Retail Finance Director

N BROWN; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Car allowance

1

24 days holiday

Private healthcare

Annual bonus

Pension with employer contribution

Mental Health support

Employee discounts

Life Assurance

Volunteer time

Job summary

N Brown is seeking a Retail Finance Director to lead the Retail Finance Team in Manchester. The role reports to the CFO and shapes the Commercial Finance strategy to drive growth and value across the retail business.

You will manage the Commercial Finance Team, align budgeting with group strategy, and provide strategic financial guidance to enable commercial expansion and efficiency across divisions.

Qualifications

• Formal finance qualification required (CIMA/ACA/ACCA).
• Strong commercial awareness and customer focus.
• Excellent problem solving, analysis and decision-making.
• Ability to influence and negotiate at all levels with strategic thinking.
• Clear, concise communication and strong influencing skills.
• Highly driven, adaptable in a fast-paced environment.
• Proactive change catalyst with leadership qualities.
• Innovative and curious, willing to challenge the status quo.

Responsibilities

• Lead Retail and Supply Chain Finance Teams to embed the commercial agenda and drive KPI performance.
• Define ROI measures with the Retail SLT and drive activity to improve divisional ROI.
• Provide transparency by linking divisional results to statutory results and ensure compliance.
• Create the annual Group budget in line with planning processes.
• Lead Commercial Finance BP teams in month-end close, reporting, issues, and actions.
• Advise SLT with practical governance and commercial mindset insights.
• Analyze business, margins, and opportunities to drive profitability.
• Support finance function branding and enable commercial growth across the organisation.
• Lead strategic planning and tactical implementation of the divisional plan.
• Drive financial process improvements and accountability across the division.

Skills

Commercial awareness

Strategic thinking

Influencing skills

Communication skills

Leadership

Problem solving

Education

Professional finance qualification (CIMA/ACA/ACCA)

Job description

The role

We're looking for a Retail Finance Director to join our Finance Team

The role of Retail Finance Director is to lead the department for the retail business, reporting into the Chief Financial Officer.

You will develop and execute the Commercial Finance strategy in alignment with the overall retail strategy, forming a critical part of driving future growth and value for the N Brown Group.

You will also be responsible for managing and developing the wider Commercial Finance Team to implement the strategy within their business areas.

What will you do as a Retail Finance Director at N Brown?

• To lead the Retail and Supply Chain Finance Teams to embed the commercial agenda, ensuring that the business is focussing on delivering the highest commercial value and ensuring optimal performance on financial/performance targets/KPI's;
• Support the Retail Senior Leadership Team to define and produce key ROI measures and to create and drive a program of activity to improve divisional ROI in line with Group Strategy;
• Provide transparency evidenced by clear linkage of divisional results to statutory results whilst ensuring compliance with statutory and Group Financial obligations;
• Create the annual budget for the Group in accordance with financial planning process;
• Lead a team of Commercial Finance Business Partners to support their functions in providing divisional specific activity:
  • Month end close - actuals, forecast, review with Directors;
  • Month end reporting - summarise financial position, issues, action identification and tracking;
  • Contribute to Trading Performance - provide commercial narrative, insight, summarise and track material issues and actions; and
  • Compliance with statutory and group financial obligations.
• Provide the Retail Senior Leadership Team with independent, objective and practical advice, guidance and coaching in relation to embedding a commercial mind-set and governance;
• Analysis of business, products, margins etc. throughout. Identifying weaknesses and opportunities for improvements to drive margins and profitability. Acting upon this commercial information as required;
• Analysis and provision of financial advice as required to support decision-making and monitoring of financial performance;
• Support the Finance Senior Leadership team to develop the finance function brand across the organisation, as an efficient and professional organisation that enables commercial growth;
• Lead the strategic financial planning and guide the Commercial Finance Business Partners to tactically implement the divisions strategic plan;
• Lead Finance Change M
• Engagement; driving improvements to financial accountability across the Division and Organisation and improving financial processes to improve overall efficiency;
• Leadership and co-ordination across key stakeholders, including applying commercial mind set to problem solving;
• To lead, develop and motivate a team of Finance professionals to deliver business objectives; Key accountability for metrics including market share, revenue growth, EBITDA growth, operating and net free cashflow as well as working in capital management, return on investment, breakeven cashflow etc.

What skills and experience will you have?

• Formal finance qualification: CIMA/ACA/ACCA
• Strong commercial awareness and a customer first approach
• First class commercial problem solving, analysis and decision-making ability
• Able to influence and negotiate across all levels, based on an ability to think strategically and creatively for all parties
• Confident, clear and concise communication skills and strong influencing skills
• Highly driven and self-motivated with a demonstrated ability to perform well in a fast-paced changing environment
• Act as a visible and impactful change catalyst
• Innovative and curious, willing to question the status quo and learn.
• Strong leadership capability, motivating, growing and developing a large and diverse team

What's in it for you?

• Hybrid working (3 days in the office at a minimum)
• Car allowance and car parking space
• 24 days holiday (+ 8 bank holidays)
• Private healthcare
• Annual bonus scheme
• Enhanced maternity and adoption leave
• Company pension with up to 8% N Brown contribution
• Mental Health support both internally and externally, including access to our wellbeing champions and counselling services
• A range of financial wellbeing support
• Stream - a financial wellbeing tool that helps you track your pay, access earnings early and manage your money with confidence
• Colleague discount across all N Brown brands
• Onsite café with subsidised rates and local restaurant discounts!
• Life Assurance and Private Medical Insurance
• Paid volunteer time - all our colleagues can take a full day paid to volunteer for a charity of their choice

N Brown - who we are and why work for us?

N Brown is a leading UK digital retail platform for clothing, footwear, home and technology, headquartered in Manchester and employing over 1,000 people nationwide. Through our strategic retail brands JD Williams, Jacamo and Simply Be and our unique payments offering, we exist to champion inclusivity and serve the underserved. Our customers are our passion, and we take great pride in delivering products that ensure they can look and feel amazing, without compromising on choice, value and accessibility.

We're committed to building a diverse workforce and creating an inclusive environment that values equality for all. Our vision is that by 'By championing inclusion, N Brown will become the UK's most loved and trusted consumer platform, shaping the future of financial empowerment and personal expression'. 'Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging are, therefore, at the heart of our culture.

In May 2024 we were delighted to be named one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2024. We work hard to create a happy and inclusive culture for everyone and we're so proud to have made this list - as voted for by our very own colleagues!

Ways of Working

We offer hybrid working which varies across the business depending on the role you're in. Our Head Office is located in the Northern Quarter in Manchester City Centre. So if you are travelling by train, tram or bus we're perfectly located, plus we're surrounded by cool cafes, trendy bars and the best places to eat!

Our working hours are 36.17 per week over 5 days.

We believe AI will become a standard part of modern professional practice. We are therefore looking for individuals who are open to learning, testing, and responsibly adopting AI tools to improve efficiency, insight, and impact in your role.

Our promise to you:

We're an equal opportunity employer and value diversity.

We do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Please know your application is being reviewed by a real human being. We value your interest in joining us and appreciate you taking the time to submit your application.

What happens when you apply to a role at N Brown?

As soon as we receive your application, we'll send you an email to let you know. We always aim to come back to you as soon as possible with an update and we really appreciate you taking the time to apply for a role with us. Good luck!