Hospitality Commercial Analyst — Data-Driven Profitability

Imperial Enterprise; Greater London; On-site; GBP 52,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

43 days annual leave

Generous pension

Flexible working policy

On-site leisure facilities

Cycle-to-work scheme

Season ticket loan

Job summary

Imperial College London seeks a Commercial Analyst to shape financial performance across its hospitality and accommodation portfolio, with turnover around £50m and 5,000+ student rooms. You’ll translate complex data into actionable insights for senior leaders, linking finance with operations and ensuring VAT and accounting compliance.

You will develop budgets, forecasts, pricing models and profitability analyses for outlets, accommodation pricing, and new initiatives, partnering with managers

Qualifications

• Degree-level education in finance, business, or analytical discipline; part-qualified or qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, or equivalent).
• Proven experience supporting budgeting, forecasting, financial planning, and management accounting cycles.
• Experience analysing, interpreting, and reporting financial performance within a large, complex, multi-site organisation.
• Advanced Excel and financial modelling capability, with experience building, maintaining, and improving complex financial models and reporting tools such as Power BI.
• Experience in hospitality, accommodation, higher education, or commercial services, including familiarity with relevant systems such as Procure Wizard, EPOS, or similar.
• Strong understanding of cost control, margin analysis, VAT in hospitality/accommodation settings, and the Agent/Principal accounting model.
• Demonstrable ability to communicate complex financial information clearly and persuasively, influencing senior stakeholders through data-driven insight.
• Excellent analytical, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills, with a proactive approach to identifying inefficiencies and developing practical solutions.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, meet tight deadlines under pressure, work collaboratively with diverse teams, and maintain professional partnerships.
• High standards of integrity, confidentiality, accuracy, equality, diversity and inclusion; commitment to continuous professional development and effective use of Microsoft Office tools.

Responsibilities

• Provide the financial analysis and commercial insight that helps Imperial’s hospitality, catering and accommodation operations make confident, profitable decisions.
• Monitor financial performance through management reports, dashboards and variance analysis; assess revenue, labour, cost of sales and gross profit; and develop robust budgets, forecasts, pricing and profitability models.
• Your analysis will directly support initiatives including accommodation pricing, summer business growth, new outlets and investment projects, identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, recover costs and maximise returns.
• You will work closely with operational managers, senior leaders, Finance, ICT and external partners to turn complex information into clear, actionable recommendations.
• You will enhance reporting tools and data quality, establish meaningful KPIs and lead regular performance reviews, while ensuring compliance with financial regulations, VAT requirements and agent/principal principles.

Skills

Budgeting

Forecasting

Financial modelling

Financial analysis

Stakeholder communication

Analytical thinking

Education

Degree in finance or related

ACCA/ACCA/CIMA part-qualified or qualified

Tools

Procure Wizard

EPOS

Power BI

Job description

Imperial College London seeks a Commercial Analyst to shape financial performance across its hospitality and accommodation portfolio, with turnover around £50m and 5,000+ student rooms. You’ll translate complex data into actionable insights for senior leaders, linking finance with operations and ensuring VAT and accounting compliance.

You will develop budgets, forecasts, pricing models and profitability analyses for outlets, accommodation pricing, and new initiatives, partnering with managers