Senior Commercial Finance Analyst

Colgate Palmolive; Old Woking; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Colgate-Palmolive is seeking a Senior Commercial Finance Analyst to partner with Customer Development and Retail Marketing, influencing strategic decisions and commercial outcomes. You will blend strategic insight with financial governance, focusing on profitability, promotional spend, and internal controls.

You will collaborate with global teams, manage GTN spend, and ensure month-end accuracy while upholding Colgate policies and governance.

Qualifications

• Strong commercial and financial insight applied to FMCG scenarios.
• Experience in promotional spend evaluation and net revenue controls.
• Ability to partner with cross-functional teams and influence decisions.

Responsibilities

• Partner with CDMs to evaluate account profitability and drive margin improvements.
• Lead ROI evaluations on promotions to maximize financial return.
• Support customer negotiations and joint business planning.
• Manage GTN spend process with accruals, reconciliations and month-end close.
• Ensure compliance with Colgate Financial Policies and SOX controls.

Skills

Commercial acumen

Financial modeling

Promotional effectiveness

Internal controls

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's or higher in a relevant field

ACCA/CIMA or equivalent preferred

Job description

• Commercial Impact & Ownership: You won't just be crunching numbers-you will directly influence strategy, trade spend, and profitability alongside commercial leaders.


• Cross-Functional Visibility: Work closely with Customer Development, Retail Marketing, and local market leadership to shape business growth.


• Global Scope: Leverage global strategies, tap into world-class learning and development, and unlock potential international career paths., As a Senior Commercial Finance Analyst, you will act as a key strategic partner to our Customer Development and Retail Marketing teams. You'll blend strategic insight with operational control, helping us drive commercial performance, optimize promotional spend, and maintain financial integrity., 1. Strategic Business Partnership & Commercial Insights


• Partner with Customer Development Managers (CDMs) to evaluate account profitability and drive margin-improving recommendations.


• Lead pre- and post-ROI evaluations on promotional spend to ensure maximum financial return and alignment with brand strategy.


• Support commercial teams during customer negotiations and joint business planning.


• Identify commercial Risks & Opportunities (Volume/ASP/Margin) against budgets and proactively propose solutions.


• 2. Financial Planning & Governance


• Play a leading role in the monthly commercial controlling process, driving financial rigor across latest estimates and account reviews.


• Manage the Gross-to-Net (GTN) spend process, ensuring strict oversight of accruals, reconciliations, and month-end close adjustments.


• Oversee deduction validations, trade payment accruals, and Accounts Receivable monitoring in collaboration with the Colgate Business Service (CBS) center.


• Ensure full compliance with Colgate Financial Policies, local laws, and internal SOX controls.


• Our journey begins with our people-developing strong talent with diverse backgrounds and perspectives to best serve our consumers around the world and fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels a true sense of belonging. We are dedicated to ensuring that each individual can be their authentic self, is treated with respect, and is empowered by leadership to contribute meaningfully to our business.


• We are looking for a Senior Commercial Finance Analyst to join our Northern Europe Hub Finance Team. If you are a curious, proactive finance professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment and wants direct influence over commercial decisions, this is your next career move.


• A Strategic Influencer: You have strong communication and presentation skills, with the confidence to challenge and guide commercial teams.


• A Pragmatic Problem-Solver: You balance high-level strategic thinking with a hands-on, \"roll-up-your-sleeves\" attitude.


• Detail-Oriented & Organized: You thrive under tight timetables and prioritize effectively to deliver accurate financial plans.


• An Agent of Change: Ambitious, curious, and comfortable innovating processes to drive better outcomes.


• Education & Professional Certifications: University degree in a relevant field; ACCA, CIMA, or equivalent qualification preferred .


• Experience: Minimum 4+ years of accounting/financial experience, with a strong preference for Commercial Finance/FMCG experience .


• Core Skills: Commercial acumen, financial modeling, promotional effectiveness evaluation, and robust understanding of internal controls.


• Colgate-Palmolive Company is a global consumer products company operating in over 200 countries specialising in Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care, Skin Care, and Pet Nutrition. Our products are trusted in more households than any other brand in the world, making us a household name! Join Colgate-Palmolive, a caring, innovative growth company reimagining a healthier future for people, their pets, and our planet. Guided by our core values-Caring, Inclusive, and Courageous-we foster a culture that inspires our people to achieve common goals. Together, let's build a brighter, healthier future for all.


• At Colgate-Palmolive, we build a future to smile about-for our employees, consumers, and communities. Driven by our core values of Caring, Inclusive, and Courageous , we foster a collaborative, high-energy environment where you can bring your authentic self to work every day.