Finance Business Partner - Category

Co-op; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading retail cooperative in Manchester is seeking a Finance Business Partner to join their team. This role involves building relationships with commercial buying teams, delivering financial insights, and co-leading the finance team. The ideal candidate will have experience in a Business Partner role within a complex commercial environment and will possess strong Microsoft Office skills. A supportive work environment with great benefits is offered, including annual bonuses and a hybrid working model.

Benefits

Annual bonus based on performance

28 days holiday rising to 32 with service

Pension with up to 10% employer contributions

30% discount on Co-op products

Virtual healthcare options

Training support for career progression

Cycle-to-work scheme

Qualifications

• Experience working in a large-scale and complex commercial environment.
• Ability to present complex financial information to non-finance audiences.
• Proven ability to influence and challenge people inclusively.

Responsibilities

• Build and manage relationships with colleagues across commercial buying teams.
• Provide financial insight to support commercial buying teams in delivering targets.
• Co-lead the Category Finance team and promote a culture of continuous improvement.
• Manage one Category Finance Manager & one Analyst, supporting their development.
• Analyse performance and provide actionable insights to Director-level colleagues.

Skills

Experience in a Business Partner role

Strong Microsoft Office skills (PowerPoint and Excel)

Good communication skills

Good relationship-building skills

Job description

Finance Business Partner – Category
£60,000 to £66,000 plus great benefits (Work Level 5)
Manchester city centre (hybrid working)

We’re looking for a Finance Business Partner to join us in Manchester to play a key role in partnering our commercial buying teams. We’ll look to you to understand & manage our commercial financials, challenging and supporting our commercial teams to unlock value & deliver against targets.

What you’ll do

• Build and manage meaningful relationships with colleagues of all levels of seniority across our commercial buying teams
• Support our commercial buying teams to deliver against targets by providing financial insight, context to variances, supporting supplier negotiations, minimising risks and maximising opportunities
• Co‑lead our Category Finance team and drive a culture of continuous improvement
• Line manage one Category Finance Manager & one Category Finance Analyst, supporting them in their development
• Analyse performance and provide actionable insights and reports to colleagues up to Director‑level

What you’ll bring

• Experience in a Business Partner role
• Experience working in a large‑scale and complex commercial environment and managing relationships with multiple partners
• Strong Microsoft Office skills (e.g. PowerPoint and Excel)
• Good communication skills, with the ability to present complex financial information to non‑finance audiences
• Good relationship‑building skills, with the ability to influence and challenge people inclusively

Why Co‑op?

At Co‑op, we’re owned by our members. And because we’re owned by you, we can do right by you. So when you join us, you’re not just taking a job, you’re joining a movement. We’re an organisation that puts people and communities first, and we’re powered by purpose. We want this to be a place where you can thrive, so you’ll also receive:

• An annual bonus (based on personal and business performance)
• 28 days holiday (rising to 32 with service) plus bank holidays
• A pension with up to 10% employer contributions
• 30% discount on Co‑op products and 10% off other brands
• Stream – early access to a percentage of your pay as you earn it
• Virtual healthcare including GP appointments, mental health support, nutrition and fitness advice
• 24/7 colleague support service
• Training and support for your development and career progression
• Cycle‑to‑work scheme

A place you’ll belong

We’re building diverse teams that reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone, and our support centre is an inclusive environment where all our colleagues can thrive.

If you have a disability, we’ll make reasonable adjustments to support you through the recruitment process. We’re also proud to be part of the Disability Confident scheme - if you’re disabled and you meet the minimum criteria for this job, we’ll guarantee you an interview.

Learn more about our recruitment process at https://jobs.coop.co.uk/apply-process

Explore our commitments to diversity, inclusion and wellbeing at https://jobs.coop.co.uk/diversity-inclusion-wellbeing

As part of your application, you'll need to complete an online assessment. This assessment typically takes up to 50 minutes. If you're a current Co‑op colleague, this does not need to be completed.