Senior Finance Analyst (Retail)

Cancer Research UK; Stratford-upon-Avon; Hybrid; GBP 47,000 - 53,000; Full time

Job summary

Cancer Research UK seeks a Senior Finance Analyst to drive financial planning and analysis for its ambitious Retail & Ecommerce strategy. This role involves managing a substantial P&L, supporting budget holders, and coaching junior analysts within a purpose-driven team dedicated to beating cancer. Suitably qualified professionals are encouraged to apply early, as this position may close sooner than the stated date due to a high volume of applications.

Benefits

Generous benefits package

Career and personal development opportunities

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• Qualified Finance Analyst with significant experience in complex financial planning.
• Experience managing a large P&L (c.£100m+) with a headcount of c.1,500.
• Strong analytical capability and advanced Excel proficiency.

Responsibilities

• Owning and delivering timely reporting for Retail and Online Marketplace.
• Supporting budgeting and forecasting for specified business areas.
• Coaching junior team members and collaborating with the finance team.

Skills

Analytical skills

Financial planning

Stakeholder management

Advanced Excel skills

Problem-solving

Education

Qualified Finance Analyst (ACCA/CIMA/ICAEW or equivalent)

Job description

Credible financial planning. Informed decision-making. Impacting the future.

Senior Finance Analyst (Retail)

£47,000 - £53,000 (+ Benefits)

Reports to: Retail Finance Manager

Department: Chief Operating Office

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full time 35 hours per week

Location: Stratford, London. Office-based with high flexibility (1-2 days per week in the office).

Visa sponsorship: You must be eligible to work in the UK to apply for this vacancy. Cancer Research UK is not able to offer visa sponsorship.

Closing date: 02 July 2025 23:55

This vacancy may close earlier if a high volume of applications is received or once a suitable candidate is found, therefore we strongly recommend that you apply early to avoid disappointment. If you require more time to apply as part of a reasonable adjustment, please contact [e-mail] as soon as possible.

Recruitment process: Two competency-based interviews with an exercise

Interview date: From the week commencing 30 June 2025 (we will be shortlisting on a rolling basis, so please do not delay in applying).

How do I apply? We operate an anonymised shortlisting process in our commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion. CVs are required for all applications; but we won't be able to view them until we invite you for an interview. Instead, we ask you to fully complete the work history section of the online application form for us to be able to assess you quickly, fairly, and objectively.

At Cancer Research UK, we exist to beat cancer.

We are professionals with purpose, beating cancer every day. But we need to go much further and much faster. That's why we're looking for someone talented, someone who wants to develop their skills, someone like you.

Cancer Research UK's Finance team's credibility and professionalism in handling money fundraised by public generosity is essential to the smooth running and future ambitions of our organisation, ultimately helping the charity reach our goal of beating cancer.

Sustainable and pre-loved fashion is one of the fastest-growing areas of the Retail industry; therefore, we are investing in an ambitious Retail & Ecommerce 10-year Growth Strategy. We are proud to have a growing network of c.600+ stores and superstores, and 4 new distribution hubs and online marketplace across the UK. In 2023/24, our Retail & Ecommerce team raised a record-breaking £134m towards our life-saving work.

We are searching for a Senior Finance Analyst to support the Retail Finance Manager, Heads of, and budget holders with budgeting, forecasting, and producing complex analyses to enable effective decision-making to maximise Retail's income. This will involve owning the financial planning for your P&L (c.£126m income & c.£100m costs) and delivering complex payroll modelling for c.1,500 headcount, while playing a proactive, solutions-driven role in evolving and shaping more valuable cost analysis and insights to support business cases and commercial decisions.

Furthermore, you will have the opportunity to coach and support more junior members of the team and Management Accountants, while collaborating with the wider finance team to guide on financial planning for your business areas. You'll be part of a talented and supportive working environment where you'll discover something new and develop every day, while being surrounded by people who are as dedicated to beating cancer as you are.

If you are a Qualified Finance Analyst who has effectively delivered financial planning, modelling, and reporting for a large and complex P&L (c.£100m+) with a large headcount (c.1,500+), we'd love for you to join our mission.

What will I be doing?

• Owning and delivering timely and insightful reporting for your specified business areas (Retail & Online Marketplace - c.£134m income & c.£100m costs).
  • This involves understanding what is needed to inform decision-making while identifying and communicating the impact on the future.
• Supporting Heads of and budget holders with budgeting and forecasting. This will involve evolving and shaping insightful cost analysis to enable effective decision-making.
• Partnering with the Head of Distribution and Head of Online Marketplace to support and advise on business cases and monthly P&L reviews.
• Using your expertise and experience to provide high-quality analysis and decision support to initiatives, projects, and business cases from any area of Cancer Research UK, as requested by the finance leadership.
• Analysing trends and performance, feeding findings into forecasts and long-term financial planning
• Producing analysis that turns data into insight, helping decision makers to understand the impact of their initiatives and decisions on the Charity's financial plan.
  • This includes owning and producing complex payroll modelling and analysis for c.1,500 retail headcount.
  • Developing and providing income/expenditure modelling to support all financial planning while communicating clearly to enable the organisation to own and take responsibility for their plans.
• Coaching and supporting the Management Accountants on your team, which involves allocating operational tasks.
• Collaborating with other members of your team and the wider finance team to guide on financial planning (forecasting, budgeting, and long-term planning) for your specific business areas.

What skills will I need?

• Qualified Finance Analyst (ACCA/ CIMA/ ICAEW or equivalent) or qualified by experience (QBE).
• Overseen a large P&L consisting of a large headcount (c.£100m+). This includes:
  • Significant experience in complex financial planning, modelling, and reporting within a large, complex organisation.
  • Delivered cost, income, and/ or payroll analysis and insights for a large P&L and headcount.
• Built strong stakeholder relationships at all levels with a demonstrated ability to clearly present and explain financial information while identifying the key themes to provide insight and tell 'the story'.
• Highly numerate with an analytical and proactive approach to problem-solving a broad range of challenges.
• Advanced Excel skills having previously worked with financial modelling and with large, complicated data sets.
• Innovative and takes a step back and question what you and the wider team are doing to strive for continuous improvement in processes, approach, and outputs.

Our organisation values are designed to guide all that we do.

Bold: Act with ambition, courage and determination

Credible: Act with rigour and professionalism

Human: Act to have a positive impact on people

Together: Act inclusively and collaboratively

We're looking for people who can believe in and embody these organisation values and can use them to drive forward progress against our mission to beat cancer.

If you're interested in applying and excited about working with us but are unsure if you have the right skills and experience we'd still love to hear from you.

What will I gain?

We create a working environment that supports your wellbeing and provide a generous benefits package, a wide range of career and personal development opportunities and high-quality tools. Our policies and processes enable you to improve your work-life balance, take positive steps in your career and achieve your personal wellbeing goals.

You can explore our benefits by visiting our careers web page.

Additional Information

For more information about working with us please visit our website or contact us at [e-mail].

For more updates on our work and careers, follow us on: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

Our vision is to create a charity where everyone feels like they belong, benefits from and participates in, the work we do. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures, in particular those from ethnic minority backgrounds who are currently under-represented.

We want to see every candidate performing at their best throughout the job application process, interview process and whilst at work. We therefore ask you to inform us of any concerns you have or any adjustments you might need to enable this to happen. Please contact [e-mail] or 020 3469 8400 as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, we are unable to recruit anyone below the age of 18, so that we can protect young people from health & safety and safeguarding risks.

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