Finance Manager

Compass Group UK & Ireland; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the retail sector is seeking a Finance Manager to provide commercial support and financial insights. The role involves partnering with senior stakeholders, managing financial risks, and delivering strategic financial analysis to enhance business performance. The ideal candidate will be a qualified accountant with strong analytical and communication skills, capable of influencing decision-making at all levels.

Qualifications

• Qualified Accountant with varied experience in accounting roles.
• Experience in business partnering with senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Deliver financial and commercial support to the One Retail In-Store Business Director.
• Manage financial risks and opportunities while developing strong relationships.

Skills

Analytical Skills

Communication

Team Management

Education

Qualified Accountant (CIMA/ACCA/ACA)

Tools

SAP

Cognos

Job description

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Job Introduction

Job Title: Finance Manager - One Retail (In Store)

Responsible to: Head of Finance - One Retail & Propositions

Location: Birmingham (Minimum 2 days in office per week)

Department: Finance

This role profile is a guide to the work you will initially be required to undertake. It may be changed from time to time to incorporate changing circumstances. It does not form part of your contract of employment.

Overall Purpose of the Role

An influential and high-profile role delivering financial and commercial support to the One Retail In-Store Business Director and wider One Retail team. Through effective business partnering, the role will continually improve cost effectiveness, have strategic involvement, and add value to commercial activities undertaken.

There will be a keen focus on commerciality across the board with every margin growth opportunity and cost mitigation explored, key initiatives being implemented and will include support to the business development team on new business growth, whilst ensuring underlying organic growth continues to deliver.

Key Accountabilities:

PURPOSE: Commercial Support

• Business Partner Retail In-Store Business Director ensuring strong commercial and operational decision making, managing financial risks and opportunities.
• Develop strong relationships with key internal and external stakeholders, including colleagues, customers, and subcontractors.
• Ability to manage complex contractual arrangements including dual running contract types during mobilisation of the new Asda contract and ensure accurate financial reporting throughout.
• Work closely with the E15 Data Insights Manager for the Asda contract to continually develop KPIs and ensure that end users are focusing on the right metrics to drive sustainable profitable growth.
• To partner with E15 (internal data team) and operations to ensure value generation from insight, including championing use of E15 Insights dashboards.
• Understand, highlight, and manage the financial risks and opportunities arising from ongoing business performance.
• Challenge and appraise investment decisions.
• Delivering proactive ad-hoc financial analysis to support business unit decision making.

PERFORMANCE

• Balance sheet reviews and compliance with Group Accounting Manual, maintaining a full and up to date understanding of SAP and Nexus, escalating key risks/ opportunities to senior stakeholders.
• Preparation and review of annual budgeting and reforecasting processes including consolidating the budget, understanding variances, and preparing the budget presentation for senior stakeholders.
• Month end journals and accounts closure.
• Preparation and review of monthly management information including in depth variance analysis and underlying performance reporting, alongside the E15 data insights manager.
• Prepare monthly business review pack and present at MD/Head of Finance monthly meeting.
• Promote working capital improvements through timely, accurate billing where required and active management of debt ledgers.
• Monitoring initiative delivery plan, challenging operational teams where there is a risk to achievement and highlighting to senior stakeholders.
• Support operational teams with understanding actions required on mobilisation and ensure that these are executed in line with timetable, with any risks flagged to the business as soon as possible.
• Ad hoc support to the One Retail Growth Team as required.

PEOPLE: Relationship Management

• Working effectively as part of a team, championing the collaboration with E15 to deliver business insights and mobilise a high-profile contract for Compass Group.
• Building relationships with key stakeholders
• Supporting the development and career progression of the wider One Retail Finance team, while focusing on client service, ensure adequate business partnering and commercial knowledge.
• Potential for line management of a finance analyst.

Candidate Requirements: Key Skills, Knowledge & Experience

Essential:

• Qualified Accountant (CIMA/ACCA/ACA) or QBE with varied experience in accounting roles
• Experience of business partnering senior stakeholders with the ability to challenge, influence and persuade at all levels, both financial and non-financial colleagues.
• High numeric and analytical skills and attention to detail.
• Demonstrable commercial finance experience of improving business results and adding value.
• Excellent communication skills - ability to communicate oral and written information concisely and logically.
• Ability to analyse, evaluate and present information in a clear and concise way.
• Team management experience. A team player but with the ability to work on own initiative.
• Self-motivated with an ability to effectively plan and organise own work.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with proven ability to influence internal and external parties.

Desirable:

• Experience of operating within a multi-site, multi-contract organization
• Good working knowledge of SAP & Cognos

Leadership behaviours

• Communication - ability to manage, develop and lead peers.
• Can Do - Finds new / quicker ways of meeting goals, shows conviction in own judgement and decisions, responds quickly under pressure, and overcomes hurdles to achieve targets. Solutions orientated when facing problems.
• Share Success - Provides task related feedback to do the job effectively and provides excellent service. Delegates tasks to develop others.
• Passion for Quality - Sets demanding performance expectations, sets priorities to maximise benefits, tracks the commercial implications of a situation in a step-by-step way.
• Win through Teamwork - Pursues friendly relationships with colleagues and clients, interacts with colleagues across the organisation and shares own knowledge and insight and displays a high level of energy and commitment to the role and organisation.
• Embrace Diversity - Listens to others and values their contributions, receptive to new and builds on ideas and acts in ethical and socially responsible manner.