Head of Commercial Finance- Food in Lichfield

Joining us in this key leadership role within our Finance team, you’ll be responsible for driving commercial performance, financial insight and decision support across our Food business. Partnering closely with our Food Leadership Team, you’ll bring pace, challenge and commercial rigour to ensure delivery of financial and strategic objectives. You’ll work together with operational leaders to improve sales, margin and profitability across our stores, translating strategy into clear targets, KPIs and actionable insight.

From pricing and promotions to cost control, supply chain efficiency and site productivity, you’ll identify risks and opportunities early and drive timely action, ensuring strong governance and performance transparency. Leading the Commercial Finance and FP&A team, you’ll build capability in business partnering, analytics and decision support, while embedding a high-performance, accountable culture. You’ll own planning, forecasting and reporting, driving a “no surprises” approach and supporting key investment decisions through robust analysis, scenario modelling and clear business cases.

At a time of integration and growth, you’ll play a critical role in aligning teams across the business, supporting long-term investment, and delivering tangible value for members and customers — all while influencing senior stakeholders across Finance and Food leadership. Hybrid working is available for this role, with a mix of working from home and at our Support Centres in Lichfield and Warwick.

How will I know if I am right for this role?

Ideally, you’ll be a Qualified Accountant (ACA / ACCA / CIMA or equivalent) and bring strong experience in Commercial finance/FP&A roles within retail or multi-site environments. We are looking for a commercially focused finance professional who can drive real P&L impact through strong analysis, disciplined forecasting and insightful reporting. You’ll be confident translating complex data into clear, actionable recommendations that support high-quality business decisions. You’ll bring a deep understanding of the retail landscape, including key drivers such as market trends, margin, pricing, leakage, footfall and marketing effectiveness.

Naturally analytical and detail-driven, you’ll be able to evaluate and communicate insight in a clear and compelling way. A natural influencer, you’ll excel at building strong relationships and engaging senior stakeholders. You’ll have a proven track record of leading and developing high-performing teams, balancing constructive challenge with collaboration to deliver results. We are looking for someone ambitious, values-driven and energising, with high levels of integrity and emotional intelligence. You’ll bring a positive, can-do attitude, inspire those around you and play a key role in driving sustained commercial success.

Everyone is welcome here. We’re happy to make reasonable adjustments so that all our candidates can show us how they’ll perform their role. There is a section in the application form where you can provide any additional information. Please use this section to include any reasonable adjustments you need, and we’ll do our best to support you through our recruitment process.

What benefits are available to you?

In addition to our competitive salaries, our colleagues also benefit from:

• Fantastic colleague discount - Reward ££’s and discounts across our Retail and Funeral businesses.
• Retail discounts- our hub offers colleagues access to hundreds of exclusive retail discounts, savings on days out and holiday discounts.
• Colleague Dividend- We pay a share of our profits to eligible colleagues as a thank you for their contribution to our success.
• Colleague recognition- we celebrate our colleague’s achievements both personally and professionally.
• Personalised learning and development- with easy access to a wide range of training programmes.
• Paid time for volunteering- we encourage our colleagues to spend three days per year taking part in volunteering, fully paid for by us.
• Enhanced family friendly policies- to help you feel fully supported during any significant life events.

Wellbeing

• Annual health check kit and virtual GP – Finger prick blood test kit, that is sent to Square Healthcare for your personal healthcare report, and access to a virtual GP 7 days a week 8am to 8pm for you and your family.
• Colleague assistance programme – to support you and your family when you need it the most.
• Healthcare Cashplan- your wellbeing is important, so you’ve got the opportunity to contribute into a voluntary plan that helps pay towards a range of healthcare expenses.
• Company sick pay – We offer company sick pay to colleagues so that you can focus on getting better and returning to work in full health.
• Life Assurance- after an initial qualifying period, you’ll get free life assurance cover, that pays your nominated beneficiary if you die while you’re working for us.
• We’ve got you – our colleague wellbeing campaign, making wellbeing benefits and resources accessible and relevant to the role that you do.
• Give as you earn- helping you support charities which mean something to you.

Financial Wellbeing

• iTrent Financial Wellbeing (Wagestream)- offers something for all our colleagues, whether you want to track your finances, save some money, or access up to 50% of your earned pay flexibly in a way that suits you.
• The Money Co-op – Free access to support all aspects of your financial wellbeing, such as savings and loans at competitive rates.
• Salary Sacrifice schemes: Electric Vehicle scheme – Option to purchase your EV through salary sacrifice.
• Share Incentive Plan (SIP) – option to buy shares within the Society, where they will attract interest and £10 worth of matching shares.
• Cycle to Work scheme – Option to purchase your bicycle and accessories through salary sacrifice.
• Holiday buy- colleagues can buy up to a week extra of annual leave each year.

Company Pension- you can access a company pension scheme with us as well as access to Pension wellbeing information.

Who are we?

OurCoop is the UK’s largest independent co-operative Society, with more than one million Members and 13,000 colleagues operating in communities nationwide. It was formed by bringing together Central Co-op, The Midcounties Co-operative and Chelmsford Star Co-op to create a stronger, member-owned organisation rooted in shared co-operative values. The Society trades nationally through its family of businesses while remaining deeply rooted in local communities. Its footprint spans Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and Bedfordshire in the South and West; the Midlands including Derbyshire, Staffordshire and Northamptonshire; the North including Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Yorkshire; and the East of England, including Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk.

OurCoop and its family of businesses are trading names of Central England Co-operative Limited.