Fractional Commercial Finance Lead

Denholm Associates; Bathgate; Hybrid; GBP 110,700 - 147,600; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive day rate

Flexibility to fit existing commitments

Direct exposure to senior stakeholders

Job summary

Denholm Associates is seeking a Commercial Finance Leader for a fractional engagement in Bathgate, Scotland. This role involves shaping the finance function through enhanced reporting, forecasting, and performance frameworks. You will design a monthly business review process and work closely with senior commercial stakeholders to create actionable insights.

This position requires a proven background in commercial finance, along with advanced Excel skills and familiarity with finance systems like AS400 or Cognos. Enjoy a flexible schedule with one to two days of meaningful engagement.

Qualifications

• Proven background in commercial finance, FP&A, or business partnering.
• Experience in a branded consumer goods or spirits environment.
• Hands-on knowledge of forecasting and budget processes.

Responsibilities

• Design and embed a monthly business review process for visibility.
• Automate and improve the commercial reporting suite.
• Analyze pricing performance across customers and channels.

Skills

Commercial finance experience

Advanced Excel skills

Reporting and KPI frameworks

Budgeting and business planning

Tools

AS400

Cognos

Job description

The opportunity you've been waiting for

This is a well-established spirits business with a portfolio of recognisable brands, a capable finance team, and the ambition to get sharper. The infrastructure is there, making this an excellent opportunity for a Commercial Finance Leader to shape and enhance the finance function by building the reporting, forecasting and performance frameworks that transform data into actionable commercial insight.

This is a fractional engagement, one to two days per week, suited to an individual who wants meaningful work without a full-time commitment. The scope is substantive, the stakeholder access is senior, and the output you create will have a lasting footprint in the business.

How you'll make your mark

You will design and embed a monthly business review process that gives the Commercial Director clear visibility of volume, NSV, profit and overheads, alongside channel‑level KPI reporting and a structured risks and opportunities framework. You will connect this to the S&OP cycle to create a forecasting process that works across both volume and value.

Beyond the review process, the priorities are

• Automate and improve the commercial reporting suite, reducing manual intervention and building on the current capabilities.
• Streamline the monthly A&P reconciliation process.
• Analyse pricing performance across customers and channels, identifying exposure and opportunity across both own label and branded lines.
• Support the on‑trade and marketing teams with spend tracking and ROI measurement that is robust and repeatable.

What you bring

• Proven background in commercial finance, FP&A or business partnering, ideally within a branded consumer goods or spirits environment.
• Experience building management reporting and KPI frameworks from the ground up.
• Hands‑on knowledge of forecasting, budgeting and business planning processes.
• Confidence working across commercial, sales and supply chain teams.
• Advanced Excel skills and working familiarity with AS400, Cognos or similar finance systems.
• A clear understanding of pricing, profitability and commercial performance metrics.

What's in it for you

• Competitive Day Rate
• One to two days per week, with the flexibility to fit around an existing portfolio or other work commitments.
• Direct exposure to senior commercial stakeholders across finance, sales, supply chain and marketing.
• The scope to build processes and frameworks that outlast the engagement.

A bit more about the business

This is a spirits business with a portfolio spanning premium gin, Scotch whisky and international liqueur brands. The finance team sits at the centre of the commercial operation, working closely with sales and supply chain across both on and off‑trade channels. The business has the foundations in place. This role is about building the commercial intelligence layer on top of them.