Senior Commercial Finance Manager - Retail

As Senior Commercial Finance Manager you are a key Business Partner to the Product and Retail Chapters with responsibility for all aspects of Commercial Finance including the strategic planning process, prioritisation of investment choices, delivery of performance insights and challenge to drive the right actions for our customers.

This role plays a key role in optimising our Retail Revenue & Margin performance and delivery of our product plans, partnering the Product Director and the Senior Retail Leadership team as we continue to grow our brands and accelerate our transformation.

You will have strong commercial drive and acumen, a customer-first attitude, with proven business partnering experience in a digitally led retail & customer environment. Championing the customer, you will develop and equip your team with the capabilities and skills to drive commercial, data driven results backed by your experience and instinct.

Reporting to the Head of Retail Finance, this role is fundamental to delivering ambitious commercial objectives to accelerate Brand Performance, unlock profitable and sustainable revenue growth and therefore increase our share of the total online market.

What will you do as an Senior Commercial Finance Manager at N Brown?

• Business Partner the Product and Retail Chapters to drive the necessary actions and business initiatives that support successful delivery of the Retail strategy
• Influence strategic and business decision making in relation to the product and brand strategies across our retail brands through financial insight, detailed analysis and effective business partnering.
• Identify, influence and drive business initiatives to grow the business and hold the business to account to deliver on targets through quality reporting and quality conversation
• Provide commercial support & challenge to accelerate delivery of customer and non-financial KPIs
• Drive improved efficiency of buying, sourcing, ranging and merchandising choices by supporting stakeholders with their seasonal and core product planning
• Enhance commercial delivery by ensuring that all stakeholders understand their responsibilities for the overall financial goals of the Product and Retail Chapters and the wider Group. Embed commercial mind-set, curiosity and agility
• Preparation of reporting for inclusion within the board pack and other key ceremonies
• Develop and evolve weekly & month end reporting and analysis to better communicate financial performance to key stakeholders.
• Develop and grow our talent and be a critical part of our journey to becoming a high performing team
• Support and guide the team, peers and stakeholders through the annual budgeting and quarterly / always on forecast processes, liaising closely with the wider Commercial Finance and Management Accounting team within Group Finance.
• Manage workloads, identify future requirements, and support the Head of Retail Finance with continuous improvement within the wider Commercial Finance domain.

What skills and experience will you have?

• Qualified accountant with more than 2-years’ experience in a high paced commercial environment
• Experience of working alongside retail teams in a fast paced environment is helpful (although not essential)
• Strong commercial awareness and a customer first approach
• Able to demonstrate high level commercial problem solving & analysis skills
• Able to influence and negotiate across all levels, particularly leadership levels, based on an ability to think strategically and creatively for all parties
• Confident, clear and concise communication skills and to then truly influence outcomes
• Demonstrated ability to quickly appraise complex situations, identify key issues and make tough, timely decisions
• Naturally inquisitive with a desire to understand a broad range of commercial issues
• The desire to coach others and provide leadership within the Finance Domain

Required Key Characteristics

• Digitally Literate - Embraces a digital world with the capability to envision and build new business models, tools, and ways of working informed by digital
• Integrator - Operates with the complete story in mind, understands and identifies connections, creates bridges and seamless experiences
• Innovative Thinker - Constantly considers and investigates new ways to perform work and deliver value, with openness to creative ideas and experimentation
• Data Obsessed - Feels passionate about, understands, and uses data to anticipate issues, identify opportunities, diagnose, test ideas, and design and improve solutions
• Customer & Colleague Centric - Focuses on customers and their needs as the starting and end points for every initiative and solution

What’s in it for you?

• Hybrid working
• 24 days holiday (+ 8 bank holidays) with the option to buy an additional 10 days
• Annual bonus scheme
• Enhanced maternity and adoption leave
• Access to Apricity, a self-funding IVF benefit at a reduced rate
• 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
• 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?

At N Brown, we’re committed to building a diverse workforce and creating an inclusive environment that values equality for all. Our vision is that by ‘championing inclusion, we’ll become the most loved and trusted fashion retailer’. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging are, therefore, at the heart of our culture.

We’re a forward-thinking digital retailer with a financial services proposition to be proud of. We’re customer-obsessed, serving them through three core brands: JD Williams, Simply Be, and Jacamo. We’re experienced, with over 160 years of trading under our belt. We’re inclusive, as we believe in fashion without boundaries; and we’re sustainable, striving to make as little impact on the planet as possible.

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 full-time working hours are 36.17 per week over 5-days. We don’t have strict working hours therefore there is some flexibility around start and finish times as long as you are meeting the needs of the business.

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.

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!