Finance Manager - Transformation

Today, Dunelm; Leicester; Hybrid; GBP 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Dunelm is seeking a Senior Finance Manager - Transformation to lead financial governance across the transformation portfolio and act as Finance business partner to the Transformation Programme Office. The role oversees investment appraisal, stage-gate processes and the budgeting for transformation costs, aligning with executive directives and Board expectations.

You will build robust financial models, challenge inputs and provide concise financial materials for governance forums, ensuring

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant, or equivalent senior-level finance experience.
• Strong experience in commercial finance, FP&A, finance business partnering, investment appraisal or transformation finance.
• Demonstrable experience of developing and challenging business cases, including benefits, risk and sensitivity analysis.

Responsibilities

• Provide financial leadership and governance across the transformation portfolio.
• Partner with Transformation Programme Office to ensure robust business cases.
• Own budgeting and forecasting for transformation costs.
• Act as Finance gatekeeper for stage gates and investment decisions.
• Build and maintain a live model of actuals and forecasts across portfolios.

Skills

Commercial finance

FP&A

Finance partnering

Investment appraisal

Transformation finance

Education

Chartered Accountant (or equivalent)

Job description

At Dunelm, our Finance team isn't just about numbers, we're the powerhouse behind smart decisions, smooth operations, and spotting golden opportunities for growth. We balance the books and manage procurement like pros, but we also dive deep into financial data to uncover patterns, trends, and hidden gems that help steer our business forward. The Senior Finance Manager - Transformation will provide financial leadership, governance and commercial challenge across the transformation portfolio. The role will act as Finance Business Partner to the Transformation Programme Office (TPO), ensuring investment decisions are supported by robust, comparable business cases and that delivery is tracked against approved financial and non-financial outcomes Key relationships Transformation Programme Office and workstream leads; Transformation Governance Board; programme sponsors; Executive and Board stakeholders; Director of FP&A and Investor Relations; Business Finance; FP&A; initiative owners; and wider Finance and business teams. Work your way, together We're a hybrid business, which means you'll have flexibility alongside time together with your team. In this role, you can expect 3 days a week in the office or on-site, helping you stay connected, collaborate and do your best work for our customers.

• Implement and continuously improve best-practice finance governance within the TPO, giving workstream leads clear expectations and driving compliance with agreed processes.
• Act as the financial gatekeeper for transformation initiatives, defining the quality, structure and evidence required before proposals progress through stage gates.
• Own the end-to-end financial stage-gating process, aligned to investment approval frameworks and executive decision-making requirements.
• Define and enforce consistent business case methodology, including investment appraisal, assumptions, benefits articulation, risk assessment and sensitivity analysis.
• Challenge financial inputs, assumptions and valuation logic, partnering with Business Finance teams and initiative owners to make proposals robust, comparable and decision-ready.
• Monitor programme costs and benefits, reporting milestones, risks and opportunities; challenge stakeholders to drive performance and promote consistency and quality across the programme.
• Build and maintain a live model providing a rolling view of actual and forecast performance at portfolio and workstream level, incorporating key financial and non-financial outcomes.
• Establish a consistent performance measurement framework for in-flight initiatives and identify emerging risks, opportunities and deviations early.
• Lead post-investment reviews, objectively assessing benefits realisation, capturing learning and reinforcing accountability.
• Represent Finance as a core TPO member, providing insight, challenge and assurance to programme leadership and senior stakeholders.
• Prepare clear, concise and influential financial materials for the TPO, Transformation Governance Board, Executive team, Board and programme sponsors.
• Own the budget and forecast for non-workstream transformation costs, including relevant internal and technology costs where applicable.
• Act as the key interface between Business Finance, FP&A and the wider business, ensuring transformation impacts are reflected consistently in plans, forecasts and reported performance.
• Build financial capability across the organisation in investment thinking, value tracking and disciplined capital allocation.
• Influential communicator who can make complex financial issues clear, concise and actionable.
• Collaborative and pragmatic, able to connect Finance, programme teams and business leaders around a joined-up view.
• Proactive and delivery-focused, comfortable creating structure and standards in an evolving environment.
• Credible challenger who balances support with independent assurance and maintains high standards of evidence and control.
• Committed to improving financial capability and embedding learning across the organisation.

D&I statement Dunelm is committed to becoming an inclusive business that is representative of our customers and locations. We recognise the value in diversity and welcome applications from all candidates regardless of age, race, religion, disability, gender or sexual identity, socio-economic background or education. We are committed to making Dunelm a place where everyone can enjoy a successful career and have systems in place to support all our colleagues. We are seeking applications from candidates who share our values and celebrate diversity in all its forms. Our commitment to you Accessibility allows everyone to have an equitable chance when applying and showing off their potential, which helps us create a more inclusive and diverse team that brings fresh ideas and perspectives. Should you need it, we have an accessibility tool available in the top menu to support you when you're completing your application. If you require any other reasonable adjustments during the application and assessment process, reach out to your recruitment partner.

Work your way We want our colleagues to feel at home wherever they work, so that they are comfortable and can be their best selves. In addition, we want everyone to feel connected to the business, our strategy and the teams they work with. Where hybrid working is applicable, colleagues need to strike the right balance to fulfil both of these important factors. You will find the right mix of being at home, in the office & out in the business, bearing in mind business needs, job role and level of responsibility.

Wellbeing is more than just a buzzword here From our Wellbeing Buddies and Mental Health First Aid training to our progressive parental leave, menopause policies and Colleague Support Fund, we're committed to supporting our colleagues in every area - and at every stage - of their lives. Through our partnership with the Retail Trust, everyone at Dunelm has free access to a 24/7 Virtual GP, as well as therapy and counselling, plus information, guidance and advice in all areas of financial, emotional and physical wellbeing.

Meeting opportunities Meet Amanda, our Chief Stores and People Director, who shares how she feels empowered to take opportunities every day, why Dunelm is her happy place, and why it's a really exciting time to join us.

We want you to get as much out of working with us as possible. That's why we'll do everything we can to engage you in the process of learning, and encourage you to explore new opportunities around your particular skills and interests. For you, this includes:

• Housewarming & Settling In where you can find out more about the wider business, our culture, behaviours, networks and wellbeing support
• Thrive, our learning and skills platform which gives you a blended, bite-sized, social learning experience with learning relevant to your role
• Our Enterprise Leadership Programme designed specifically for our strong growth potential
• Heads of Department to help them reach the next level in their career
• Our INSPIRE Programme designed for our strong growth potential senior managers across the business to enhance their leadership capability
• Our EXPLORE Programme designed to prepare our next generation of Line Managers
• Personal Effectiveness workshops and self-led learning, also delivered through Thrive
• Apprenticeships opportunities relevant to your role - from level 2 (equivalent to GCSE) through to Level 7 (equivalent to Masters)
• Colleague Development Fund to support colleagues in accessing external training relevant to your role
• Coaching and mentoring to support you in your current role and help you prepare for the next
• Functional academies that offer training to support you in the technical aspects of your role
• Self-awareness tools to help you understand what really matters to you, and where your own talents and ambitions lie
• Progress conversations that reflect on how you're doing and define your focus areas for the coming months
• Career conversations that explore what you want from your career, in light of your current capabilities, potential and future aspirations,
• "I'm working closely with my stakeholders, mapping out what they need in their next hire and then heading out to find the perfect match."

• Qualified accountant, or equivalent senior-level finance experience.
• Strong experience in commercial finance, FP&A, finance business partnering, investment appraisal or transformation finance.
• Demonstrable experience of developing and challenging business cases, including benefits, risk and sensitivity analysis.