Senior Finance Manager

Investigo; Welwyn; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading finance consultancy in the UK seeks a Senior Finance Manager to provide strategic commercial leadership in decision-making processes. You will oversee the financial performance of pivotal projects, manage a high-performing team, and partner with senior executives to address commercial opportunities and risks. Ideal candidates possess extensive experience in large commercial environments along with strong analytical and leadership abilities, enabling effective communication at the C-suite level.

Qualifications

• Experience operating at Senior Finance Manager level within a multi-billion-pound organisation.
• Strong understanding of gross profit, supplier income, funding structures, and promotional finance.
• Proven ability to partner with and influence senior executives.

Responsibilities

• Own and lead reporting and insight across gross profit, commercial income, supplier funding, and promotional funding.
• Act as the key Commercial Finance partner across trading and commercial operations.
• Produce high-quality reporting packs and insights for Executive Committee and Senior Leadership.

Skills

Influencing senior executives

Commercial finance expertise

Analytical skills

Leadership experience

Understanding of financial controls

Job description

Team: Managing a team of 5

Overview

This is a high‑profile, strategically critical role within the Commercial Finance function of a major listed business. Operating at the heart of commercial decision‑making, the Senior Finance Manager will partner closely with the CEO, CFO and Finance Director, providing top‑level insight across gross profit performance, commercial income, supplier funding and promotional investment.

This is not a month‑end focused role. It is a forward‑looking, commercially driven position that focuses on shaping financial standards, setting targets, driving performance, and ensuring commercial rigour across a complex, fast‑paced organisation.

You will lead a team of five high‑performing finance professionals, ensuring clarity, pace, accountability, and strong business partnering across commercial and operational stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Commercial Leadership

• Own and lead reporting and insight across gross profit, commercial income, supplier funding, and promotional funding.
• Set performance standards, commercial targets, and financial frameworks to support top‑level strategic decision‑making.
• Work closely with senior executives (CEO, CFO, FD) to proactively highlight opportunities, risks, discrepancies, and future trends.

Business Partnering & Stakeholder Influence

• Act as the key Commercial Finance partner across trading, category, supply chain, and commercial operations.
• Challenge and influence senior leaders to ensure financial accountability, commercially sound decisions, and maximisation of financial outcomes.
• Provide insight that shapes pricing, promotional strategy, supplier negotiations, and profitability optimisation.

Controls & Governance

• Ensure robust financial controls exist across commercial income and supplier funding activities, without the role becoming month‑end heavy.
• Strengthen governance around promotional processes, funding agreements, and commercial contracts.

Leadership

• Lead, coach and develop a team of five finance professionals, enabling high performance, strong analysis, and exceptional business partnering.
• Delegate effectively, set clear priorities, and build a culture of ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Data, Reporting & Insight

• Own the collation and consolidation of commercial financial data across multiple channels and teams.
• Produce high‑quality reporting packs and insights for Executive Committee and Senior Leadership.
• Drive improvements in standardisation, accuracy, and consistency of commercial financial reporting.

Skills & Experience Required (Essential)

• Experience operating at Senior Finance Manager level (or above) within a large, complex, commercial, multi‑billion‑pound organisation.
• Strong commercial finance background with deep understanding of gross profit, supplier income, funding structures, and promotional finance.
• Proven ability to partner with and influence senior executives at pace.
• Strong leadership experience managing and developing a finance team.
• High resilience, comfort with ambiguity, and ability to work in a fast‑moving, high‑profile environment.
• Excellent analytical skills with the ability to interpret data, flag issues early, and provide actionable recommendations.
• Strong financial controls understanding (but not focused on month‑end).
• Experience in retail, FMCG, consumer goods, or other high‑volume commercial environments.
• Background in supporting large trading or merchandising functions.
• Experience improving reporting frameworks or building high‑performing commercial finance teams.

Personal Attributes

• Commercially astute with a strategic mindset.
• Confident, articulate communicator capable of gaining trust at C‑suite level.
• Proactive, problem‑solving mindset with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to handle pressure, complex data, and competing priorities.
• Influential leader who brings clarity, structure, and high standards.