecasting, variance analysis, and business performance assessment across multiple commercial channels.

Key Responsibilities

1. Budget, Forecast & Performance Reporting – B2C E-commerce

• Prepare and update the P&L by Channel.
• Analyze variances against budget and last year’s performance for each brand.
• Upload budget data into the BW system.
• Support the CFO in presenting budget reports to the Board.
• Perform P&L preparation for UK & IRE operations on the BW system.
• Allocate unassigned P&L lines and analyze all divisions (Wholesale, Retail, and Outlet) variances.
• Generate division-specific P&L reports and present financial insights to Global HQ.
• Prepare store and wholesale P&L for CFO/CEO review.

3. Cost Centers & Profitability Analysis

• Conduct quarterly analysis of cost centers and profitability trends.
• Identify key variance drivers and propose strategic action plans.
• Assist HQ & the CFO in tracking and mitigating cost deviations.
• Reconcile and analyze stock devaluation.
• Analyze stock performance versus the prior year.
• Prepare and present inventory reports to the CFO, HQ, and external auditors.
• Support the operations team in developing periodic inventory reconciliation of the stock.

5. Monthly & Quarterly Reporting

• Generate and review aged receivables reports.
• Submit Intrastat declarations for the UK & Ireland.
• Compile and submit monthly retail sales data to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
• Conduct quarterly duties reporting and end‑season returns provisions.
• Prepare financial entries for jobber sales, sample sales, and bad debt provisions.

6. Operations Support & Year-End Audit

• Assist the CFO with daily financial operations and year-end audit processes.
• Develop cash flow budgets and gross margin analysis.
• Prepare competitor benchmarking reports.
• Compile payment practice reports for CFO review and HMRC submission.

7. Business Performance Analysis & Dashboarding

• Partner closely with Operations, Wholesale, and Retail teams to translate commercial data into actionable insights that optimize margin and product sell‑through.
• Conduct in-depth business performance analysis across retail, wholesale, and digital channels.
• Monitor key commercial KPIs to evaluate operational efficiency and sales trends.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive business performance dashboard for management reporting.
• Develop daily sales reports and provide weekly insights related to overall business performance.
• Monitor sell-through performance of the in‑season collection for both retail and B2C channels.

What We’re Looking For

• Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or a related field.
• Qualifications: Fully qualified ACA, ACCA, or CIMA (or equivalent standard).
• Experience: 3+ years of experience in financial analysis, budgeting, and commercial reporting. Strong preference for background in fashion, luxury goods, or retail.
• Technical Skills: Advanced proficiency in SAP, BW, and Excel (advanced formulas, Pivot Tables, data modeling).
• Compliance Knowledge: Solid understanding of UK GAAP/IFRS, HMRC compliance, and post-Brexit import/duties frameworks.
• Soft Skills: Strong communication skills with the ability to interpret complex financial data into strategic insights for executive stakeholders.
• Language: Knowledge of the Italian language is a strong plus (not a mandatory requirement).
• Right to Work: Must hold a valid working visa or unrestricted right to work in the UK. (Sponsorship is not provided for this role).

Why Join Us?

• Work in a fast‑paced, high‑growth environment with clear avenues for long‑term career progression.
• Be part of a globally recognized brand with a rich heritage in the fashion industry.
• Engage in challenging projects that directly influence overall business strategy and commercial operations.
• Enjoy a structured hybrid schedule (4 days in the office, 1 day remote).
• Competitive base salary, company pension scheme, private medical insurance (PMI), and generous employee discounts.