Head of Commercial Finance (Fashion / Retail)

Novo Executive Search; Guildford; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A financial consulting hire in Guildford seeks an experienced Finance Manager to lead their Finance team. The ideal candidate must have ACA/ACCA/CIMA qualification and strong commercial finance experience within retail or multi-channel environments. Key responsibilities include overseeing month-end processes, managing trade reporting, and owning budgeting cycles. Advanced Excel and BI tools proficiency are essential. The role offers a dynamic environment, working closely with senior leaders and developing finance capabilities within the team.

Qualifications

• Strong modelling capability.
• Experience in retail, consumer, or multi-channel businesses.
• Confident in working alongside senior leaders.

Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day Finance team.
• Oversee month-end processes for accuracy.
• Conduct trade reporting with actionable insight.
• Own the budgeting and reforecast cycles.
• Enhance finance workflows through automation.

Skills

Strong commercial finance experience

Advanced Excel skills

Ability to interpret complex trading data

Experience managing finance staff

Proficiency in BI tools

Education

ACA / ACCA / CIMA qualified

Tools

Power BI

Looker Studio

Netsuite

SAP B1

Sage Intacct

Job description

Reports to: CFO (functional), COO (day-to-day)

Direct reports: Management Accountant + Transactional Finance (if applicable)

Location: West Sussex (Must be able to come into the office 3 days a week)

Role Purpose

This is a pivotal role that blends commercial insight, financial leadership, and team management. You will lead the day-to-day Finance team, drive commercial performance, and act as the business’s primary source of trading, margin, pricing and forecasting insight.

Working alongside a part-time CFO focused on corporate governance, this role owns the commercial engine of finance :

• Weekly trading and performance insight Budgeting, forecasting, and margin analysis
• Decision support for product, retail, digital and operations
• Developing and managing finance team capability Ensuring high‑quality financial reporting and analysis
• This person is hands‑on, commercially strong, and confident working directly with senior leaders across the business.

Key Responsibilities

Lead the Finance Team (Day-to-Day)

• Manage and develop the Management Accountant and wider finance team.
• Oversee the month‑end process and ensure accurate, timely delivery.
• Set priorities, review outputs, coach the team and drive a culture of accuracy, accountability and improvement.
• Ensure the finance function is well‑organised, efficient, and continuously improving.

Commercial Insight & Business Partnering

• Lead weekly trade reporting with clear, actionable insight.
• Analyse category, product, channel, margin and customer performance.
• Partner with Product, Merchandising, Retail, Digital and Operations to drive profitable decisions.
• Support pricing strategy, promotions, and discounting decisions.
• Translate data into insights and insights into actions.

Forecasting, Budgeting & Planning

• Own the budgeting and reforecast cycles (P&L, margin, opex, cashflow).
• Build and improve driver‑based forecasting models.
• Provide scenario modelling to support growth decisions (new products, channels, markets, stores, pricing changes).
• Ensure forecasts are realistic, commercially grounded, and aligned with trading behaviour.

Financial Reporting & Month‑End Support

• Review management accounts, KPIs and financial packs before submission to the CFO / COO.
• Provide clear, concise commercial commentary.
• Ensure accuracy of key margin and stock‑related entries in partnership with the Management Accountant.
• Tighten the link between operational data and financial results.

Cashflow Oversight

(CFO leads governance; you manage the operational rhythm)

• Maintain a weekly cashflow model with clear visibility of peaks and pressures. Work with procurement, operations, and sales to improve working capital. Support CFO with cash planning and funding requirements.

Audit, Governance & Compliance (Support Role)

(CFO owns; you ensure operational readiness)

• Ensure accurate, robust audit files are prepared by the team.
• Strengthen controls, reconciliations and processes across the business.
• Maintain integrity of financial data and reporting systems.

Systems, Reporting & Process Improvement

• Improve BI dashboards (Power BI / Looker Studio) to increase clarity and speed of insight.
• Enhance processes across reporting, forecasting and operational finance.
• Drive automation and simplification of finance workflows.

Skills & Experience Required

Essential

• ACA / ACCA / CIMA qualified (or equivalent commercial finance background).
• Strong commercial finance experience in retail, consumer, product or multi‑channel businesses.
• Proven experience managing or mentoring finance staff.
• Strong modelling capability and advanced Excel skills.
• Ability to interpret complex trading data and turn it into actions.
• Confident working alongside senior leaders and challenging constructively.
• Comfortable working in a fast‑paced, hands‑on SME environment.

Desirable

• Experience with BI tools (Power BI, Looker Studio).
• Experience with stock, margin, costings and product economics.
• Exposure to ERP systems (Netsuite, SAP B1, Sage Intacct etc.).

Personal Attributes

• Commercially curious and insights‑driven.
• Confident leader who enjoys developing people.
• Strong communicator : simple, clear, fact‑based.
• Proactive, organised and able to work at pace.
• Hands‑on and comfortable balancing commercial and operational priorities.
• Collaborative team player who can partner with all departments.